Hosted by VisArts, Rockville, MD, and at Contemporary Art Mover in Beijing, China
On view: through March 26, 2021
Link: https://www.visartscenter.org/event/empathy-zone/

Globalization is a double-edged sword. While accelerating urbanization and modernization, it also exacerbates conflicts and social issues particularly in the ways immigrants and outsider/marginalized groups are confronted with increasing living costs and other unaffordable living pressures. These ongoing problems are only compounded by crises, such as COVID-19.

A cross-cultural artistic exchange project, Empathy Zone, critically addresses these various issues from the perspectives of eight independent artists living and working in two capital cities, Beijing and DC. In addition to cultural differences, these two capital cities are located in polar opposite places, with a twelve-hour time difference. A virtual exhibition runs through March 26, 2021, and the Empathy Zone blog is updated every Friday with new artwork.

The participating artists from China: Li Linlin, Duan Shaofeng, Ye Su, and Yin Yadi.
The artists from the U.S.: Sobia Ahmad, Antonio McAfee, Joseph Orzal, and Naoko Wowsugi.

This project is a partnership with Contemporary Art Mover (CAM), based in Beijing, and VisArts in Rockville, MD. Learn more about the project here.