CHESTERTOWN — Kent Cultural Alliance is piloting a series of small shows to celebrate the many cultures that are part of life on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“Whether representative of demographics, profession, religion or other marker, Kent County is culturally rich. And, these cultures are celebrated by Kent County-based artists,” a news release states.
As such, KCA will begin to designate several weeks each year for a new “Cultural Expressions” exhibit program open to Kent County artists and those with a Chestertown 21620 ZIP code in Queen Anne’s County.
KCA will launch this series on Wednesday, Dec. 17 with artist Yuh Okano and her work representing Japanese culture and craftsmanship.
The opening reception is from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 17.
Also, there will be a panel discussion, led by Robert Ortiz, on Friday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. The panel will feature Yuh Okano, gallery owner Carla Massoni and Ken Suzuki of Suzuki Farms.
Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 18, 19 and 20; and 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Dec. 21.
Kent Cultural Alliance is located at 101 Spring Ave. in downtown Chestertown.
Yuh Okano is a Chestertown-based textile artist whose pieces are inspired by a deep fascination with the natural world. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art and is in its permanent collection. See https://www.moma.org/artists/23267.
Yuh’s pieces are invitingly tactile. They employ a range of color and texture that strives to be as subtle and finely detailed as the organic forms her works suggest. Their soft feel and gently flowing shapes evoke a sense of connection with plant life, flowers and ocean creatures.
The exhibit will feature 24 painted silk scarves representative of the 24 months of 2021 and 2022 and the artist’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its continued impacts.
Yuh has published two books, one for each year, and the stories in the books relate directly to the scarves.
According to the news release, this will be a unique exhibit of textile and prose.
In the new year, KCA will provide more information on the process for selecting future dates and artists [through application] for the “Cultural Expressions” series.
