Julian Wong
Julian Wong

Julian Wong

  • Michigan
  • Painting

I create art that reflects and comments on the world around me. The immediacy of the mediums of watercolor and acrylic appeal to the gestural nature of my process and, in the tradition of Chinese calligraphy, I employ the elemental process of brush on paper...Read More

ABOUT THE ARTIST

STATEMENT

I create art that reflects and comments on the world around me. The immediacy of the mediums of watercolor and acrylic appeal to the gestural nature of my process and, in the tradition of Chinese calligraphy, I employ the elemental process of brush on paper or canvas, both small and large, for its rapid translation.

My subjects and inspirations are from my immediate surroundings. The simple process: I gather the medium and use it as visual references. These subjects are props for creating a harmonic score of a world of my own imagining, perhaps suggesting the abstract expressionist tradition.
Currently, I am working on a set of large abstract landscapes based on, for me, the newly discovered Detroit Riverfront. Integrating industrial structures—antique factory sites, obsolete machinery -- into the rapidly changing, watery atmosphere and topographic contours, allows for an exploration and new experience of color and gesture.

BIO

Julian Wong is an artist and designer. His work is in collections in Michigan, Boston, California and Israel. His illustration has been appeared in publications by MIT Press, Wayne State University Press and Weizmann Institute, Israel. His most recent exhibition was at the Milta Gallery in Rehovot, Israel, 2019. Recently he has been collaborating with Detroit artist, Ryan Standfast. Julian is a member of The Hatch Art Studio in Hamtramck. Julian is also an accomplished industrial designer. He has worked with Civilla and DDOT. Julian grew up in Hong Kong,
studied painting at UC Santa Cruz and industrial design at CCA, San Francisco.

EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS/COMMISSIONS

2022 - Riverfront Towers, Detroit, MI.
2021 - Henry Ford Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI.
2019 - Milta Gallery, Rehovot, Israel.
2017 - Detroit Institute of Art, MI.
2016 - Carr Center, Detroit, MI.
2016 - 14 EAST Cafe, Detroit, MI.
2016 - Kresge Foundation Headquarter, Troy, MI.
2015 - Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, MI.
2014 - 14 EAST Cafe, Detroit, MI.
2014 - Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, MI.
2013 - Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, MI.
2011 - Petsi Pies, Cambridge, MA.
2010 - Gallery 263, Cambridge, MA.
2009 - Petsi Pies, Cambridge, MA.
2008 - 1369, Cambridge, MA.
2007 - Out of the Blue Gallery, Cambridge, MA.

EDUCATION

BA in Industrial Design from California College of art.
BA in Painting/printing from UC Santa Cruz

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Art instructor, Grosse Pointe Artists Association
Art instructor, Birmingham Community house
Industrial Designer, Pottery Barn, San Francisco, CA

TAGS

#urban #landscape #abstract #palette #Detroit