October 3 – November 3, 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 4, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Waterville, Maine —Waterville Creates! is pleased to present Face to Face – Portraits by Rabee Kiwan, a new exhibition featuring the portraits of Lebanese artist Rabee Kiwan, opening at Common Street Arts on October 3, 2018. Part of the multi-faceted project, Making Migration Visible: Traces, Tracks, & Pathways, which brings together a dynamic group of contemporary artists whose work engages the theme of migration, the opening reception for Face to Face – Portraits by Rabee Kiwan will be held on October 4th from 5:00 – 7:00pm at Common Street Arts at the Hathaway Creative Center.
Born in Lebanon, Rabee Kiwan immigrated to the United States in 2002 to complete his medical training and he has lived in Portland since 2009. Rabee has been painting portraits, landscapes, and still-life’s since he was a young child when his father gave him a watercolor set. Drawing inspiration from everyday life sustains his artistic practice and simultaneously serves as a meditative exercise from his work as a hospitalist. Face to Face – Portraits by Rabee Kiwan features Rabee’s portraits of colleagues, friends, neighbors, and family and offers a unique perspective on both his community while also serving as a visual narrative of his journey from Lebanon to the United States.
Organized by the Institute for Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art, this exhibition will be accompanied by a wide range of events about migration, immigration, and border crossing hosted by collaborating partner organizations throughout the state. Events include companion exhibitions, lectures, films, performances, poetry readings, and community conversations. MECA will host a one-day public symposium for artists and collaborating partners on Friday, November 2, 2018. A detailed schedule and more information on each of the affiliated events will be available in September at www.meca.edu/traces.
Associated Events at Common Street Arts
In conjunction with Face to Face – Portraits by Rabee Kiwan, Common Street Arts will be offering a series of programs exploring portraiture in art in many unique ways. On several Saturdays in October, participants will be invited to create portraits on pumpkins through the art of carving, learn basic cross-stitch techniques to make portraits on tea towels, and also learn the art of Origami by making a folded paper collage. For more information on these associated programs and how you can participate, visit http://www.commonstreetarts.org
“One of the primary goals of Waterville Creates! is to provide a diverse array of artworks by artists with a personal connection to our community,” says Patricia King, vice president of programs and operations at Waterville Creates! “This exhibition speaks to our city’s rich Lebanese heritage and showcases a different lens through which we can examine one of our region’s most influential cultures.”
The Common Street Arts gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm and on Saturday from 12:00 – 5:00pm at the Hathaway Creative Center, 10 Water Street in Waterville. To learn more about the Face to Face – Portraits by Rabee Kiwan exhibition, visit: http://www.commonstreetarts.org
About Waterville Creates!
Waterville Creates! is a non-profit on a mission to promote, support, and grow greater Waterville’s arts and cultural scene. Collaborating with regional arts and culture institutions and their supporters, together we are strengthening our community as a vibrant creative center, increasing access to creative opportunities. Learn more at https://www.watervillecreates.org and learn more about our ongoing community capital campaign for the Downtown Arts Center at http://www.downtownartscenter.org.