Unfurled

The ideas, hopes and struggles from a new generation of emerging local artists is revealed in Unfurled. Unfurled means to become spread out or revealed, be open to different possibilities, different visions. This is the overarching theme that unites the works. The courage to open-up and share thoughts on how they live, where they come from, what they cherish and what they want to change pulsates throughout the works from these upcoming artists of color. We share their experiences via a variety of creative mediums which range from painting, sculpture, installation to photography, creating emotional and ideological bonds between them and the viewer. As we live through these challenging times, art from fresh perspectives can give us a time to reflect on what’s important and dear, and Unfurled strives to present art that can be a catalyst to new beginnings.  – "Unfurled" Curator, Christopher E. Harrison
 

Unfurled
   February 26 – April 2, 2021
   Curated by Christopher E. Harrison
   Exhibiting Artists:  Philipo Dyauli, Roshan Ganu, Lissa Karpeh, Alonzo Pantoja, Suyao Tian  
 This exhibition is hosted by Artistry and takes place in the Inez Greenberg Gallery at the Bloomington Center for the Arts. 

Virtual Panel Discussion: Tuesday, March 23, 7:00 p.m.
Please join Artistry for a live online discussion with the curator and exhibiting artists. Learn about their creative process and the vibrant artwork featured in the current exhibition, Unfurled. Participants will be encouraged to write in questions for the artists throughout the event. See Artistry's website for Zoom meeting details.

About the Curator
Christopher E. Harrison (1965) is an Ohio native who received his BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, OH. Harrison currently lives and works his studio practice in Minneapolis as a visual artist, illustrator, and graphic designer where he creates paintings, drawings, sculpture, and collage.

Harrison has exhibited his work in solo and group exhibitions including Obsidian Arts (MN), Nemeth Art Center (MN), Soo Visual Art Center (MN), MIAD (WI) and Smack Mellon in New York. He has also shown internationally as well, with group shows in Senegal, Ecuador, and the United Kingdom. Harrison has created public art for North Minneapolis as well. His work has been supported with grant funding by Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, the City of Minneapolis, MRAC Next Step and the Joan Mitchell Foundation.
 

About the Artists
Philipo Dyauli is a self-taught painter, illustrator, and draftsman from Tanzania. His work primarily consists of acrylic paintings on canvas inspired by favorite painters, music, films, and the natural world. His childhood consisted of road trips, family reunions and visiting National Parks in Tanzania. Dyauli incorporates his Tanzanian roots and personal experiences to create artwork that reflects life in the United States and East Africa. This often involves depictions of favorite family traditions, friends, and personal heroes. Dyauli currently works in the Northrup King Building, as part of the Studio 400 Artist program with full support of mentors and artists from multiple disciplines.

Roshan Ganu is a mixed media storyteller based in Minneapolis. She has conceptualized and directed stories for the Minneapolis Institute of Art and is currently working on a multimedia composition for the Minnesota Opera. She has been invited to speak about her work at national and international universities such as St.Cloud State University, Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Kumaraguru College of Liberal arts in India, among others. Her storytelling work has been recognized by the Star Tribune and the SOTA podcast from the Midwest and has been exhibited at galleries such as Soo Visual Arts Center and ArtReach St. Croix, Stillwater to name a few.

Lissa Karpeh is a Liberian-American artist whose work is informed by her first-generation immigrant identity and background in mental health work. Karpeh explores the self, other, and context in her figural, richly colored oil and acrylic paintings. Her recent work examines the concept of “double consciousness” (developed by W. E. B. Du Bois) as it relates to western oppressive perceptions of Black identity. She received her BFA from Saint Cloud State and is currently an artist in the Studio 400 cohort. 

Alonzo Pantoja was born in Chicago, IL and currently lives and works in Minneapolis, MN. Pantoja is a queer, brown artist and educator - he earned his MFA in Fiber and Installation at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. And in 2016, they completed a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During his undergraduate studies they did international coursework in Contemporary Art, Architecture and Design in Almere, Netherlands. As well as Painting and Drawing, and Art History at Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy.

Suyao Tian lives and works in the twin cities as an artist, designer, and independent curator. Tian received an MFA with honors from MCAD in 2017. Tian is the owner and founder of the fashion brand Modern Cover™. She holds a double BFA degree in fine art and music education and an MFA in design. Painting is her own language to connect to the world, and a way to find and connect the similarities our souls share.

Gallery Location and Hours: The Inez Greenberg Gallery is located on the first floor of the Bloomington Center for the Arts at 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road in Bloomington, MN. Due to Covid-19 the building and gallery hours may change quickly. At the time of release the current gallery hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: Closed

Please contact 952-563-8700 or artistrymn.org for the most up-to-date hours.

About Artistry: Artistry is a producing theater and visual arts nonprofit serving a regional audience of more than 82,000 people through stage productions, exhibitions, lifelong arts learning, and arts-centered community development. In pursuit of artistic excellence, we engage our region’s most talented artists in work that welcomes and develops audiences and opens hearts and minds.