The Art Gallery at Western New England University will host "O King" an exhibit by mixed media artist Joan Ryan, from January 29 to March 2. The gallery, located in the St. Germain Campus Center, will host an opening reception Sunday, January 29 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. There will also be a gallery talk on Thursday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m. when the artist will offer insight into her work and the inspiration for its theme. For Art Gallery hours call 413 782-1203. All gallery events are free and open to the public.
“The exhibit explores aspects of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work in the civil rights movement and the many individuals that suffered from racism, persecution, and inequality,” explains Ryan. “We see portraits of individuals who have lived on ‘the other side’ of the civil justice line and reflect upon their experience.” The concept of representing persecution is paralleled in the emotional intensity heard in the music that accompanies the images. Luciano Berio’s “O King,” the second movement of his Sinfonia, was written as a tribute to the memory of Dr. King, his life and his work.
Joan Ryan is a Boston based artist whose work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She received her MFA in Painting from Boston University. She is affiliated with The Drawing Center in New York City, and The Drawing Project in Boston.
