Diplomacy
Group Exhibition
Sept 23, 2019 – Nov 27, 2019
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Sept 23, 2019 – Nov 27, 2019
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bfeb398a9fb8d2bd053acfa9d62437368fdb4fdaceefc2b26ff3667a5c6381ff/Diplomacy_04-web.jpg)
Diplomacy is an exhibition dedicated to an iconic St. John’s University landmark: Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, featuring the works of Christopher K. Ho, Lena Henke, Shahpour Pouyan, Reuven Israel, Alex Hayden, Carla Edwards, Anton Ginzburg, Ryan Flores, Hai-Hsin Huang, Claudia Martínez Garay, and Claudia Peña Salinas.
On September 6, 1973, the pagoda-like building, which was to house a new center for Asian Studies, opened its doors to students. The center’s founder, Dr. Paul K.T. Sih, then proudly claimed in The New York Times that Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was “the first building of its kind out of China to incorporate traditional Oriental architecture.” Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall has since become a postmodern landmark on the campus of St. John’s University, with its gleaming marble porch, brick walls, and golden tile roof imported from Taiwan. Named in honor of Sun Yat-sen, a revolutionary and statesman who fought for the unification of modern China (China’s “George Washington” Dr. Sih advised the Times), this historical backdrop frames the building as a form of soft power, a potent cultural symbol of, to quote Dr. Sih, “freedom, independence, and democracy.”
This geopolitcally complicated building—and its remarkable context—becomes a generative point of departure for Diplomacy. The artists in this exhibition engage with the themes of soft power, diplomacy, and national identity, or have created site-sensitive works or installations that respond to the building and its history.
Diplomacy is organized by Owen Duffy, Director of the Yeh Art Gallery with the support of Gallery Associate Cassandra Post.
On September 6, 1973, the pagoda-like building, which was to house a new center for Asian Studies, opened its doors to students. The center’s founder, Dr. Paul K.T. Sih, then proudly claimed in The New York Times that Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was “the first building of its kind out of China to incorporate traditional Oriental architecture.” Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall has since become a postmodern landmark on the campus of St. John’s University, with its gleaming marble porch, brick walls, and golden tile roof imported from Taiwan. Named in honor of Sun Yat-sen, a revolutionary and statesman who fought for the unification of modern China (China’s “George Washington” Dr. Sih advised the Times), this historical backdrop frames the building as a form of soft power, a potent cultural symbol of, to quote Dr. Sih, “freedom, independence, and democracy.”
This geopolitcally complicated building—and its remarkable context—becomes a generative point of departure for Diplomacy. The artists in this exhibition engage with the themes of soft power, diplomacy, and national identity, or have created site-sensitive works or installations that respond to the building and its history.
Diplomacy is organized by Owen Duffy, Director of the Yeh Art Gallery with the support of Gallery Associate Cassandra Post.
![Hai-Hsin HuangZhongzheng District Botanic Garden, 2015Pencil on paper60 x 96 inchesCourtesy the artistPhoto: Hai-Hsin Huang](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8eac4a926f4f8f0c90ad44281188b19a099b9e69ace3d7d901e587aa2cd5f4a3/1_Huang_Botanic-Garden.jpg)
![Hai-Hsin HuangBirthday Party, 2015Oil on canvas50 x 60 inchesCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Hai-Hsin Huang](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0bf8a0476c3fdd12137c5e093fcbe4f680c8bd706cd463581425bfe7df42dd1b/2.-Huang_Birthday-Party.jpg)
![Claudia Peña SalinasAmistad Dam, 2018Inkjet monoprint on wax panel20 x 16 inchesCourtesy the artistPhoto: Claudia Peña Salias](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5bc5c55f661213d9a21c5e2e77c72f42629504b70b56354807808069b45ef824/3_Amistad-Dam-1.jpg)
![Claudia Peña SalinasChac Mool, 2018Inkjet monoprint on wax panel20 x 16 inchesCourtesy the artistPhoto: Claudia Peña Salias](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f15a1c61cd9613e3aebb59f0351c56fae0104217f6bdda6d83ba8d24fd30879c/4_Chac-Mool.jpg)
![Ryan FloresUntitled, 2019Glazed ceramicDimensions variableCourtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7c79044cc676c4c1c38d21cf1df006c13533d38cd0904302d38834f006c76e04/5_Flores_Untitled-3.jpg)
![Ryan FloresUntitled, 2019Glazed ceramicDimensions variableCourtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7df264356194799a9eda94bf8c0df5bf9ed12a1dce5fc07dca6ad647fab33413/5_Flores_Untitled-4.jpg)
![Ryan FloresUntitled, 2019Glazed ceramicDimensions variableCourtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9a42bc006ba7de28215fad3b0790ab99fc1ec73d725d6ba06cc48227059b05c9/5_Flores_Untitled.jpg)
![Ryan FloresUntitled, 2019Glazed ceramicDimensions variableCourtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2a9c5ebef779721abb32fd8bbfe75103af6bd2b916ce73a48273c925a7cab501/5_Flores_Untitled_2.jpg)
![Christopher K.HoTriangle, 2019Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bfeb398a9fb8d2bd053acfa9d62437368fdb4fdaceefc2b26ff3667a5c6381ff/Diplomacy_04-web.jpg)
![Installation viewChristopher K.Ho Triangle, 2019 and Lena Henke, Lena Henke, 2019Christopher K. HoTriangle, 2019Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Jad NammourLena Henke, 2019Neon9 1⁄4 x 45 inchesCourtesy the artist and Bortolami](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0b44f1cbb51b7e772d2566a48aaa74c82edd293f4b7adf54054b25c8193e9039/Diplomacy_07-web.jpg)
![Christopher K. HoTriangle, 2019Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass 10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/be16350d451ee8d555fcdab63b8bf5e79851ebd67d0ec4713f711b428ff02d16/8_Ho_Triangle2.jpg)
![Installation view of DiplomacyLeft to right:Claudia Martinez Garay untitled (animal eating boy) 2, 2018; Claudia Martinez Garay untitled (hand), 2018; Reuven Israel, Untitled Folding Object 57A, 2019; Anton Ginzburg, ORRA_2A_06, 2017; Shahpour Pouyan, Slavic Dilemma, 2019; Claudia Peña Salinas, Chac Mool, 2018Photo: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d9d743cd6943746e454e8873092db571390b5c28b47c0398147a0152f8e8a072/Diplomacy_03-web.jpg)
![Installation view of Diplomacy](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c3f7a08396c9c82abada1b858df85a27466bfe94e8030ca142bf1859d546c35a/Diplomacy_08-web.jpg)
![Alex HaydenWindow Excavation, 2019Architectural Intervention14 x 14 inchesCourtesy of the artistAlex Hayden15555,00, 201950th anniversary space suit hoodieresin Dimensions variableCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cd376127efe2bd166762ce586a9064c43b89322013fc5f6c0719fcf724e49965/10_Hayden_.jpg)
![Installation view, DiplomacyHo, Pouyan, Martinez Garay, Israel, GinzburgPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/54936af0a09dd821713d9d8b3ee93615820fcd6e9cb88d3017535bb662c543bf/Diplomacy_09-web.jpg)
![Alex HaydenWindow Excavation, 2019Architectural Intervention14 x 14 inchesCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Jad NammourAlex Hayden15555,00, 201950th anniversary space suit hoodieresinDimensions variableCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d9673656f90d98f00fefb6e3acb56b664002b275dd04a878fb0fa0392130057/12_Hayden.jpg)
![Installation view of DiplomacyPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1b87d3c929a057b013a050506cda644529e086875595476cb8dcebc0802be997/Diplomacy_02-web.jpg)
![Installation view of DiplomacyPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1a362e31ca8a690f8f7aef85e3d548a0ef49c6ace77c42aa9f3d5678d8325e45/14_Diplomacy-Installation-view-Ginzburg_Israel.jpg)
![Installation view of DiplomacyPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/458f9f5805072b2d6a9694d371e9d8a111fb810ec62856e76492081fef06894b/Diplomacy_06-web.jpg)
![Carla EdwardsUntitled, 2014American flags, nylon dye72 x 144 inches](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f13a9fc53d7354797375263d9c26938f1fc573eec5f055ade64aba3600509b1c/16_Edwards_Untitled-2-2-3.jpg)
![Christopher K. HoTriangle, 2019Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ec84d7372e3c8ee93469652ac4fbbeb12dbf580cbf6bf4c1e2a3538a750e3398/Diplomacy_05-web.jpg)
![Claudia Martinez Garayuntitled (head), 2019Plaster and watercolor5 7/8 x 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 inchesCourtesy the artist and GRIMMPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1a690584c780aebe805eca19400438af49b5bd8ce375980581df336358f8ca11/18_Garay_Untitled_Head-2.jpg)
![Installation view of:(center display case)Anonymous makersSun Yat Sen Memorial Hall ephemera from St. John’s University Archives and Special Collections, ca. 1970sDimensions variableCourtesy St. John’s University Archives and Special CollectionsAnonymous makerPhilatelic displays from first exhibition at Sun Yat Sen Hall, 1973 Stamps and mounting materials32 x 23 inches (framed)Courtesy St. John’s University Archives and Special Collections Gift of Directorate General of Posts, Republic of ChinaClaudia Peña Salinas Amistad Dam, 2018Inkjet monoprint on wax panel 20 x 16 inchesCourtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a26dba49d4bacbe6c42d949680002e0497c437ce6e83b6964b0d2940417516e7/Diplomacy_01-web.jpg)
![Christopher K. Ho Triangle, 2019Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Jad Nammour](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/eb09d41241dc213adb62fc53ce4bd85b2d8397214ee044c668de5d75c3cf4c11/20_Ho_Triangle_Cropped.jpg)
![Christopher K. HoTriangle, 2019 (detail)Pine, paint, Christmas ornaments, manipulated digital prints of Rosen paintings under red and green glass10 x 10 x 6 feet (approximate)Courtesy the artistPhoto: Joe Kramm](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f2a54f918ff01c5a9448be1c7586e6a88f7ef20663bc6d690a564ce257b41c4f/21_Christopher-K.-Ho--Triangle--2019--detail-1-copy.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a42c0c2af497bd36f0f7e75b9041ddce7f869f58b8c3a42abd884903165bfa04/22_Sun-Yat-Sen-Memorial-Hall_Photo-Corrado-Serra.jpg)