Opening reception for “Second Act” by Peter Xiao

Quad City Arts will hold an opening reception for “Second Act” by Peter Xiao and “Saw You in Russia” by Karen Cooper. Complimentary food and beverages will be served.

The two artists will display their work from Feb. 17-March 24 at the downtown Rock Island gallery. Xiao’s work is influenced by his Chinese ancestry and Cooper’s work is based on visions from Russia.

Xiao is professor of art and graphic design at Augustana. In his exhibition, he presents recent works that “dwell on time, and awareness of its passing as we age — looking backward and forward simultaneously.” 

Some of the work eulogizes friends who passed on or recalls past experiences of lasting importance while growing up; while others, in a more abstract language, focus on time, space and the body. Xiao utilizes easel paintings, shaped wood constructions and unstretched paintings on linen to depict his ideas.

Cooper has always been a people watcher. “People out there in the world are just SO interesting. It seems only natural to me to translate people watching events into paintings on canvas.” She feels that while a photo can capture a person’s image, a painting can tell the person’s story. Cooper has spent most of the past year living in Lipetsk, Russia, where she created her current body of work.