A Conversation on Art & Healing: US Exhibition Premiere of “Memento Mori”

Join us for an exclusive virtual preview of Yuri Shimojo’s “Memento Mori,” a monumental painting series premiering in the US on the tenth anniversary of the Japanese Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear crisis. Meet Yng-Ru Chen ’01, owner of the Boston-based Praise Shadows Art Gallery; Yuri Shimojo, the artist; and Gennifer Weisenfeld, professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies at Duke University, as they discuss Shimojo’s exhibition and Chen’s journey from Duke University to the international art world, including Sotheby’s and MoMA.
Dedicated to the memory of the lives lost in the disaster and considered Shimojo’s most significant work to date, “Memento Mori” has only been shown in the Japanese cities Kyoto (2013) and Tokyo (2014)—until now. This event will also feature a preview of the artist’s new mixed media installation dedicated to the victims of Tōhoku, as well as the millions of lives lost around the world to COVID‑19. The panel’s exploration of the artist’s response to the 21st-century universal human condition will illuminate how empathy and resilience are born out of crisis.

Yng-Ru Chen ‘01 on Why She Opened Praise Shadows Art Gallery
Yng-Ru Chen ’01, owner of Praise Shadows Art Gallery in Boston, MA, is presenting an exclusive virtual preview of the new exhibition, “Memento Mori,” on March 11. Ahead of the event, Chen connected with her former professor, Gennifer Weisenfeld, to reflect on their initial meeting at Duke and Chen's journey into the art world.
This event is presented in conjunction with Duke Boston, Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Duke Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies (AAHVS), Duke Asian Alumni Alliance (DAAA), Duke Student Wellness Center (DuWell), Duke Arts, DukeCreate, Duke Asian American & Diaspora Studies Program and Duke Undergraduate Certificate in East Asian Studies.
Panel
- Yng-Ru Chen ’01, Founder and CEO, Praise Shadows Art Gallery
- Yuri Shimojo, Artist
- Dr. Gennifer Weisenfeld, Professor of Art, Art History and Visual Studies