Historic Architecture and the Shanghai Brand.

Tune in to ICS TV's "Culture Matters" tonight at 7:30pm to see Prof Wu
Jiang (deputy director of Shanghai Urban Planning Bureau) and Wm Patrick
Cranley (co-founder of Historic Shanghai and managing director of
AsiaMedia) interviewed by Pan Xiaoli on the topic, "Historic
Architecture and the Shanghai Brand."

The show will be rebroadcast at 12:30pm on Friday.

"Ke ai de" Creepy Corner

Like the Comfort Exhibit, the Ke Art Center is hot too, except without the ackwardly ironic name(to add to the problem I walked to the center from the apartment: leave the rest to imagination). But I'm by myself so hygiene can take a back seat to my appretiation of art.
First a brief tour of the facilities...
You're greeted by this thing:

Sort of funny no? Reminds me of an eardrum, maybe to symbolize a listening attitude, but I'm just throwing out random guesses.
Next turn left and you are greated by:
Floating brains perhaps? Next to these floating hardhat brains is a projected video of man randomly riding on his bike wearing one these hardhat brains. The process of coming of up with an idea can be random, but dangerous as well (that seems to be the theme of this particular exhibit, science and it's dangers) And how can I miss everyones favorite "evolution exhibit made out of pencil shavings.This one is sort of funny, science is like doodling, kiddy, creative and silly. Val, Hanah, and Michelle have spent good time on this piece. I concur with their opinions.
The next two rooms are one of political intrigue and social unrest (pictures of protests and arrests etc. and graffiti and a curved wall). And that's it, another small exhibit to be sure... unless you venture up stairs.

What truly caught my attention was something I happened to stumble upon.
What's the name of the piece, who painted it? I have not clue. I did not stay long enough to find out, but perhaps that in itself is testament to how engrossing the atmosphere it created was. It's really creepy. Much like how The Ring, or the Grudge (horror movies) will use little children to unnerve their audience, so does this exhibit. Image dead babies that stair at you (I think the heat was getting to my head). The dimly lit stairwell obscures your vision and forces you to take a closer look at the circular paintings on the wall. A closer look rewards you a pair of pentrating eyes, and a child or creature with its head titled foward, ready to slowly crawl out of its window. There's no one around, and the swelting heat just suddenly became stiffling. What results is a brilliant (accidentital?) exhibit that plays with your emotions and proceeds to give them a give twist. I stood there for a minute at most, took a picture and left, but serveral seconds in front of a couple of creepy babies was the highlight and lowlight of my ke art excersion.

Still sweating, from I don't know, I left in hurry. Down the steps around the the other exhibits, and past that ackward eardrum. On my walk back to the apartment I had plenty to think about, and I decided that I might forget the brains, or the pencil shavings, or the graffiti, but I must pray,
Ke ai the baby, please don't haunt me

In my book, that's a good exhibit and good fun

A Couple Drops of Optimism

Let's be positive.
Maybe it's the muggy weather, but things have been oppressively negative as of late. That includes the art that I have thus far scene in Shanghai. Let's be brief, the exhibit I have in mind is the CCP propaganda museum. It's underground, it's got letters of self incrimination, its got lots of hating on other countries, it's got lots of hating on its own country even. In my book, that's a pretty depressing place (an interesting and beautiful depressing granted).

But let me digress, we are trying to be positive no? What I personally found most interesting about this exhibit were the smiles. Not fake smiles, not smiles used to boost country moral, but rather real genuine smiles. Unless gullible is written on forehead (actually being convinced by propaganda would not be so strange...) I truly believe that beneath all of the sweat and blood is something positive.

How can I tell? The process is very much like telling a real smile from a fake smile on a person. I ask myself is there a reason to smile? Is the smile genuine? Are others smiling? In this propaganda museum I found all three, in the same picture(s) no less.
No, I am not talking about Mao, that man's smile is a little on the creepy side, genuine or not is another matter. Rather the picture I have in mind is a large gua hua styled depiction of a wedding scene. The picture takes up the entire wall, and unlike some of the posters, is an original. The first aspect of the picture that caught my eye were the colors. Vibrant and alive, the picture isn't suffocated by reds, yellows and golds (something US propaganda does as well). Instead there are greens, small and large shrubbery, browns of the houses, and blue, red and yellow on the clothing of the people, note the particularly pokemon-esque hat on an extremely silly looking child. The scene has a lot happening at once, kids running around, old men and women laughing, mothers holding onto their children, people of all sizes and ages, and of course the meeting of the couple and the parents. But again, to myself, the most telling aspect of all, are the smiles. The face's are flushed from laughter, their eyes are squinted, and all the wrinkles that come from a big grin are more then apparent. To me that's a genuine smile, not some "cheese" pose.

It was just last week that we had a lecture on sex in the Intro to China course. Long story short, sex though seemingly oppressed in most fashions, was also in ways set free because of marriages through "love" and courtship. Young courtship was not uncommon in the era, and during the Mao era, many good happy marriages were made. It is the same feeling that I am getting here. Although it is true that there is an oppressively depressing nature to the Mao era and the artwork of the time period, the underlying happy aspects of life, somehow manage to show themselves. Perhaps mother and child may been separated, but at least husband could find his spouse (or the other way around).

It honestly is an astounding painting, not just because it's juxtaposed with the self incriminating notes. It's not the technicality of the piece (it looks good but not particularly unique), and its not the deep meaning of its contents. It's simply a happy looking snapshot in a not so happy time. But that's optimism for you.
Here's to staying positive in not so positive a time.

Shanghai Avent Garde: Zha Guojun and Zhou Jiahua

Zhou Jiahua

Date of Birth: 1956 Shanghai, China

Education: Shanghai Theater Academy of Fine Arts Department July 1980
Work: Shanghai Oil Painting Sculpture house: Associate Professor
Featured:

Shanghai Agricultural Exhibition Hall Art and Design
Shanghai Moma
Mandarin Fine Art Gallery
Style:
Like many other artists of his time period, he had two sets of skills. The first of which was calligraphy. His works of modern art of course his second. Zhou Jiahua uses unique materials such as glass and porcelain in combination with oils that give his art a pop-up book nature.
Significance: Member of initial struggling contemporary artists in the 80's and 90's. Featured in Ten Painters Show, but was part of its struggle. Zhou added its name to China as early as 1980 in newspapers, magazines, with his works featuring full strong emotions and personality ( "83 'experimental and Paintings" in 1986) Many of his works he chooses to not feature in exhibits, as he like many artists of the time period, believe art to be one of lifestyle rather then profit.

Excerpts from the village collection

Zha Guojun
Date of Birth: 1943 Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
Education: Shanghai Theater Academy 1967
Traveled to the United States, where he resides
Lived in said location for 18 years, further developing his unique style
Features:
China National Museum of Fine Arts in Beijing
Shanghai Art Museum
Style:
Initially starts with landscape paintings, which he was well know for.
Moves on to oil paintings one coming to states, art adopts a surreal feel to them
"他极富表现力的抽象画里，其气势表现出强烈的波动起伏，并如火山爆发般的光芒四射，象征着一种非凡的超越。 He has a very expressive abstract art, its strong momentum is shown by the volatility of ups and downs, and a volcanic eruption-like shine, is often times a symbol of the great beyond. 在这里，虚与实交织在一起，遥远和神秘颤动着去抓住宇宙间和谐的实质。 Here is intertwined with the virtual, remote and mysterious vibration of the universe to grasp the essence of harmony."
Significance: As with Zhou Jiahua, was a member of the second wave contemporary Shanghai artists. He two was present during the closing of the "Ten Painters Show". Although he now resides in the states, his work is still shown in the area, as well as still actively creating new pieces to further push Shanghai's and China's contemporary art scene

Excerpts from the two heroes collection

The Art of Beijing

On a recent group trip to Beijing, I had the opportunity to see how the Olympics had affected China's capital. The very new, wide, and well-kept streets and avenues reminded me of those old Lego commercials that showed perfect Lego streets. I felt the Olympics most blatantly affected the buildings. Before Beijing was chosen to host the 2008 Olympics, there were no buildings like the CCTV Building or the National Theater (the "Egg") or any of the Olympic venues. The first time I saw the CCTV Building, I thought it was a monster's mouth. It was evening and I had just gotten out of a subway station when I looked to my right. The air was so smoggy that I could not see clearly but as my eyes got used to the visibility level, I saw that the highway right in front of the station looked as if it were being eaten by a black mouth. As I walked closer to the building, I realized it was not a mouth but the CCTV Building. During one of my courses here in Shanghai, the professor asked us what we thought about the building and I must agree with the concensus that the CCTV Building is very impractical. Considering that so many people are moving into the cities and buildings have to be built up not out, the CCTV Building wasted a lot of space. The Egg is also a very unique building but the fact that it is built right in front of the Chinese government's headquarters did not feel right. The outside structure appeared to be made of steel and fiber glass. The actual performing area did not occupy the whole structure. There was a smaller circular structure inside the Egg and the performing area was inside that. If I had to make an analogy, the outside structure is to the egg as the inside structure is to the yolk. On this group trip we got to see a Beijing Opera. The opera was interesting and it definitely seemed to follow the Chinese tradition of yin and yang. Whenever the female protagonist was performing, the music was slow and the movements were languid, very yin. However, whenever the male protagonist was performing, the music was upbeat and the movements were brisk and energetic, very yang. All the performers used the props very well, some of them went so far as to use each other as props, and the costumes were very lavish though a bit dull in color. Only the female lead wore bright colors and only when she was feeling cheerful. The dance performance was basically ballet so overall, the show was a great melding of East (the opera) and West (the dance moves). The one thing I do not understand about this opera is why it is called an opera. There was almost no singing during the show, just the one time when the female lead is thinking about her dream lover. Every other time it is just background music. As for the Olympic venues, I was very excited to see them. It was disappointing that they were fenced, probably because the Paralympics where still going on, and I could not get close enough to them.

Chinese Propaganda

Whenever I hear the word "propaganda" I always get a negative connotation from it because when I learned the definition of the word, it was in connection to capitalism and the problems it brought. However, propaganda was not only used to further capitalism but also communism. In fact, it appears as if the Chinese government is a genius at using propaganda to further its policies. On a class trip to the Propaganda Museum, we saw a large collection of posters beginning from the 1950s. The images from those first few posters were printed from woodblock cuts, something the Chinese learned from the Soviets. As the posters progressed, the woodblock posters changed to print posters. The message on the posters also changed, depending on what the government thought was the most important issue and needed the people's support on. I noticed that the Cultural Revolution posters were more brightly colored than the posters that came before them. Ironically though, considering that the communists wanted to get rid of all of the old traditions, most of the posters had bright red backgrounds and the print was usually in yellow, the two colors most favored in the Chinese tradition. Besides those posters, we were also shown a series of student declarations denouncing their family, themselves, etc. Even thirty years after the Cultural Revolution has ended, you can still feel the strong emotions those students felt as they were writing their declarations. However, the most amazing thing I saw at the Propaganda Museum was an actual photograph of Mao Zedong. It is not uncommon to see a drawing, painting, or bust of Mao but to see an actual photo, I feel, is quite rare.

Shanghai Avant Garde: Leng Hong and Zhou Jiahua

Leng Hong
-Born in 1955 in Shanghai, China
-Studied at Shanghai Institute of Theater and Dramatic Art
-Currently resides in Montreal, Canada

Zhou Jiahua

-Born in 1956 in Shanghai, China

-Studied at Shanghai Theater Academy of Fine Arts Department of print professinals

-Currently resides in Shanghai, China

Shanghai Avant-Garde: Zhou Changjiang and Shen Fan

Zhou Changjiang

• Born in 1950


• Graduated from the Shanghai Drama Academy, Fine Arts Department in 1978


• Vice Dean of the Fine Art Institute in the Huadong Teacher’s University


• Works in abstract paintings and mixed-medis intallations


• Has contributed to many large group exhibitions including biennales and international exhibits of Contemporary Chinese Art

Shen Fan

• Born in 1952, in Jangyin, Jiangsu province.


• Graduated from Shanghai Light Industry, Fine Arts Department, in 1986


• Abstract paintings and, recently light installations


• Characterized as a "maximalism" artist


• Taken part in many group and solo exhibitions around the world.

Shanghai AvantGarde- Sun Liang and Gao Jin

While the Cultural Revolution in China brought a standstill to creative artistic expression, Deng Xiaoping’s call for “opening up” profoundly influenced a young generation of burgeoning artists.  Artists quickly rejected the constraining teachings of the traditional art academy, which had promoted socialist realism in both content and style, and looked towards the west for inspiration while exploring the freedom of individual expression. Sun Liang is considered to be one of the most important participants of the “85 New Wave”, a group of artists that have been accredited with the birth of contemporary Chinese art. Born in 1957 in Hangzhou, he graduated from the Shanghai Light Industry College in 1982 and has lived in Shanghai ever since. His work focuses on Chinese history and experience through a combination of eastern and western mythological imagery. His choice of subject matter is generally dark and painted in a crude manner, provoking comparison to the work of Jean-Michelle Basquiat. In Icarus and the Nine Suns (1989), Sun Liang depicts the Greek mythological tale of Icarus, who was given wings to fly out of imprisonment in Crete, only to have his wings melted by the sun and subsequently drowned in the sea. The message is particular pertinent to the artistic climate of the 1980’s, where artists were given a period of free reign to develop a distinct avant-garde, only to have this freedom significantly curtailed with the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989. In Icarus and the Nine Suns, a skeleton figures falls downward, surrounded by seven looming skulls with fierce facial expressions.  It is an image of the artist in such a turbulent cultural environment, as well as an image of the individual in China during an uncertain era.

            While Sun Liang focuses on the primacy of Chinese experience, it is significant to note that his allusions come from a wide variety of Western sources. Ophelia  (1998) depicts Hamlet’s famous femme fatale in a strikingly similar composition as his 1989 Icarus and the Nine Suns. By adapting Western themes to address issues of Chinese identity, his work attests to the universality of experience. While Icarus and the Nine Suns can be seen as addressing the particular political climate in 1989, Ophelia can be seen as addressing these same issues nine years later--- illustrating society’s current delusional state, stuck in a situation between modernization and government control. 

            Sun Liang has cemented himself as a pioneer of contemporary Chinese art. He was featured prominently in the China/Avant Garde Exhibition at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing in 1989, which proved to be a seminal exhibition in defining contemporary Chinese art. He also represented China at the 1993 Venice Biennial. In the early 1990’s, Sun Liang moved his studio into an old house beside People’s Square. He began to collect images of works by local artist and has set up small-scale archives. He currently teaches at the Shanghai University of Science and Technology, and continues to paint. His more recent works looks toward Chinese techniques and imagery, and use calligraphy, scroll painting, and brush and ink painting as stylistic influences.

____________________________________________________

The period between the Cultural Revolution and the "85 New Wave" was an uncertain time for artistic activity, yet there was still a small group of artists who pioneered new forms of expression in retaliation against the prevalent social realist dogma. Gao Jin is considered to be at the forefront of this particular era, helping to open up the arts to new and diverse influences. Gao Jin was born in 1933 in Beijing, and studied at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in the late 1950's. She subsequently moved to Mongolia and lived there for the next thirty years. As a member of an ethnic minority herself, Gao Jin took on minorities as her subject matter, even though there was official pressure not to do so at the time. In form, her work has evolved stylistically. While her earlier work mirrors the Soviet influence that was embedded in the propaganda poster program, her later work shows significantly Western influences. Gao Jin is the art editor of Inner Mongolia Art Magazine, and has since moved to the United States.

 

Shanghai Avant-Garde

YU XIAOFU


Iron Bird-Drum, 2000


Go Sightseeing of Human Life, 2006


Mister Lu Xun, 2007

Yu Xiaofu was born in Born in Changzhou, Jiangsu in 1950 and Graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1978, after traveling to England in 1988 to study painting and sculpture. He is now a professor at the Shanghai Institute of Oil Painting & Sculpture as well as Shanghai University. Yu Xiaofu has made a name for himself as a professional oil painter. He is a firm believer in traditional art skill and has always put great emphasis on the importance of technique and composition. Much of Yu Xiaofu's early canvas works were heavily influenced by Russian realism. His canvases commonly focus on political subject matter and consist of famous historical figures painted alongside himself. His work signifies a faith in humanity and hope for the modern dislocated society. In 1983 his painting entitled, Knocking on the Door Lightly was selected for the National Oil Painting Album, won the Shanghai Culture and Art Excellence Award, and quickly earned him national popularity. That same year Xiaofu also participated in the infamous “Phase 1983 Painting Experimental Show” (later referred to as the "Ten Painters Show"). The show featured abstract works by several young artists and was immediately shut down by authorities after opening. It was later referred to in the government’s anti-ideological pollution campaign and criticized repeatedly in the media. Yu Xiaofu went on to participate in many exhibitions including "The First National Youth Fine Art Exhibition" in 1985 and the "First Chinese Oils Exhibition" in 1987. In 1998 he was elected one of the top ten national artists. Just this year Xiaofu participated in "Turning Abstract: A Retrospective of Shanghai Experimental Art 1976-1985" at the Zendai Museum of Modern Art.

YU YOUHAN


Mao Talking with the Peasants in Shaoshan, 1991


Andy Warhol – Mao, 2002


Yimeng Shan, 2003

Yu Youhan was born in Shanghai in 1943. He graduated from the Central Academy of Art & Design, Beijing, in 1973. Today he lives and works in Shanghai. Yu Youhan’s work has been shown several times nationally and internationally. During the avant-garde movement Yu Youhan emerged as one of the few political pop artists of the time. His work from this period fused Chinese iconography with Western artistic technique. He blends contradictory visual traditions, such as in his much acclaimed series of Mao portraits that earned him fame. Yu Youhan began his career during the Cultural Revolution however, and much of his work from this period is directly influenced by political propaganda imagery and socialist realism. Lately he has shifted his artistic approach and now creates landscape paintings that resemble a forgotten utopia. Throughout his career Yu Youhan has examined the structure and shaping of cultural identity in China through an exploration of various visual styles.

Chinese Contemporary Artists

PEI JING

ZHANG XIAOGANG

Beijing 798

Beijing’s 798 Art District was a massive amalgam of Chinese contemporary art, secluded off the busy main roads of the metropolis.  It was, in a sense, overwhelming because of the sheer volume of art there was to see: each building had one or multiple galleries that each showcased dozens of pieces by contemporary artists drawing on vastly different aesthetics and ethos. Three galleries, in particular, were striking to me.

            The first was a gallery located entirely underground, a maze of white walls and fluorescent lights.  The art here was diverse and abstract.  There seemed to be no theme or commonality to the art as one passed from room to room, and the title of the show: “Art Exhibit: Big Popular Elegance” did little to illuminate the obtuse linkage between the art.

            A nearby gallery featured work by Chen Laotie, whose work can be characterized by his expressionistic brushstroke and disturbing imagery.  Chen’s impasto application of paint gave the works a tactile, vibrant quality that resonated in the austere gallery space.  The show itself was, if nothing else, an example of poor art handling and conservation, as raw canvas lay unpadded and unprotected against the dirty and dusty hardwood floor, and the open door to the gallery allowed the cool, dry air of early autumn to create an unstable environment within the space.  Nonetheless, the work was resonant in its loud expressionism.

              Finally, the Yan Arts Club Centre, near the center of the 798 District, provided what was an ideal gallery space for a nihilist contemporary aesthetic.  The work within the gallery featured sharp, contrasted blocks of blacks, whites and grays, without a semblance of half-tones or perspective to any of the pieces.  In the artist statement, the work was described as being a pessimistic view of modernity articulated through morbid imagery.  In a space that was industrial and Spartan, the gallery functioned as a cohesive unit beautifully.  

Chinese Avant-Guarde: Ding Yi & Zhou Tiehai

DING YI

-Born 1962. Shanghai, China
- School of Fine Arts, Shanghai University
-One of the few abstract artists in Chinese contemporary art
-Painting known for its geometric abstractions. His style is known for repetition of his + and x (crosses) on canvas & tartan.
- Also uses bright neo-fluorescent colors.















ZHOU TIEHAI













-Born 1966. Shanghai, China
-School of Fine Arts, Shanghai University
-His art was initially used as his instrument of revenge on western collectors and the Chinese contemporary art scene.
-His style is famed for its iconic Joe Camel head.

Feng Lianghong, Yang Zhanye, and some Propaganda

The above pictures are the artwork of Feng Lianghong. He is a Shanghai artist, mainly working in Beijing and New York. His concentration seems to be on oil on canvas. He studied in the Central Academy of Art Design in Beijing. I unfortunately could not find much about him except for the fact he was in the movement of modern art in China. His work seems to be a mix of traditional and modern, specifically his art in the 90's. As you can see above, these pieces of art are oil on canvas, a mix of caligraphy and graffiti.



The above picture is a picture of the "Last Supper-The Second Show Concave." The show was a preview to Beijing's “China’s Modern Art Exhibition." Unfortunately, the exhibit was shut down the day it opened. I unfortunately could not find any additional information on Yang Zhanye. From what I can gather, Yang Zhanye was one of the eleven participating artists in the "Last Supper." This show encompassed alot of Avant Garde. Based on Zhao Chuan, modern art was always supressed in China. The difficulties of expressing oneself was tremendous and unfortunate. It just shows what great restraints artists here have to go through.

As for the Propoganda Poster Art Centre, that was amazing. It was interesting to see how propoganda art progressed through time. Such emphasis on the color red, power, and strength. I was intrigued especially by the posters with China's enemies and the constant portrayal of China stomping on their enemies (ie. USA). The posters all seem like cartoons to me, Mao as the savior for them all. DAZIBAO-handwritten posters. The history, the words, the criticism behind it was surprising. I never knew things like that existed. Having the courage to speak out, and then having the greater courage to slam on the other person's opinion...

Re: this Friday

from the organizers:

Since we have not done much Pecha Kucha's before the Olympics, we are
going to make it up to you! This Friday:

PECHA KUCHA NIGHT SHANGHAI #11 !!

The weather is still hot so our next location is a nice half outdoor
space under a big factory roof.

Pecha Kucha Night Shanghai # 11 will be held on Friday 26 September
2008 in Wen Ding plaza and starts at 20:20.
Address: 204 Wen Ding Lu (crossing Kai Xuan Lu, close to Yi Shan Lu
metro station, on line4 )

WHAT???
The Japanese term Pecha Kucha roughly translates as chit-chat or
irritating chatter. Each Pecha Kucha Night will present around 12
participants who will show 20 slides for exactly 20 seconds each. It
is also possible to present a movie, just make it exactly 6 minutes
and 40 seconds long ! No more boring lectures, seminars or
presentations. Pecha Kucha Night offers the audience the experience of
a dazzling range of speakers and images all in one evening. Breaks
will be filled with drinks, music, images, and off course: chit-chat
(so bring your business cards).

WHO???
Pecha Kucha Night is for designers, architects, photographers,
architects, interior designers, graphical designers, game designers,
artists, fashion designers, inventors, creative students or anyone
else with ideas the world needs to know about. If you want to present
a new building, furniture, book, add campaign, fashion line, gadgets
or any other idea or design come and share it with us!

INFO???
check http://www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/shanghai and see flyer attached

SEE YOU AT PKN!
your Pecha Kucha team

Shanghai AvantGarde- Chen Zhen & Song HaiDong

Chen Zhen
- Born in Shanghai
- Died Dec. 2000
- Known for object-based installations
- Works displayed collisions of cultural worlds
- Artworks are mostly abstract







Song HaiDong
- Emerged in 1980s as part of AvantGarde movement
- Challenging traditional forms of art-making in search for more conceptual directions.
- Pieces made use of physical objects and synthetic materials
- Artworks used to express great opinions
- Sculpture as a carrier of conceptual art


The Earth in the Eye of Extraterrestrials

Nanjing Triennale

As opposed to the majority of the NYU students who visited Beijing the past weekend, I decided to visit Nanjing, the old capital city of China. Arriving to the city and you can immediately sense a difference in the air from Shanghai. Nanjing is also a smoggy city, like all big cities in China, but there's a serenity in this city that is lacking in Beijing and Shanghai. On the train I had a conversation with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable Nanjing-ren, who rentlessly explained to me which sights to visit and its history. The same happened again in the cab, with the cab driver enthusiastically suggesting places for me to visit. Nanjing-ren take pride in their city, but in a very subtle way compared to Shanghainese or Beijing-ren. The pace of the city is a lot more relaxed, it is less crowded and the people are polite. It reminds me of a mixture of Taipei and Shanghai. As I begin to visit more and more cities in China, I start realizing the stark differences between the manners and attitudes of people in each city. Nanjing had a calmer element to it and I was curious to see how the Nanjing Triennale will be.

The Triennale is held in the Nanjing Museum; the combination is interesting, a traditional-Chinese historical museum hosting a contemporary art exhibition. The theme of the Triennale is Reflective Asia, and visitors are welcomed at the entrance with a huge saw sawing another saw (try saying that 10 times). Upon entering the exhibition, I see a very familiar face: Chen Wenling's pig-man.

His pieces portrays the way he view modern-day people and their relationship with materialism: big fat, greedy pigs. The Nanjing Triennale had artists from all over Asia and the majority of the art pieces are responding to the growing industrialization, urbanization, digitalization and westernization of Asia.

Trojan Horses-Ni haifeng

La Pieta

Human Dogs-Du Zhenjun
Nation & Character building-Haris Purnomo

CNN variable 4 Channel- Kijong Zin

The overall environment of the exhibition was critical, bleak and a tad depressing. There is a sense of frustration in the artworks, artists reflecting on the dramatic changes occuring in Asia due to industrialization and western influences. All the artists are exploring their environment, criticizing it and contemplating the identity of the modern-day Asian. The artists were from all over Asia but their artworks showed very little cultural elements or prototypical Asian-icons. Reflective Asia showed visitors that modern day Asia has lost much of its cultural heritage and Asian identities are now deeply tied to the race for economic success. What intrigues me is that although the artists are criticizing Asia's economic progress and globalization, it is inevitably this economic development that inspires the artists. It almost seems like a mean joke, you hate it but you need it.