“Meet the Artist”
Alex Delapena and Justin J Wee
August 24, 2023
5:30 – 7:30 pm
474 Broadway, Kingston, NY
On Thursday, August 24, we welcome Alex Delapena and Justin J. Wee (CPW artists in residence) to “Meet the Artist” night at CPW. Delapena will be discussing his photographic practice and underpinnings from a selected series of works. Wee will discuss a selection of editorial work that represents his practice, as well as a personal project and what he has been working on during his residency at CPW. This event will be live-streamed on CPW’s Youtube Page just before the start time.
Join us every Thursday evening at CPW, when we host illuminating talks with local and visiting artists. “Meet the Artist” allows the public to get to know new work, to hear about artistic processes, and to meet friends and other local artists. The evening takes place at CPW’s gallery at 474 Broadway in Kingston, NY. It is free and open to the public. Coffee, tea, and snacks are served. “Meet the Artist” is made possible by a generous grant from the Arnold and Augusta Newman Foundation.
Alex Delapena is an artist who is hearing impaired and uses hearing aids. He was born in the Philippines, and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i. His art practice begins with curiosities and playful improvisations to question how multiple gestures will be rendered together with photography. He merges drawing, painting, and sculpture to create scenes for the camera. Delapena is inspired by shadow puppetry and theater design as a visual aesthetic for world-building. His investigations and research leads into exploring cultural histories to bring stories resurfaced in another light to bridge the past and present together.
Delapena lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He is currently an instructor for the Los Angeles City Community District and Pasadena City College. Delapena received his MFA (2022) from the University of California, Riverside and his BFA (2015) at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. He was an artist in residence at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan (2020). His most recent exhibitions include: Soft Traces with Daniel Arthur Mendoza at Human Resources, Los Angeles, California and selected group exhibitions: Books and Things at Helen J Gallery, Los Angeles, California and Birds Eye View, Aupuni Space, Honolulu, Hawai’i. Delapena was also shortlisted for the 2022 St Elmo Residency in Austin Texas, and the LENSCRATCH 2022 Student Prize: 25 to Watch.
Justin J Wee is a visual artist, community chef, and Libra based in Brooklyn, NY. Whether he’s working with animate or inanimate objects, he strives to convey the magnitude and magnificence of the lived experience. His clients include: The New York Times, Apple, A24, TIME, Bon Appetit, and The New Yorker.
Banner image credit: Alex Delapena (left), Justin J Wee (right)