At the end of November 2016 I was invited to be part of Art Suzhou (hosted by Pan-National Arts)! Along with four other American artists, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion and a group exhibition (along with Chinese artists) in Jinji Lake Art Museum in the Suzhou Culture and Arts Center. The entire trip was so well put together and the only thing I wished differently was that I should have learned more of the language! The organization sent us on a direct flight, put us up in an amazing hotel, we ate insanely delicious food, and saw some beautiful art.
The event began with a welcome ceremony and ribbon cutting, followed by a press conference in which we discussed art, the business of art, and challenges we face as artists making a living. The exhibition opening and gala were held after and one of the awesome perks was that I received the Sino-US Arts Exchange Award presented by the mayor and got to walk up to the stage to Star Wars music (also a pretty awesome experience). The last day of the trip was spent doing some serious sightseeing and shopping in the old city which looked like different country in comparison to the new district. We visited the Suzhou Museum (designed by the architect I.M. PEI) and the Humble Administrator's Garden during the last day which included lots of history and culture of Suzhou.
I'm extremely grateful for the experiences and opportunities on this trip and want to send a big thank you to Pan-National Arts for all the support and awesome perks.
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