The Arts Council for Wyoming County Presents: Fortunes & Forgeries
Join us for an opening reception celebrating a Perry native’s adventure collecting Qing Dynasty furniture & art in Asia
Friday, April 16, 6:30 pm (talk 7 pm) at the ACWC Gallery, 31 South Main Street, in Perry.
The ACWC is pleased to present Fortunes & Forgeries: A Perry Native’s Adventure Collecting Qing Dynasty Furniture & Art in Asia. The exhibition will showcase select pieces from Perry native Mike Bellamy’s collection of antique Chinese furniture and art from the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911) acquired during his time living in Asia.
Mike’s collection was packed up and transported to the USA just days before China implemented restrictions on the exportation of cultural relics. For the first time, Mike and his daughter, Ma Sze Ting (Ting Bellamy), share the full stories behind select pieces of art with the public.
The exhibition will cover:
• Brief introduction to the curator and his adventures in Asia (1993 to 2016)
• Overview of how architecture and vernacular furniture developed during a thou- sand years of dynastic rule
• Secrets of Chinese symbolism
• How to spot fakes, forgeries and fabrications
• An opportunity to touch actual pieces representing the Ming and Qing Dynasties • Plans for a formal gallery opening next year on South Main Street in Perry
The art to be displayed will not be for sale.
Join us for an opening reception and talk, Friday, April 16, 6:30 pm (talk 7 pm) at the ACWC Gallery, 31 South Main Street, in Perry. Due to COVID-19, all ACWC’s receptions will be offered in hybrid format combining in-person attendance with digital streaming. All social distancing protocols will be observed. Receptions have been shortened to one hour, no food will be served and 50% visitor capacity will be honored. Although the event is free and open to the public, individuals are encouraged to RSVP for the event. (585) 237-3517.
For over forty years, the Arts Council for Wyoming County (ACWC) has created opportunities to bring arts into their rural communities through programming, grants, and art events. Located on Main Street Perry, the ACWC has produced the Letchworth Arts and Crafts Show, one of the largest and highest-rated shows in the region. The ACWC is also Wyoming County’s NYSCA Decentralization Site for Community Arts Grants. For more information on membership or advocacy in the arts, please visit www.artswyco.org.