Rural areas are often passed off as dead-end dirt roads and sprawling hills of nothingness with not much to look at besides some old barns or beat up cars. But painter Z.Z. Wei sees stories of humanity within the rural landscape. With his exhibition Whispers of the Heartland,Wei offers a unique perspective on the rustic American countryside, exploring how rural life is more than just the sum of its broken parts.
Dialogue of Silence, oil on canvas, 48 x 36"
Originally shown at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Wei’s Whispers of the Heartland will be appearing as a First Friday Artwalk feature at Blue Rain’s Durango, Colorado, location. This new collection depicts rural landscapes that capture the gentle yet radiant spirit of the land.
“It is clear that Wei’s paintings transcend the canvas and touch the heart with depth and contemplation,” says Blue Rain marketing director, Leah Garcia. “Wei illustrates the interplay between humanity and nature, revealing the timeless charm of America’s landscapes.”
What makes Wei’s work so captivating is the freedom he provides to the viewer to tell their own story, allowing them to see beyond the canvas and maybe take away a new, pastoral appreciation for the countryside that has fascinated him since he first moved to the United States.
Echoes of Solitude, oil on canvas, 48 x 36"
“I’m nearly 70 years old now and have moved from wonderful socialism to evil capitalism,” Wei says about growing up in Beijing, China, during the Cultural Revolution amid the propagandized view of American culture. “You could say that it’s been a tumultuous life and still I know the beauty and hardship of life. Everyone has their own story. For me, it’s all in the past. Just a story to laugh about now.”
Wei has painted since he was a little boy. In the documentary Z.Z. Wei: At One in the Landscape, an Artist’s Journey, he talks about how painting was his sanctuary and a way to escape reality. But as he got older, the reality of the world around him sunk in, having to create art for the communist party, whose “standard for art was non-art,” he says.
For a period in the early 1980s, Wei was a sculptor of abstract tapestries. In 1989 he was invited to take part in an artist exchange program in Washington State where he became enthralled by the open countryside, and started painting again. He met his wife Lin in 1991 and for the past 30 years they have forged an incredible life together in bucolic Walla Walla, Washington.
A Pleasant Day, oil on canvas, 48 x 36"
“Walla Walla is very special,” says Lin. “Not only because it was a turning point for [Z.Z.'s] art, but it is where we started our journey. It’s like our hometown—the second hometown.”
Wei’s background helps him embody the raw sentiments of human nature within the natural world, peeling back layers of humanity that reveal mixed and complex emotions that help the viewer gauge their emotional connection to a piece. Wei taps into the commonality people share in their emotions. He understands that every story is different, but the undertones are the same.
Cribbed Gate, oil on canvas, 48 x 48"
“I always say the broken-down cars I paint, are myself. Cars are the same—while fresh out of the factory, as they go through life’s journey, each develops its own patina and ‘brokenness’ that’s uniquely its own, as if saying: 'I’ve been through it.'”
The painting Dialogue of Silence is a perfect example of Wei’s interpretation and expression through personification. An old beat-up car stares down an old beat-up barn across the road on a hazy afternoon. A history can be sensed between these inanimate objects that is only known between the two. Together they create a rich backstory with endless possibilities. Even the titles of his work like Old Barn After a Storm or Echoes of Solitudesuggest the power of perseverance. A sense of being alone but still standing.
Country Road, Enchantment in the Ordinary, oil on canvas, 30 x 40"
Whispers of the Heartland unveils the multifaceted aspects of rural life in a way that is unpretentious and without judgement. Wei says, “I paint people not so-called landscapes,” meaning you don’t see people, but you see their lives. Within in the old cars and barns is a portrait of a person that represents their story. The painting is not what is important. What viewers take away from the painting is what is meaningful.
Old Barn After Storm, oil on linen, 48 x 36"
“I know that my art doesn’t conform to the current art theories or trends. I don’t care about that,” says Wei. “I express my true feelings and love in a simple direct, unpretentious way. I believe this is the essence of the meaning of art.”
Whispers of the Heartland opens with a reception on August 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through August 16. —
Blue Rain Gallery 934 Main Avenue, Unit B, Durango, CO 81301 • (970) 232-2033 • www.blueraingallery.com
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