A View on Chinese Contemporary Art

The exhibition Transformation presents current interpretations of traditional Chinese culture

Through the exhibition Transformation: A View on Chinese Contemporary Art, İstanbul Modern reveals the development and creativity of art in China today. Within the scope of activities carried out for the 2012 Yearof Chinese Culture in Turkey, İstanbul Modern hosts contemporary examples from Chinese art, and, following the present exhibition, will hold a collection exhibition in Shanghai in 2013 within the scope of the Yearof Turkey in China.

Held between September 21 and November 25, 2012, the show features 20 works by 15 artists interpreting traditional Chinese culture and philosophy through new techniques, contemporary discoveries, and innovative approaches. Curated by Sun Feng, the exhibition includes works by Cao Jigang, Chen Xi, Ding Yi, Gao Rong, Feng Mengbo, Liu Jianhua, Liu Liyun, Liu Xiaodong, Miao Xiaochun, Qin Yufen, Rong Rong & inri, Wang Dongling, Xu Bing, Yang Fudong, and Zhan Wang.

Exhibition curator Sun Feng indicates that thanks to developments of the last 30 years and through the works and contributions of several generations of artists, the depth achieved in contemporary Chinese art has enriched the country’s artistic environment and presented new possibilities for the future.

The exhibition takes as its point of departure the concept of “internal and external development” which in today’s world points to a dynamic balance based on the internal quest and external projection of traditional Chinese values.

Mentioning that the exhibition discusses China’s current quest for internal values and what is reflected externally, Sun Feng adds: “For the Chinese, “external” represents the macro world, concrete objects, their development, the environment, reality, and the public domain; and “internal” represents the micro world, the soul, the heritage of the past, psychology, time, the abstract, personal interpretation, and emotions. While offering creative explanations to these internal and external elements, the works exhibited reveal the involuntary interaction between these elements and the changes experienced by the self.”

Stressing that traditional Chinese culture tolerantly accepts external changes while adhering to the pursuit of internal independence and values, Sun Feng emphasizes that when China’s unique perspectives on nature and philosophy collide with contemporary reality there arises a vivid and innovative synergy and an exciting creative force. Sun Feng adds that the show attempts to answer the questions: “How do contemporary Chinese artists conceive art? How do their creative works reflect the Chinese culture? How do they expect to inspire the world?”

The exhibition is organized around three themes: under the theme External Growth of Inner Spirit the artists manifest the cultural memory formed by Chinese art from prehistoric times to our day; under Balance and Exchange, fully aware of the cultural difference between East and West which stems from philosophy and history, the artists combine their own culture and identity with the contemporary technology of the globalized world; and Inner Projection of the External Circumstances focuses on how encounters with external factors, such as the process of urbanization and socioeconomic change, influence the artists’ inner worlds.

This exhibition is held on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the People’s Republic of China, within the scope of the 2012 Year of Chinese Culture in Turkey organized by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Embassy the People’s Republic of China in Turkey. This collaboration between the China Arts and Entertainment Group International Exhibition Agency and İstanbul Modern also provides the opportunity to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.

ARTISTS

Cao Jigang(1955), who features in the exhibition Transformation: A View on Chinese Contemporary Art, creates landscape paintings in the Chinese tradition using the classical tempera technique of Western painting.

For her handmade silk installationsLiu Liyun (1974) draws inspiration from traditional Chinese landscape paintings.

Sculptor Liu Jianhua (1962) explores the concepts of “meaningless” and “substanceless” in his art.

Mostly working with abstract forms, prominent sculptor Zhang Wang’s (1962) stainless steel rocks featuring in the exhibition are inspired by China’s traditional courtyard landscapes while alluding to the country’s rapidly changing culture.

One of the first contemporary Chinese artists to pay serious attention to the web and internet culture, Feng Mengbo (1966) is one of the prominent names in Chinese new media art. He produces original works inspired by computer games and music.

In her art Qin Yufen(1954) reflects the cross-cultural relationship between East and West. In her works she explores the differences and commonalities of cultural identity and juxtaposes natural materials that have become established in Chinese aesthetics with artistic techniques of the West.

One of China’s most prominent calligraphers, Wang Dongling (1945) carries calligraphy to the public sphere and renews the “source” and “flow” of calligraphy.

In his work Xu Bing (1955) focuses on the connection between cultural experience and language. “New English Calligraphy” is his response to the major difference in languages and cultures between the West and the East.

Ding Yi (1962), who uses crosses as a motif in his work, chooses this symbol, which filters out all that is meaningful, technical, narrative, and painterly, as a response to the breakthroughs in the challenges between Chinese traditionalism and Western modernism.

In his films Yang Fudong (1971) combines China’s traditional values and influences of the West’s film and video culture. In his work he explores the reflection of cultural psychology in contemporary reality.

One of China’s most influential artists in new media art, Miao Xiaochun (1964) uses fictional digital images in his works, aiming to recreate classical works from world art history and to perceive and rethink cultural identity within a contemporary framework.

By weaving narratives of historical change with personal experience Chen Xi (1968) records ordinary people’s reactions to external changes and explores their effects on human psychology.

Gao Rong(1986) creates conceptual works using traditional fabrics and embroidery techniques and recreates everyday situations based on her personal experience.

The couple Rong Rong (China, 1968) and inri (Japan, 1973) have been working together since 2000. While pushing the boundaries of traditional black-and-white darkroom techniques, their work deals with the harmony between man and nature, the emotions of people in their living environment, and the poetics and philosophies of everyday life.

One of the most prominent representatives of the New Realism movement of the 1990s in China,Liu Xiaodong (1963) has developed his own unique approach and understanding toward visuality in cinema.

EXHIBITION EVENTS:

Film screening

HOMETOWN BOY

Friday, September 21, 28, 13:00

Tuesday, September, 25, 13.00

Friday, October, 5, 12, 19, 13.00

Hometown Boy is about the artist Liu Xiaodong’s visit to the region where he spent his childhood. While Xiaodong repaints his past, the journey of his visit is recorded by award-winning director Hoi Hiao Hseh.

Education Program

CHINESE GAMES IN WORKSHOP

In conjunction with the exhibition Transformation: A View on Chinese Contemporary Art, İstanbul Modern has designed a special series of activities entitled Chinese Games in Workshop for children, youths, and families.

Addressing different age groups, these activities were prepared based on works by contemporary Chinese artists who are inspired by their traditional arts. In the educational program Chinese Games in Workshop, which begins with an expert-guided tour of the exhibition, children design hand fans, make masks, prepare models, and produce handmade toys.

The program consists of the activities Colorful Hand Fans for 4-6 year-olds, Fantastical Masks for 7-9 year-olds, Chinese Houses for 10-12 year-olds, and Water Stains on Paper for 13-15 year-olds. Also, 3-5 year-olds can participate with their families in the activity Playful Pandas, and 6-10 year-olds can participate with their families in the activity Magical Dragons.

The educational program Chinese Games in Workshop is carried out every day of the week except Mondays for school groups, and on weekends for children, youths, and families.

COLORFUL HAND FANS

4-6 year-olds

This workshop begins with children discussing the history, function, areas of use, and aesthetics of the hand fan throughout the world and especially in China. The children get acquainted with Chinese samples of this object used for cooling off. The workshop ends with children designing a fan which they can take along as a souvenir of the day.

FANTASTICAL MASKS

7-9 year-olds

In this workshop, which treats of the expressive power of the mask, which is one of the most important props of Chinese theater, children design fantastical masks using colored cardboard, pieces of fabric, and buttons.

CHINESE HOUSES

10-12 year-olds

In this workshop, which focuses on Chinese architecture, children examine Chinese buildings whose characteristics differ according to era depending on climate conditions, landforms, available materials, and cultural and social life. Afterward, based on traditional Chinese architecture the children create models.

WATER STAINS ON PAPER

13-15 year-olds

In this workshop young participants do ink drawings based on Chinese characters. This drawing workshop, which focuses on how writing is used in art, offers young participants the opportunity to express their feelingsthrough art.

ART IN FAMILY

Within the scope of its program Art in Family İstanbul Modern offers two new programs for families. 3-5 year-olds can participate with their families in the activity Playful Pandas, and 6-10 year-olds in the activity Magical Dragons.

PLAYFUL PANDAS

Families with 3-5-year-old children

This workshop for children and their families is based on pandas, the endangered species known for their black and white fur. Participants make puppets of these cute animals which have become China’s unofficial symbol. After the workshop they can take along the toy puppets they designed as a souvenir of the day.

MAGICAL DRAGONS

Families with 6-10-year-old children

In this workshop, children and their families design cute and playful cubs of dragons which are giant creatures with bat wings and scaly hides. Participants imagine what these legendary fairy-tale creatures look like and their supernatural powers and reflect their fantasies in artistic works by combining colored paper, fabric, and pieces of wood.