Media Contact: 
Charmaine Nelson (626) 344-4325
Email: Charmainen@pasadenaseniorcenter.org   

MEET CONCEPTUAL ARTIST SHANGUO (SAM) JIA AT ‘DIVERSITY AND SYMBIOSIS’ OPENING RECEPTION

Internationally-renowned conceptual artist Shanguo (Sam) Jia will unveil his abstract paintings — inspired by members of the Pasadena Senior Center community who have immigrated to the United States — at the opening reception for his original work ‘Our Stories in Art: Diversity and Symbiosis,’ on Saturday, Apr. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. onsite at Pasadena Senior Center (PSC). Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artist as well as the project’s participants at the reception.

The event is free event, and reservations are requested. To register or for more information, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Activities and Events, then Special Events, or call 626-795-4331. Light refreshments will be served.

“Diversity and Symbiosis” is a series of 30 abstract pieces inspired by the immigrant stories of PSC members. Two years in the making, Jia first engaged participants through personal interviews, seeking to capture an important thought from each one that he then used to create a series of abstract canvases using each person’s words. Each abstract canvas is paired with a video interview of the person who inspired the painting.

The exhibit will be on display in PSC’s Fireside Lounge through July.

Jia, an immigrant to the United States from Shandong province in China, was inspired by PSC members’ immigration stories to explore how journeys of leaving one country behind impact rebuilding lives in America. For the work, he interviewed many in the PSC community and asked each interviewee to write down one sentence that “influences them the most in their lives” in their immigrant story.

This year-long project was part of the Pasadena Senior Center’s celebration of 65 years of supporting the older adult community in the San Gabriel Valley. PSC members interviewed for this fine art project hail from various countries, including India, Ecuador, China, England, Austria, Canada and the Philippines.

Jia, an MFA graduate from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, conceptualized this original idea upon arriving in California in 2022, a journey he embarked on to foster a better career path and grow his reputation on the international art state.

The Pasadena Senior Center’s mission is to improve the lives of older adults through caring service with opportunities for social interaction, fitness programs, basic support and needs services, education, volunteerism and community activism. With 10,000 Americans per day becoming older adults, the center is a leader in addressing issues of aging and provides innovative, cutting-edge, nationally recognized programs for this population group.

As a donor-supported nonprofit, the center operates without any local, state or federal funding and provides more services to older adults than any other organization in the San Gabriel Valley. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. To learn more visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call 626-795-4331.