Shen Wei: Still/Moving
Shen Wei: Still/Moving commemorates thirty years of Shen Wei’s visionary career as a dancer, choreographer, visual artist, filmmaker, and global cultural ambassador. This joint exhibition of The Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Katonah Museum of Art will illuminate the full scope of the artist’s trailblazing practice, offering viewers access to Shen Wei’s extensive paintings, works on paper, choreographic compositions, and short films, including new pieces never before exhibited in the United States.
Shen Wei’s visual art transcends cultural and geographic boundaries, capturing the body in motion with dynamic brushwork that seamlessly incorporates Chinese calligraphy and allusions to post-World War II abstract painting movements like Action Painting and Gutai, among others. Traditional Chinese shan shui (mountain-water) painting offers an additional source of inspiration for his abstract and metaphysical landscapes.
At The Pocantico Center, the exhibition will focus on Shen Wei’s landscape paintings, reflecting his ongoing dialogue with Chinese traditional painting and nature. Often monumental in scale, these compositions possess a cinematic quality that compels the viewer’s eyes to dance. The exhibition at the KMA will emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of Shen Wei’s body of work: the generative influence of music on his dance practice and the central role of choreographed movement in his paintings. While each section stands alone, audiences are encouraged to visit both sites to experience the complete exhibition.
Winter Hours: Starting January 8 through March 26, the exhibition will be open Friday and Saturday, 11:00am – 3:00pm – see website for details and registration.
On the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m., docents from the Katonah Museum of Art will provide guided tours of the exhibition at Pocantico. No additional ticket or fee is required; simply register at the link above for the appropriate time slot.
Shen Wei: Still/Moving is co-organized by The Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Katonah Museum of Art. The exhibition is curated by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, director and chief curator of the KMA, with support from Elizabeth Monti, associate curator at KMA, and Katrina London, curator at The Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Shen Wei
Hailed as “one of the most expansive, creative minds in the arts” (The New York Sun), Shen Wei is internationally renowned for his artistic vision as a choreographer, director, and visual artist. Born in China, Shen Wei trained in Chinese opera, traditional painting and calligraphy, and Western visual art. He founded his international touring company, Shen Wei Dance Arts, in 2000.
Shen Wei’s paintings and performative installations have appeared in leading museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Power Station of Art, Shanghai; and Asia Society Hong Kong Center. He was the lead choreographer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies.
