Lexington libraries to host Chinese Wax exhibit

By Ali Cicerchi

Tomorrow, Lexington residents will get a glimpse into a culture from the other side of the world.

The Central Library Gallery, located at 140 E. Main St., will host the Chinese Wax Printing exhibit in downtown Lexington through Feb. 24. The free exhibit will include several traditional pieces from Yunnan, a province in southern China.

“This is a unique glance into a culture we don’t see much,” said exhibit coordinator Peggy McAllister.

The exhibit will include wax prints, paintings, calligraphy, pottery and clothing. Many of the pieces in the display will include photos and maps of the areas in China that the items originated from.

The traditional wax prints will make up almost half of the exhibit, and the calligraphy will represent the seasons, McAllister said.

“There will be a little bit of everything,” McAllister said. “It is very beautiful.”

The gallery worked with a local Yunnan woman, Zeng-Ping, to help select the pieces of art that will be in the exhibit. Zeng-Ping will be at the gallery in February to lecture about China and the artwork.

The gallery received a grant from LexArts to fund their exhibit. LexArts is a local organization that promotes art for the benefit of central Kentucky through funding and other assistance, according to its Web site (http://www.lexarts.org).

“It’s very different from what we usually have here (at the gallery),” McAllister said.