Wisconsin native and New York-based artist Warren King has a new round of works he describes as his most personal yet that explore his family’s origins in China at the James Watrous Gallery.
Art exhibits from multiple different artists are currently up at the James Watrous Gallery at the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St. King’s art is centered on his family’s history from Shaoxing, China and their journey to Wisconsin in a series of sculptures made from cardboard cutouts. Titled “Homecoming,” King explores reconnecting with his family lineage while growing up in Wisconsin and its sparse Chinese community, where there were not many opportunities to connect with his heritage.
“Growing up in Wisconsin as a child of immigrants, Chinese immigrants, when I was growing up, I didn’t pay attention to my Chinese heritage,” King said. “It wasn’t until later in life that I asked my parents about their experiences, talked to my grandparents and learned about family histories.”
King worked on the pieces for the last eight years and didn’t have much intention to showcase them. He, after amassing a good collection of them, decided that he had to show them in Wisconsin.
Art wasn’t something King actively pursued as a career when he lived in Wisconsin. His background is in engineering and software for over 15 years — it was something he had a penchant for growing up, though.
“When I was growing up, I pretty much knew from as early as I can remember that I was going to go into the sciences and engineering and eventually work with my dad. My dad had a structural engineering firm, and he basically prepared me to take over his business,” he said.
Teachers did encourage him to attend art schools, but he also got into MIT and then later attended Stanford for graduate school. That sealed the deal for him then, but his decision to leave engineering was controversial with his family.
“After a year and a half, I realized it was not for me. Leaving his company and leaving that business was a big deal, was a big shake-up in our family. My dad was not pleased, but I really felt I had no choice,” King said.
He wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to do, but King found his way into software during the Dot Com boom and rode that career for the next 15 years.
When King had children, he would work on projects with his kids for Halloween, costumes for school and theater productions. His start in working with cardboard came then.
After work at a startup finished, he decided to take a leave to work on some art. He would later go on to do a small DIY show, was later offered a solo show at a commercial gallery and decided to pursue his childhood passion.
“After doing that for a couple years, I just kind of had the realization that, wow, I’m an artist now,” King said. “I never went back.”
King found it fitting to display his Homecoming sculptures where he grew up. He actively looked at Wisconsin as the works reflect his experiences there.
“Homecoming” is currently on display at the James Watrous Gallery until Jan. 11.
