While at a garage sale the other day, I came upon one of those street scene paintings popular in the 1950s and '60s. These colorful and vibrant images helped shape a generation's romantic views of the city and the life awaiting them there, whether it was Paris, New York, or even Grand Rapids. But as an adult, when I would visit such cities, I was shocked that many of the scenes depicted above people's couches often lacked the diversity of faces actually a part of the bigger picture.
As if sending a truth bomb across the ages, painter Patrick Rapai invites us to travel with him via an art opening at Saugatuck's
Amazwi Contemporary Art (ACA) gallery to his homeland of Zimbabwe, where we can experience his distinct vision of urban life. Rapai's exhibition is part of an ongoing series of African artists that ACA is featuring throughout the summer, with its first show featuring a stunning collection of urban paintings that any city dweller will recognize as truth. They remind us that places can be at once chaotic and diverse, with a wonderfully rich harmony of color that we breathe in freely when there.
Folks seeking to expand upon the cultural art experience of Rapai's work are invited to stop in two days before the Saturday night ACA reception by attending a special Thursday night speaking event at the
Saugatuck Center for the Arts (SCA), which will include a hands-on demonstration of his technique involving paint, plaster, wood glue, and more. SCA will also have a few of the artist's paintings on display that evening. Please RSVP to attend the free SCA Thursday night talk.
The artist will be present at both events. Prior his Saugatuck gallery opening, Rapai will debut his first exhibition in Chicago (5/17). To follow his journey to America, follow the
gallery's Facebook page.
Admission: Free