ASC event honors 2 exhibitors
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (ASC), 701 S. Main St., will celebrate two exhibitions with a free, public reception from 5-7 p.m. today.
Visitors are invited to attend the reception to meet artists Rashawn Penister from Pine Bluff and Tammy Harrington of Russellville.
The community can also explore The ARTSpace on Main and ART WORKS on Main (623 and 627 S. Main St.) during Art Night on the Block this evening, according to a news release.
PENISTER
Penister’s “Life’s a Card Game” features mixed-media portraits of well-known figures like Miles Davis and Kendrick Lamar, and anonymous subjects, situating the average person among the aspirational who have played their cards well, according to the release.
His exhibition will be on display in ASC’s International Paper Gallery through June 25.
Penister describes his work as “exploring the varying connections between playing cards and art. They’re both appealing yet mysterious to the eye of the viewer.”
“The concept of my work is focused on creating a visual message with the playing cards, an object that is used for entertainment or personal purposes, that we are metaphorically playing a card game by making life choices,” Penister said.
Penister is a Pine Bluff native and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a Bachelor of Science degree in visual arts.
“His work takes an artistic view on social issues, focusing on people’s roles in society while they deal with their life’s struggles and achievements. The work is identity-based and is a message for people who are suffering with life’s problems, encouraging them to continue living and looking for an opportunity for a better life,” according to the release. Details: rashawnpenister.com.
HARRINGTON
“‘In Between’ combines Harrington’s sensibilities as a printmaker with the Chinese folk art of paper cutting — exploring how her cultural identity is perceived by others,” according to the release.
Harrington’s exhibition is on display in ASC’s William H. Kennedy Jr. Gallery through July 30.
“Oftentimes, the still figure seems to exist in a state of chaos and commotion as if she is caught in turbulent waves or stormy winds,” Harrington said. “Patterns and imagery attach themselves to the figure and surround it at the same time. These patterns represent the duality of my existence as a Chinese American.”
“Depending on the moment, I teeter between how Chinese and how American I am and how this ratio of cultural identity is perceived by others,” she said. “My physical appearance, my actions, and the way I speak are judged and evaluated.”
Harrington is a printmaker and paper-cut artist. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of South Dakota and a Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from Wichita State University. Details: tammyharrington-art.com.
For details about the exhibitions, contact ASC Curator Jessica Lenehan at jlenehan@asc701.org or call (870) 536-3375.