An acclaimed artist and Professor of painting at Renmin University in Beijing, Xu Weixin’s work always expresses his interest in the human condition and establishes an emotional connection. Now on display on the second floor of the University of Michigan Museum of Art are two parts of his powerful Monumental Portraits Series: Miner Portraits and Chinese Historical Figures: 1966-1976. The subjects for the first part of the series depicts coal mine workers that face harsh conditions in contemporary China. The second part of the series shows portraits of men and women who lived through one of the most turbulent times in Chinese history — the Cultural Revolution, when communist and Maoist ideology took firm hold of China’s political structure. These single-person portraits invite audiences to look past, or even ignore, accepted historical and political narratives and connect with the subjects on a human level. Runs through Saturday, May 28.
11am-5pm | Tuesday-Saturday | Noon-5pm Sunday.
$10/suggested donation.
UMMA | 525 S. State St.
734-764-0395 | umma.umich.edu
