Curatorial Concepts:
The development of contemporary Chinese painting (Ink Brush Painting, thereafter IBP) has been moving into diversified direction and has emerged many new faces in terms of styles and forms, however pressure from the globalization in contemporary art in the context of how IBP continue to develop remains top issues for IBP. It seems true that under the circumstance of globalist Chinese contemporary art, IBP continuously being marginalized. Although there are many new styles and forms of IBP, it still somehow not be considered contemporary, and may be because of most of those works are created by appropriating styles and forms of Western contemporary art, and disconnecting with its own historical context. So while these IBP works have completed the breakthrough of the tradition (in large part to subvert), and have engaged in a dialogue with the West (a questionable proposition), however the contemporary art community dose not give expected recognition, regardless new IBP have broken with the tradition and the resultant loss of cultural identity as a cost to pay. This may explain why the experimental IBP is still insignificant and has no place anywhere in the global contemporary art (including in China).
In response to these circumstances, 2010 Duolun Museum of Modern Art IBP Exhibition will put following curatorial concepts in task: the development of contemporary IBP needs to reconnect the historical context of IBP, simply like a plant needs to grow from its root and vines. This dose not mean that IBP has to repeat the tradition in order to avoid the deviation of its cultural identity, instead, we should look the tradition and contemporary as one entirety for the development of IBP. We should ask ourselves questions: do we really understand the true nature of the tradition? Is the tradition becoming no more important for IBP? If not then what we can learn from it? Shall we discuss the difference between Chinese and Western contemporary art? What is a genuine dialogue of IBP with the West? Why IBP should have such a dialogue? What direction for development of IBP could continue its historical trajectory? Is the transformation the only future for IBP? And is it inevitable for IBP to distinguish after the transformation is completed? Because the transformation will result the IBP a no-difference contemporary art other than its media.
It could be very challenging to answer these questions. From the observation that I have made, the IBP could be the media currently practicing by the largest population of artist in China. Many of them may not aware above questions, however a considerable numbers of IBP artist are taking IBP seriously, and endeavors have been made in exploring the possibilities are tremendous. Promising however still a long journey until we could find the solution. For 2010 Doulun Museum IBP Exhibition I select seven artists including one American, all have what I can see the strong connection with the tradition in various ways in their practices, and that reflect in their works, and more importantly, because of the strong connection with the tradition made their work look so fresh and interesting. I sincerely hope the show could be inspirational, and hope more artists, critics, and art historians could work together to reach a new starting point for IBP. Qigu Jiang 2/14/2010 |
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Time：
May 15th - June 15th， 2010
Place：
Duolun Museum of Modern Art
27 Duolun Rd，Shanghai
| Chai Yiming moved his studio in to the museum, including an antique painting desk and brushes, ink stone rice paper etc.. He plan to invite artists to paint with him during the exhibition. Yiming often works on paintings together with his friends, as the same way that ancient literati artists did. However he makes this piece as a work of art to challenge our contemporary way of thinking on art. The piece offers us a brand new way of looking at the relationship between artist studio and show institution; in modern practice that an art museum is a place to exhibit art works, and the advent of modern art museum in the West has realized the transition from exhibiting works of dead artists (historical works) to living artists, however, art museum is never a studio in which artist could create his art. This work of Chai Yiming will make a breakthrough of the conventional concept of art museum; It experiments with an ancient Chinese idea of cooperation between artists creating art works in the museum, and in doing so, a new relationship between artist's studios and exhibition institution will be established. |
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| Li Jin's works are very close to his life. Qi Baishi liberated the tradition of ink and wash painting from the limitation of "Four Gentlemen" and brought it closer to life. Li Jin furthered this practice and brought ink and wash painting even closer to life. In the show he will display his new “eating well" series, also because he loves cooking, so, besides his "eating well" series, he will cook dishes that he designed incorporating his ink and wash painting works during the show to treat the audience. Moreover, the design of menu will be a part of his ink and wash painting works. This attempt of LI Jin is exploring the possibilities in the Chinese culture that the artist and his art was nourished. |
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| Wu Yi's works concentrate on China’s modern history, especially the period of Sino-Japanese War. In this exhibition Wu Yi will exhibit a group of his ink and wash paintings with the theme of the war. However he will have his works mounted on video screens with which the black and white video tapes of wartime movies will be playing during the show. The translucent nature of rice paper will allow the movies showing through however in a fading way, so the movies will look like our faded memories of the war. By doing that, Wu Yi achieves in adding a new visual language to ink and wash painting. |
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| He Saibang frequently focused on the objects that are life-related such as toothbrushes and mugs, also on the objects that related to Chinese culture such as porcelains and Taihu stones, as well as mountains, and occasionally figures. Saibang plans to create a work for the show which will be completed by participation of children. Saibang will invite children to paint ink and wash painting during the show, he will give some topics of ink and wash painting such as rain, bamboo, and cloud etc. and also will leave children alone to let them do as they wish. This work of He Saibang is intended in inquiring the "correctness" of the modern civilization. Through the eyes and hands of children Saibang hopes that the innocence or at least the awareness of the innocence will return, and our mind will be less pre occupied by knowledge that may block our fresh thinking. |
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| Cai Xiasong is a landscape painter. After more than ten years of practicing and exploring of various forms of contemporary art including conceptual art, installation, etc., he returned to ink and wash painting and focused on landscape painting. Xiaosong will show his Taihu stone paintings in the show, and he will try to hung different sizes and shapes of Taihu stone paintings from the ceiling to create a overall shape of the map of China. Nevertheless, the visual effects that Xiaosong wants to create would be an interesting part of attempt that links the tradition with the practice of ink and wash painting today. |
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| Liang Changsheng is an artist who works with various media. The piece he shows in the exhibition is created by using needle-fine brush to draw silk thread thin lines. The drawing is taller than the exhibition hall of Duolun museum (with a ceiling height of 4.2 meters). however, there is an open hole leading to the second floor, and the top part of Changsheng’s work could extend to the second floor through the hole, and audience has to take a lifter in order to see the entire piece. The work looks like a minimalist work in grey from a distance due to its dense lines; however, it is not. Changsheng 's work has changed the way to appreciate IWP, in other words, it commences a new way to of appreciation, and it explore the possibilities of new interpretation in art. |
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| Michael Thompson is an American artist. Michael will install his new kites in glass balcony of the Duolun Museum of modern art on the third floor. The kites he created are incorporating with images of oriental art works that he collected including calligraphy and ink and wash painting. He actually has begun to participate the show since October of 2009, way ahead of its opening; he has been creating mail art and sending them to China to all other artists who will participate the show, and communicating. |
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