Internationally-renowned artist Jennifer Wen Ma will discuss her fall residency in Charleston with the Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts (FSA), connecting it to her past works in the Holy City: the installation opera Paradise Interrupted at Spoleto Festival USA (2015) and the exhibition Cry Joy Park – Gardens of Darkness and Light at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art (2019).

Based in Beijing and New York, Ma’s diverse practice spans large-scale installations, paintings, performance art, and social practice works. She will explore themes of paradise, dystopia, and the interplay between spiritual ideals and material realities, informed by her daily contemplative calligraphic drawings. These seldom-exhibited works are vital to her artistic core and broader explorations. Ma will also discuss the influence of Chinese classics such as Book of Rites (Liji), The Analects of Confucius (Lunyu), and Lao Tzu’s The Book of the Way (Tao Te Ching) on her understanding of consistency, longevity, and sustainability, emphasizing personal dedication and community engagement.

The hour-long discussion will conclude with an interactive Q&A session with FSA and Halsey Institute curators, offering audiences a chance to engage with Ma’s artistic journey and insights firsthand.

This program is co-presented with the Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts.