50 Moganshan Rd., Bldg.18-A, Shanghai
Reception: Tuesday, 4 Sept., 2007, 6-8 pm
Daily: 1-6 pm except Mondays
On Septembre 4th, 2007, ShanghART will present the video and
installation exhibition "Tools" by young artist Zhang Ding, in the
temporary space between the buildings 16 and 18 (H Space), in 50
Moganshan Road.
Zhang Ding is born in 1980 inGansu, China. His past artworks mainly
focus with subjective naturalism on marginal urban culture, such as
people, events, objects: an old homosexual transvestite, a confused
young Muslim, missing people's notices, an abandoned amusement park, a
crazy man…. Through the perspective of Zhang Ding, the reality's
details, coexisting with booming cities but easy to ignore, are
exposed: gloomy, dilapidated, chaotic, and vigorous.
"Tools" is an allegorical fairyland created by Zhang Ding to respond to
this marginal world. Cactus here become the main props/tools, metaphor
of a nidering and doggedly resistant life. We can see this plant
anywhere, but their multiple thorns don't allow us to approach them.
Zhang Ding fights against that, trying to find the possible ways of
communication with this life, using violence or dialog? Cruel beating
and frozen cutting don't destroy cactus as much as water, even though
gentle and beautiful. Water pours from ten watering pots, lining out
parabolas and hosing a cactus. Mud splatters around while the liquid
spreads all over the floor. Beside this series of cactus is displayed a
group of unnatural industrial products: 24 olive green refrigerators
filled with loud-hailers, and an old style detonator which can trigger
a deafening explosion noise, giving you a sudden feeling that you are
in the world of the "Flowers of Evil".
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