Opening reception: Works by Peter Xiao

An opening reception will be held for "Thingamajigs and Right-Facing Nudes," works by Dr. Peter Xiao of Augustana College.

Artist's statement: "Shown here are my paintings of thingamajigs used up and tossed out daily by us without thought or care, as concrete things — even if nondescript — deserve our attention and building up nowadays, not to mention minute reflections, fleeting, unnamable color tones that shift as if playing games each time one looks at them. The nude studies were made in the company of my doing the same, which explains why they face the same direction, in homage to the tradition, to people who model for artists and to the beauty of the human form. "

Born in Beijing, Dr. Xiao grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution. Since 1989 he has taught drawing and painting at Augustana, and co-chaired Asian Studies. He shows work nationally, occasionally overseas, and now lives with his family in Iowa.