BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Wooder Ice - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://wooderice.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Wooder Ice REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T190000 DTSTAMP:20260511T123814 CREATED:20260107T001116Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T001116Z UID:10027244-1770224400-1770231600@wooderice.com SUMMARY:Devan Shimoyama: SHIFT DESCRIPTION:Glassboro\, NJ (January 6\, 2026) — Philadelphia native artist Devan Shimoyama will present new work in his regional debut\, SHIFT at Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum. This solo exhibition runs January 26 to March 21. Opening reception Wednesday February 4th 2026 at 5-7pm. \nDevan Shimoyama is a visual artist who works primarily in painting and self-portraiture\, with works inspired as much by classical mythology as by the culture of his youth. Through his depictions of the queer Black male form\, Shimoyama investigates the politics of queer culture while navigating his own personal narratives. Referencing the dramatic sensibilities of painters such as Caravaggio and Goya\, he layers his surfaces with jewels\, black glitter\, rhinestones\, and sequins to evoke both the beauty and alienation of the Black queer body. \nA Central High School alum\, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and Germantown\, Shimoyama graduated from Penn State University in 2011 with a BFA in Drawing/Painting. He received his MFA from Yale University School of Art in Painting/Printmaking in 2014. Shimoyama’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States. He lives and works in Pittsburgh. \nRowan’s Art Gallery & Museum in Glassboro\, New Jersey\, just outside Philadelphia\, produces new contemporary art exhibitions by professional artists every two to three months. With a reputation for attracting respected international talent\, it’s a cornerstone of South Jersey’s vibrant arts scene. All exhibitions and special events are open to the public with free admission. \nNew Work\nSHIFT will feature the debut of Shimoyama’s most recent body of work\, which is inspired by the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck. He stages scenes of transformation alluding to the dialogue between genuine and superficial change. The series reflects on our desire to present contained and perfect versions of ourselves\, while suggesting how forms of mysticism\, such as tarot reading\, can illuminate new pathways through turbulent times. \nThe show also includes four 18 x 22 swings\, embellished with silk flowers\, rhinestones\, jewelry\, canvas\, and found objects that hang on chains from the ceiling. The swings have only been shown twice previously. \nStudent Involvement\nShimoyama met with Rowan’s painting class to guide them in creating their own paintings based on his work. Their work will be exhibited in the gallery’s “Extension of the Classroom” hallway. He’ll meet with the class again when he is on campus in February. \nArtist Statement\n“My work seeks to examine and uplift the indomitable spirit of the queer Black male in today’s social climate. A certain reticence about gay male sexuality comes into question\, followed by an exploration of locating the queer Black male body’s role in society and even within the microcosm of gay male politics. Divination\, fairy tale\, folklore\, and mythology greatly influence the narrative element within my paintings as I build my own creation myth of the queer Black male. I use the language of classical mythology and contemporary stereotype to illuminate a small fraction of that identity. \nIn SHIFT\, the works feature a range of ways in which I think of transformation and shapeshifting\, particularly in its relation to one’s understanding of self. In the paintings\, I reimagine various Major Arcana tarot card compositions\, allowing my own impulses and symbols to intermingle with the preexisting canon of artists’\, illustrators’\, and practitioners’ imagery. Self-portraits donning the hairstyles of music icons reference both drag performers as well as my own lighthearted attempts during childhood to embrace my own queerness and femininity. \nLarge-scale portraits of iconic cinematic Black female vampiresses playfully celebrate the power and sensuality of transformation. I use fantasy and fiction to imagine ways to solve real problems and to discover new things about how we navigate the world.” \nHow to Visit\nLocated at 301 High Street West\, Glassboro\, NJ 08028\, Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum is open to the public with free admission Monday to Friday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. \nAn Opening Reception on Wednesday\, February 4\, 5 to 7 p.m. features a discussion with the artist. URL:https://wooderice.com/event/devan-shimoyama-shift/ LOCATION:Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum 4.550 Google reviews Art gallery in Glassboro\, New Jersey\, 301 High St W\, Glassboro\, NJ 08028\, Glassboro\, NJ\, 08028\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wooderice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DS--scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="ROWAN UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY &%3B MUSEUM":MAILTO:artgallery@rowan.edu END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR