Our Many Cultures Exhibition
Ziya Art Center is pleased to announce that our Executive Director and Curator, Arash Shirinbab is invited by the Expression Gallery to co-curate a new exhibition in Berkeley, titled "Our Many Cultures". This exciting show will be set up at Berkeley Central Arts Passage at 2055 Center St. In downtown Berkeley from February 20 to May 24, 2016. The purpose of the exhibition is to portray America as the land of many diverse ideologies, religions, people and lifestyles.
To be an American means one can live peacefully among people from different nations and backgrounds. Many have come here to escape intolerance in other lands and ours is a place where many find freedom, hope and opportunity. Ours is a multicultural environment where differences inspire new visions, ideas and accomplishments. It challenges us to expand our trust and tolerance and strive to meet our common goals. This show brings together artwork inspired by or created by different nationalities of people living in America. Each of the 11 windows at the Arts Passage presents a different geographical part of the world by artists living here in the United States.
The show will be co- curated by Arash Shirinbab, Susan Duhan Felix, and Expressions Gallery.
About the Collaborators and Curators
Expression Gallery: Expressions Gallery views itself as more than a gallery, it offers itself as a community arts center with classes and events as well as its gallery of fine art works. Expressions Gallery is proud to present the work of fine artists with varying talents: painting, print -making, sculpture, assemblage, crafts, jewelry, fiber arts, photography, music, film, cetecean art, robotic art and floral arts. The gallery offers fine art from established local and international artists but also is a place that supports and encourages artistic talent development. Some newcomers to the arts will always have a chance to display some of their work.
Susan Duhan Felix: Berkeley's first Art Ambassador, Susan Duhan Felix is an internationally exhibited ceramic artist. Her artworks are in museum permanent collections, including the Magnes. She was the first Executive Director of the Jewish Arts Community of the Bay. For 20 years Susan was Executive Director of an award winning nonprofit, UA Housing, that created housing services for the homeless. She was president of the Berkeley Art Commission and served on the Waterfront and Housing Advisory Commission. She's been honored by the California Assembly and the United States Senate. For the last 10 years she has been selected for Who’s Who.
Arash Shirinbab is an award winning artist and calligrapher and has managed to be a successful blend of artist, Arabic-Persian calligrapher, and designer, as well as art administrator, art curator, and entrepreneur for the past ten years. He has participated in over 70 exhibitions (over 10 solos) nationally and internationally in the U.S., Spain, Poland, Canada, Russia, France, Italy, and Iran; such as the Triton Museum of Art in California, the Kunsthaus-Berlin-Marbella Center in Spain, and the Saadabad Palace in Tehran. He has led over 4 dozen public art programs, has curated 5 international exhibitions from over 1,500 submissions, and has conducted over 2 dozen calligraphy workshops and demonstrations including workshops at Fremont Main Library in California, University of Toronto in Canada, and masterclass at the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow. Among his awards are the 1st Place and Best of the Show Award for the 50 Shades of Gray competition by Focus Point & Shape Gallery, Special Recognition Award for My Art international competition from Art Quench Magazine 2013, and a prestigious grant award as the leading artist and calligrapher from Creative Works Fund.
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