Hanging out, drinking delicious coffee, talking about art… ahhhh, that’s the life! Well, that IS the life at least for an hour or so each month at the Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Coffee and Conversation series. Enjoy coffee (Presented by the Sterling Society of DFAC) and insights as each month’s invited guest holds forth on their own area of expertise. Admission to these relaxed talks is $5 and is FREE to current DFAC members.

Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 12 noon
Kirk Ke Wang: A Journey from the East to the West

Kirk Ke Wang, living in Tampa Bay area for 38 years, is giving a talk titled “A Journey from the East to the West”. In this talk Mr. Wang will discuss his voyages of life and artistic endeavors from his birthplace in China to his new home in America, from a kid in labor camp during Cultural Revolution to a CEO of a software company in Shanghai in early 2000, from a national award winning college professor in Nanjing to a waiter in a Chinese restaurant in Florida, from a lonely diaspora to a board member of a major art museum, from an artist styling in socialist realism to an contemporary artist exploring conceptual abstract art and installations.

Bio

Kirk Ke Wang, born in Shanghai (China), received MFA degrees from the Nanjing Normal University in China and University of South Florida, is a professor of Visual Arts at Eckerd College and an educational computer software developer. He is also currently serving as board members for the Ringling Museum of Art and the Public Art Committee of City of Tampa.

Mr. Wang has exhibited his art in art galleries, none for profit institutions, and museums locally, nationally, internationally, such as Museum of Modern Art, PS1 in NYC and National Museum of Art of China in Beijing, Dr. Sun Yet-Sen National Gallery of Taiwan in Taipei, Polk Museum of Art, Tampa Museum of Art, Ringling Museum of Art, and USF Contemporary Art Museum, etc. His works have been collected by museums, galleries and private collectors in the US and Asia, including the National Gallery in Beijing. At age 24, Mr. Wang was awarded the bronze medal by the Cultural Ministry of China, and he is also the recipient of numerous grants and awards from institutions such as, National Endowments for the Arts, Freeman Foundation, Ford Foundation, National AsianNetwork, Florida Arts Council, etc.

Mr. Wang maintains studios in Tampa and NYC, and often travels internationally.