Wayne State University is the recipient of a prestigious artist residency coordinated by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). NYFA announced last week that painter Kimia Ferdowsi Kline was selected to be the Basil Alkazzi Artist in Residence for a five-week residency at Wayne State's James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History from Sept. 16 through Oct. 21, 2015.

During her stay at Wayne State University, Ferdowsi Kline will create new work and will conduct master classes for Wayne State students. The residency will result in an exhibition at Wayne State's Elaine L. Jacob Gallery from April 8 through June 24, 2016.

"We greatly appreciate NYFA's interest in Detroit and Wayne State University," said John Richardson, chair of the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History. "We are absolutely thrilled to host Kimia Ferdowsi Kline and to introduce her to our students and the artistic communities here in Detroit."

"Wayne State receiving the Basil Alkazzi Residency is a testament to the importance of the Detroit arts scene," said Matthew Seeger, dean of Wayne State's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. "It highlights the pivotal role the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History has played in nurturing talent."

"I can't predict how the residency will impact my work," said Ferdowsi Kline. "But I'm very much looking forward to exploring Detroit and experiencing a new city - particularly one that has garnered such national attention for its creative community."

Ferdowsi Kline is a semi-finalist for NYFA's Basil H. Alkazzi Award for Excellence, which was established in 2010 from British artist Basil Alkazzi's desire to recognize and encourage the work of painters. The award, co-judged by Basil Alkazzi and artist Michael Rich, is open to painters of all nationalities, provided they are residents of New York State.

Established in 1971 as an independent organization to serve individual artists throughout the state, the New York Foundation for the Arts empowers emerging artists and arts organizations across all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives and professional/organizational development. Visit NYFA.org.

The James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History is a division of Wayne State's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, educating the next generation of visual artists, designers and art historians. Wayne State University, located in the heart of Detroit's midtown cultural center, is a premier urban research institution offering more than 380 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students.

Images, from top right: Kimia Ferdowsi Kline, 
Watermelon Window, oil on paper, 2015; Kimia 
Ferdowsi Kline, Homeland, oil on paper, 2015