East End Arts & Humanities Council presents “Finding Qi,” a gallery exhibition of artwork by internationally acclaimed Chinese scholar, long-time president of The Asia Society President, and North Fork resident Robert Oxnam.
The exhibition is co-curated by Vishakha Desai, a noted scholar of Asian art, also President of the Asia Society and wife of the artist, and award-winning writer, filmmaker, and longtime friend of the artist, Amei Wallach. Oxnam died at his Greenport home in April, 2024. “Finding Qi” honors his legacy.
“Finding Qi” showcases Oxnam’s sculpture, paintings, and photography, inspired by Chinese scholar stones and cultural concepts. “In Chinese tradition, the term Qi has many meanings, but for me, it means an invisible but palpable source of creative energy, both artistically and psychologically,” Oxnam once explained.
As an artist, in the later decades of his life, Oxnam took inspiration from the thousand-year tradition of transforming ancient, weathered stones into Chinese Scholar’s rocks, creating a contemporary take on the roots and tree trunks found on North Fork beaches.
“No matter the medium, no matter how various the results, what Robert Oxnam did with his art was to merge cultures and experiences into the creation of something that is both rooted and new,” noted Wallach.
The show will run across two gallery spaces in Downtown Riverhead from April 5 through May 10. The opening reception is on Saturday, April 5, from 4 to 7 PM. Visitor information, including gallery hours and exhibition programs, can be found at eastendarts.org.