Congratulations to College of Western Idaho (CWI) student, Khanh Dang, who won the 2023 Connections Project’s Juried Art Exhibition! Dang’s submission, a painting titled, Flesh and Raw, was selected by juror, Cassandra Schiffler, the Arts and Culture Coordinator for the City of Meridian and a regular exhibiting artist at Capitol Contemporary Gallery in Boise.
Dang’s entry was chosen out of 22 students who submitted a total of 50 pieces of work.
Dang has been a student at CWI for the last two and a half years, where he graduated with his associate degree in Studio Art in May 2022. He is currently a non-degree-seeking student and hopes to earn his certification in the College’s Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Program because he believes it will help him with his goal of owning a successful art business.
When Dang entered the Juried Art Exhibition, he did not have any expectations — he just wanted to showcase his work. When he found out he won he said he was surprised, because he saw of all the other talented pieces of art presented in the competition. It was an exciting moment for him.
“This means a lot to me not only as a student but also as an artist,” Dang said. “I have been learning and working as an artist for a long time. My hard work getting recognition means a lot to me.”
Dang, who is deaf, hopes to continue to receive accolades, hone his skills, and one day build that art business he has dreamed about with his partner so he can spread deaf awareness around the art world.
Flesh and Raw
Khanh Dang
“I have always been interested in the beauty of the human body, embracing all the shapes, all the texture, all the expressions is one of my artistic goals, especially in this project. Raw and Fresh presents all the types of raw or fresh ingredients such as raw beef, pork and fish meat, or fresh lettuce and lemon. The naked woman is also a part of the ingredients, she was raw, she was fresh, she was naive and inexperienced, she has not yet to be “cooked” yet. She has yet to be ready for this world of consumption.”
Dang received a $150 cash prize for his winning entry.
