West Meets East: A Cultural Book Exchange
Please join the opening this Thursday at the Knight Campus Art Gallery, CCRI
Exhibition featuring the work of students and faculty from the National University of Art in Bucharest, Romania; Worcester State College; Quinsigamond Community College; and The Massachusetts College of Art & Design.
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 23, from 5 to 7 p.m.
(
The gallery is located in Room 3500, on the third floor of the round building at the CCRI Warwick campus, 400 East Ave.
Enter the library on the fourth floor and go down the stairs to right).
Artist talk 6 p.m. followed by refreshments
This collaborative project showing approximately 20 books with 900 pages covered in drawings, writings and collages initiated by artist and former Community College of Rhode Island student Joanne Luongo, will be on display from Sept. 14 to Oct. 14.
Luongo said her art “relies heavily on the engagement of various community groups and each one is different and quite unique. Of all my shared experiences, however, I believe the most fulfilling is the book exchange that I began in May of 2009 with an artist from Romania.”
This collaborative project showing approximately 20 books with 900 pages covered in drawings, writings and collages initiated by artist and former Community College of Rhode Island student Joanne Luongo, will be on display from Sept. 14 to Oct. 14.
Luongo said her art “relies heavily on the engagement of various community groups and each one is different and quite unique. Of all my shared experiences, however, I believe the most fulfilling is the book exchange that I began in May of 2009 with an artist from Romania.”
Luongo met Daniela Frumuseanu online and they became friends through their shared experiences as artists and educators. The idea of a handmade book that they could both work on together has blossomed into a cross-cultural visual arts community between artists in Romania and the United States. There are 20 books in circulation between these two countries with many more to follow.
As a result of the success of this collaboration, they have developed the “Cultural Book Exchange” between Romanian and American students. This project invites our students to participate in a book sharing project of their own. Any student who is involved in the arts is invited to participate and should contact Joanne Luongo by e-mail at papergirlsstudio@yahoo.com.
After the exhibition at CCRI, the project will be presented at the National University of Art in Bucharest.
“The personal bond between all of us has formed a new community built of trust, understanding, appreciation and respect for our mutual and diverse cultures,” Luongo said. “I believe that the free exchange of knowledge, ideas and inspiration between our cultures is the most important thing we have garnered from all of our efforts.”
Gallery hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, e-mail gallery director Viera Levitt at vieralevitt@gmail.com or call the Art Department 401-825-2220.
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