Mu Pan, Our Summer Open Call Winner, Finishes His Epic 'One Thousand and One Noon'

A detail of Mu Pan's One Thousand and One Noon

Last month we gave you an early peak at some of the amazing work that our Summer Open Call winner Mu Pan will be presenting in his March 23 solo show at 3rd Ward--including the first panel of his One Thousand and One Noon, an epic watercolor work that takes its title from One Thousand and One Nightsand High Noon. 

Pan has now finished that piece's other two panels, and...just...wow. There's really no way to adequately describe this astounding triptych, so we'll just let you explore some of its vast expanses, intense images and rich themes in the details below.

For more on Mu Pan, watch a video profile after the jump and check out this a recent interview by Japan Cinema. And, of course, mark those calendars for March 23—you truly don't want to miss this one.

-- John Ruscher

Upcoming Show // Open Call Winner Mu Pan Brings His Epic Art To 3rd Ward In March

We announced the winners of our Fall 2011 Open Call last week, but we're also excited to tell you that we've set the date for a solo show by Mu Pan, the Grand Prize winner of our Summer Open Call. The Taiwan-born, Brooklyn-based artist will be showing his work at 3rd Ward on March 23.

Pan tells us that he's working nonstop to get finish up the artwork that he'll be presenting, including some massive oil paintings and watercolor works. One of those is the astounding One Thousand and One Noon, pictured above. "This is about America entering the Islamic world, and the bitter war we have been fighting for the past decade," he says. "I am a huge fan of Indian miniture paintings, so I wanted to do something like that with the subject of what is going on today in that part of the world.  I used a very narrow and ignorant view point to make this project, because I want to emphasize how ignorant people are about Muslims in this country, especially this city. As you can see, I love to put what I like in my images, so this time I borrowed so many elements from those Sinbad series movies I loved when I was very little."

The scene above, which is only one panel of the One Thousand And One Noon triptych, took Pan about two months to finish. He'll have all three ready panels ready for March's show. The piece's title, Pan tells us, is a combination of One Thousand And One Nights, the famous collection of folk tales, as well as the classic Western film High Noon.

As our Grand Prize winner, Pan was also featured in Art Tapei back in August, and he tells us that it was a great experience, though somewhat sentimental. "I've only gone back three times since I left there in 1997, and I can still feel the love and acceptance from my people after all these years," he says. He sold most of the work that he brought for the fair and was featured in an article about Art Taipei in one of Taiwan's major newspapers.

Hit the jump for a few details from One Thousand and One Noon, as well as a sneak peek at more work that Pan will be presenting here. Mark your calendar for his show on March 23.

-- John Ruscher

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Jorge Vergeli

Jorge VergeliToday's 3rd Ward Open Call featured artist is Jorge Vergeli. His colorful and tactile Altars—made from wood, metal, glass, and found objects—are created for prayer, meditation and self-reflection. Vergeli work is a facinating and beautiful juxtaposition of the decorative and functional.

Friday is your last chance to enter to win the biggest Open Call yet—a solo show in New York City and a solo feature at Art Taipei, the largest art fair in Asia.

Submit here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Jonny Briggs

Jonny BriggsWe're back with another 3rd Ward Open Call feature. Meet Jonny Briggs, whose work strives to preserve the inventive and imaginative spirit of childhood. Briggs explores the complex and intricately entwined relationships of adult and child, father and son, love and resentment. His work spans photography, scultpure, performance, textiles, and more.

This is the last week to submit! Don't miss out on the biggest Open Call yet. The grand prize includes a solo show in New York City and a solo feature at Art Taipei. 

Get started here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Samantha Y. Huang

Samantha Y. Huang

Today's 3rd Ward Open Call featured artist takes discarded paperback books and transforms them into intricate sculptures. Meet Samantha Y. Huang and "read" something new in her unexpected and arresting work that merges motion and the everyday.

Open Call is still accepting submissions... get started today. This one's the biggest and best yet. Learn why here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Carolyn Wong + William Du

Carolyn Wong and William DuAttention to color patterning, the delicacy of paper, and reverence for traditional craft are just a few reasons why we love these Mashi (Japanese paper) installations. The collaborative team Carolyn Wong and William Du have shown themselves to be  both deft artisans and innovative thinkers. 

There is still time to submit to Open Call. Enter today and you'll qualify for the $1,000 Early Entry Award. Get started here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Mike Brown

Mike Brown, set for Arthur Miller's The Price Today's 3rd Ward Open Call featured artist is Mike Brown. He creates interior architecture: stage sets for theater, immersive branding experiences, fashion presentations and more. Sometimes dark and mysterious, sometimes light and fun, but always a unique and narrative experience.

Don't forget... if you submit by Friday you'll be entered to with the $1,000 Early Entry Award. Start here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Emi Brady

Here's another favorite from our current NYC + Taipei Open Call. Meet Emi Brady, whose large scale installations investigate notions of social identity through the allegory of "swarm patterning" amongst birds. Composed of paper relief prints and goauche, Brady's works are fragile reminders of the mob mentality pervasive in contemporary culture-where carbon copies reign and identity is a flimsy concept.

Emi Brady Want your chance at international stardom? Learn more about our biggest and best Open Call ever and start your portfolio here. Plus, submit by this Friday and you'll be entered to win the $1,000 Early Entry Award. Remember, Members submit for FREE. Just use the email you have on file here.

OPEN CALL FEATURE // Amy Joy Watson

Amy Joy Watson

Our latest Open Call just launched and the submissions have been great. So great, in fact, that we want to share some with you!

Amy Joy Watson's balsa wood constructions are painstakingly hand-stitched together by thread, then delicately stained with watercolor. Inspired by the 1928 folk song, "Big Rock Candy Mountain", Watson's sculptures are an homage to an imagined world, where her sculptures exist as living things, far beyond the realm of possibility.

Stay tuned for more Open Call artist features. This is the biggest and best Open Call yet, where the winner gets to show in New York AND Taipei. Learn more and create your portfolio here >>>