Meat and Satire - Response to Gu Dexin and Zhou Tiehai

The artwork of Gu Dexin in my opinion is best described as grotesquely fascinating. Having grown up in the rigid Communist period under Mao, Gu Dexin perhaps uses his art as a response to the regulation and fallacies of society, though no one can be sure for he says nothing about his pieces. Yet, this silence frees the viewer’s minds to interpret at will. Though the message may be blurry, the communication is clear.

Plastics were amongst the first materials used in his artwork, other than paper and ink. But he soon branched out into meat and fruits, using not only through visual expression but also expression using smells. Whether it is rotting fruit juxtaposed with perfume or arranging meat into structures with clear sexual references, Gu Dexin challenges the mainstream art market and the idea of restrictions. After understanding his childlike nature and aversion towards regulations, viewers begin to see Gu Dexin’s ideas of breaking free from ordinary social standards. By letting the observers develop their own thoughts without his commentary, he achieves generating pure shock and awe.

Zhou Tiehai also thrives on breaking free from the typical art market. However, unlike Gu Dexin, he does so by altering and manipulating classical images from paintings and magazines. Perhaps his most famous works are composed of a standard portrait in which the heads of the people are replaced with camel heads.

Born in 1966, Zhou Tiehai currently lives and works in Shanghai. His works embraces the use of technology and are generated via the computer. In my opinion, these digitally created images communicate a satirical view of the world through less shocking and more socially accepted modes. But, the messages against following trends are clearly expressed nonetheless.

In comparison, both artists comment on society, particularly the current contemporary art markets, through their works. However, their mediums are drastically different. Interestingly, Gu Dexin mostly taught himself to develop an artistic style while Zhou Tiehai attended the Fine Arts College at Shanghai University. Their background influenced their methods, one being shocking and the other, sarcastically classical. Though the means were different, the two artists communicate the same message.

Taylor Williams
M50 Visit
3/24/2011 Blog Entry
This past saturday, March 19th, I visited the "M50"( 50 Moganshan Lu)
art district in Shanghai. There are tens of art galleries, enough to
easily spend the afternoon exploring all of them. For a saturday
afternoon the galleries were emptier than expected as I had most
galleries to myself. One of the most abstract exhibits at M50 is on
display The Clown's Revolution by Sun Xun on display at the Vanguard
Gallery. After walking through a black curtain I entered a pitch dark
room save for a projector displaying a video of abstract stills and
video clips onto the far wall. Mysterious, tense noises that were not
quite integrated enough to be considered music, added to the eerie
atmosphere. I was not able to pick up on a constant narrative
throughout the 10 minute video. Not all of the art at M50 is as
abstract as the Vanguard, in a small gallery called Red Art there were
multiple paintings that seemed to reference the style of the
propaganda posters used by Mao and the early Communist party. Like the
propaganda posters these paintings depicted unnaturally happy
citizens. However unlike the propaganda posters, these pictures
featured decrepit urban backgrounds. The paintings were largely drawn
in a grey-scale and featured husband and wife occasionally with one
child. Many of the other galleries centered around two themes; the
detrimental effect rapid urban development is having on the Chinese
people and Chairman Mao's legacy. Walking eastbound from M50 one will
find creative and often times hilarious street art on the building and
concrete walls.

Alex Katz: Recent Paintings and Selected Print

by Elizabeth Wu
Alex Katz: Recent Paintings and Selected Prints opened with a
reception at the James Cohan Gallery on Friday evening. The intimate
opening was attended by a handful of Shanghai art enthusiasts, mostly
Americans who showed up to support the congenial Brooklyn
born-and-bred pop artist.
The small exhibit of about five large paintings and eight small prints
is tucked away in an exquisite French Concession relic of the colonial
period with deep mahogany floors and soaring ceilings. The spare
gallery is the perfect setting for Katz's brilliantly straightforward
portraits. One of the most arresting paintings is a portrait of
Katz's wife of over fifty years, Ada. Draped in a wooly evergreen
shawl, Katz captures Ada's glance, under her eyelids seemingly heavy
with fatigue, is solemn, almost wistful, and teeters just on the edge
of sorrow. Her jet-black hair is streaked with gray and her peach
lips are gently pursed.
A feature common to all of Katz's portraits is how he paints his
subjects' eyes. The expression is difficult to decipher – a curious
mixture of ambivalence, concern, joy, and despair. Katz accomplishes
this by painting his subjects' eyes so that although the subject is
facing the viewer, the gaze is slightly askew, like the subject is
glancing just beyond the viewer's shoulder.
The one exception to this rule is Katz's self-portrait. Set against a
glowing dandelion background, Katz dons a black jacket, black top hat,
and a pair of oversized sunglasses. Though his eyes are hidden, his
expression is the easiest to decode. His lips curled up on the end,
Katz is beaming widely, basking in the golden sunlight of the canvas.

by BO

On Friday, I visited the galleries at 50 Moganshan Lu. After leaving I
began to understand why the Chinese art market is so hot right now.
What is great about this section of Shanghai is that each gallery has
its own unique style. Each gallery has its own artistic mode giving a
sense of diversity. One particular gallery caught my eye while at 50
Monganshan called Outstanding Art. While exploring the art scene I
stumbled across numerous galleries each with their own unique style.
The gallery I found most interesting during my time there was the
gallery managed by Elizabeth Wu. Outstanding Art has two locations at
50 Monganshan. The first gallery wielded me into the current nature of
Chinese contemporary art. The current exhibition in the gallery was a
selection of paintings by Ye Sheng Qin, a young Shanghaies artist. Her
paintings have both a classical and contemporary tone that draws the
viewer into the canvass. Each painting has unique female figures
draped in classical robes. But what makes these series of paintings so
unique is how she uses abstract features to present artistic
perspective. These contemporary paintings show that Chinese society
still respects its heritage. Ye Sheng Qin designs on the canvasses are
illustrates that she has understanding of the contemporary art market
of China.
Throughout my time at 50 Moganshan, I found that each of the galleries
had a focus on the contemporary style. Knowing very little about the
Shanghai art scene I found coming to this collection of galleries was
eye opening. It showed me that the artists in China are all trying to
make a name for themselves in the emerging Chinese art market. More
specifically, each gallery in 50 Moganshan is competing against the
one next door for a share of the art market. The closeness of each
gallery shows that the art scene in Shanghai follows very capitalist
principles. Artists are trying to making a product that someone will
enjoy. These galleries in many ways are centers for Chinese arts to
show off their ideas and talents. Another place I found interesting
is the Duke Gallery. This gallery has a more modern outlook to its
selection. The paintings have less of a connection with the past a
more of a connection with the here and now. Duke Gallery, one finds
is more for the hip young Chinese crowd in China. When viewing Duke
Gallery's unique selection of artworks one finds that they are showing
a unique side of the contemporary art movement in China that is both
provocative and entertaining to the viewer.
After visiting 50 Moganshan, I now feel that I have a better
understanding of the contemporary art market. Prior to my visit I had
no understanding of what the kind of style that represents art in
modern China. Now I understand that its part of larger movement that
is hoping to shape the greater art world.
________________________________

Alex Katz in Shanghai

     by Anne Lykes
      Friday, March 18 saw the opening of a show of Alex Katz's recent
works at the James Cohan Gallery.  I was meeting a friend there for the
Friday evening opening, and after getting a cab to Yueyang Lu and Jianguo Xi
Lu, which the gallery was supposed to be near, I wandered around the French
Concession for a while quite lost until I turned down the empty lane that
lead to the James Cohan Gallery.  The building itself is a gem tucked away
in an otherwise ordinary lane.  In the dark I was not able to get as great a
sense of the place as I would have liked, but the light that spilled out of
the buzzing show cast around a quaint-looking courtyard that had about as
much greenery as I have seen in Shanghai.

Inside, the rooms were detailed with original-looking crown molding,
beautiful parquet floors and intricate metalwork.  This space serves as a
perfect backdrop for the small show, which is focused around five large
portraits and several groups of prints.  The real standout painting of the
show is a self-portrait entitled "Black Hat (Alex)," which was painted in
2010.  An important American artist associated with the Pop Art movement,
Katz painted this rendition of himself at 83, and its bold yellow background
and simple palette showcase his strong style.  Other standout pieces are the
prints, both woodcut and linocut.  Particularly impressive are the
"Twilight" woodcut series, which meditate on changing light and reflections.

The opening was a lively event, filled with a wide variety of people.  Walking
around the rooms, conversations could be heard in both English and Chinese,
with bits of other European languages picked up here and there.  The crowd
appeared to be nearly equal-part Westerner and Chinese, and many of the
guests seemed to know each other.  The creative atmosphere certainly added
to the evening, and the fact that an American artist of such high caliber
has a show of this level speaks greatly to Shanghai's international art
community.

Anne Lykes

      On our March 10 class trip we visited the Jade Buddha Temple,
玉佛禅寺.  This site is important to China both historically and culturally, but
what stood out most to me, is how it embodies many of the cultural paradoxes
that run throughout Shanghai’s society.  The juxtaposition of old and new,
between sacred and commercial is inescapable in this city, and the Jade
Buddha Temple is no exception.  One of the oldest temples in Shanghai, its
construction was prompted by the donation of several important jade statues
of Buddha.  The current structure was completed in 1928, which gives the
temple a fairly long history in Shanghai-years.

           The “front” building is called the “Chamber of Four Heavenly
Kings” and houses several statues.  The “Grand Hall,” the back building, is
much larger and has a somewhat somber tone. Three Golden Buddhas, massive,
impressive statues, greet visitors upon their entrance.  The two side walls
are lined with The Gods of the Twenty Heaves covered in gold.  Each of these
statues is different, but their details are masked by the shadows in the
dark hall.  A closer examination reveals intricate features that meld into
the mass of gold.  On the back wall is a large gold statue of Guanyin,
accompanied by likenesses of his 53 teachers.  These too are greatly
detailed works of art.

           The day of our trip was somewhat overcast, and the temple was
not overly crowded during our afternoon visit.  While most of the other
visitors seemed to be Westerns or tourists, several people were worshipping
outside the temple with sticks of incense.  These acts of prayer were
important reminders that behind the gold gilt and gift shop, this site is at
its core an important spiritual site.

Lines III

Of the exhibitions I visited, the one I chose to discuss during in this blog is “Trilogy.”

The opening night of Trilogy, Liu Wei’s solo show, comprised of artistically dressed people deep in conversation grouped around enormous statues consisting of wood and metal bars. Large paintings decorated the walls of the gallery, of which four in particular are uniquely titled Meditation 1 through 4. My favorite exhibit in the museum was known as Power, in which old television sets were stacked and occasionally flickered on and off. The repetition was both hypnotizing and fascination, perhaps a comment on contemporary media or on the limits of power. However, regardless of the exact message, the entire show was captivating, mixing rigid structure with complex ideas. After having finished observing each of his pieces, I arrived in a small lounge region crowded with art enthusiasts eager to discuss Liu Wei’s show.

Trilogy was held at Mingsheng Art Museum and the exhibition opened March 20th and will stay until May 3rd. This exhibition continues Liu Wei’s commentary on modern culture, in a manner that forces the viewer to confront contradictions. However, unlike previous works, the show focuses on geometric shapes and harsh lines. The concept of lines is seen in the statues, in the paintings, and in the installations. I believe it is the blunt visuals and use of lines that spark amazement because they are so simple, yet are presented in a multifaceted manner.

pop art in Shanghai: Moganshan galleries

My favorite show at the Moganshan galleries was the “Alex Katz: Recent Paintings and Selected Prints” show at the James Cohan Gallery. His portraits have a strong pop-art, Andy Warhol-esqu influence, which I suppose isn’t too surprising since Katz is from New York City. His paintings aren’t nearly as commercial as Warhol’s silkscreens, but they share a few common traits. Both utilize a brightly colored, solid background and have one subject. Warhol’s subjects tended to be persons of interest: celebrities, political figures, pop stars, etc. While Katz’s subjects aren’t celebrities, they tend to be well-dressed and stylish women and men.
In particular, the subject of Ulla (2009) looks like the Venezualen fashion designer Carolina Herrera. Also, Blue Coat (Vincent) (1993) is a portrait of an exceptionally well dressed gentleman. These portraits capture a certain uptown attitude, yet convey downtown cool. I think it is the background which most effectively conveys the mood of the piece. Ulla has a harsh black background, which contrasts with the subject’s crisp, white button down. She looks at us straight on, hair slicked back into a tight chignon, hardly showing emotion. The self-portrait Black Hat (Alex) on the other hand features a cheery yellow background. Katz is seen smiling while wearing a black fedora, wayfarers and a pinstripe jacket—tres chic for an 84 year old!

Bo Hershey

               Last week my class went to the Jade Buddha Temple in
Shanghai. This Buddhist institution is the oldest temple in the city.
Orignally built during the Ming Dynasty. Today this structure looks
When visiting the temple one becomes consumed by the grand nature of
each of the temples features. The Buddhist Statues found in various
sections of the temple illustrate the tradition that has be passed on
for centuries. When visiting this temple one gets an understanding of
the history of China. Specifically, this temple illustrates where
Chinese art began. Visting this Buddhist Temple was both enlightening
and educational. The big Buddha statue is a symbol of the Buddhist
traditon. Its imposing position in the temple shows how Buddhist monks
understand the importance of placement and  style. In additon,
viewing it one understands that Buddhism in China influenced art in
the region.  This is clearly seen in with the fusion of Chinese and
Buddhist architecture. Just like the Buddhist Statues the architecture
has an important role in presenting the Chinese point of view on
Buddhism. Basically, Chinese Art and Buddhism are unique styles of
art. The Shanghai Buddhist Temple shows visitors that Chinese Buddhism
is relevant in a busy Shanghai world.

--
-----

Defne Ayas

Curator | PERFORMA, New York | www.performa-arts.org
defne@performa-arts.org | +19175827470

Co-director | Arthub Asia Shanghai |  www.arthubasia.org
defne@arthubasia.org | SKYPE: defneayas | +8613524024358

Co-Curator | Blind Dates, New York |  www.blinddatesproject.org
http://blinddatesproject.org/

Adjunct Professor/ NYU in Shanghai
www.nyu.edu/globa/shanghai
defne@nyu.edu

Jade Buddha Temple

Entering the Jade Buddha Temple serves as a brief respite from the stresses modern Shanghai presents. Within the temple grounds, monks patrol in groups and chant with the assistance of instrumentation. The monks aren't too loud, but one feels as though they could be heard from anywhere on the temple grounds. The temple itself is resplendent in shades of red and gold, striking the eye but never appearing too garish. The massive human figures within the temple appear much the same way; imposing and colorful, but demanding of respect and attention. The larger-than-life statues of deities tower over patrons of the temple, and the soft red cushions on the floor before them practically demand anyone who enters to genuflect.

Within the courtyard, billowing pillars of smoke stem from ancient cauldrons where 21st-century Shanghai reconnects with its past. Either one by one or in small groups, people take smoking sticks and bow towards each of the compass directions. But it is not a somber affair. A woman drops her torch after nearly burning herself and shrieks in simultaneous fright and excitement. No one shushes her or appears upset, beyond making sure she's okay.

The Jade Buddha Temple could easily appear in a worn and ragged state today, given its age, and yet it stands today as a testament to the dedication of its patrons. Every section of the temple seems as if it could have been built within the past few years. Yet the utmost care and respect has been paid to every detail, and it is evident. The Jade Buddha Temple is a fascinating location, one every visitor to Shanghai should visit.

avant-garde and the Buddha Jade Temple

There was one quote from last night’s “Shanghai Art Histories: cracked open” that really enforced this week’s reading. Unfortunately, I don’t remember it exactly, but it was Xhingyu Chen who was speaking and she said something along the lines of China and Shanghai is relatively new to the avant-garde art scene, so the artists are trying to catch up with the rest of the world. As a result, their art is perhaps not as thoughtful and they are more willing to take risks that they might not normally take.

I think this lecture was an interesting contrast with our field trip to the Buddha Jade Temple because the two are both extremes—new and old, modern and traditional, etc. The Buddha Jade Temple of course had all the traditional Buddhist characteristics: the usage of red and primary colors, larger than life deities, an abundance of gold, etc. Everything in the temple is there for a reason, has meaning, and is carefully planned out, unlike the avant-garde, which can come across as unthoughtful and hurried.

Of Gold and Jade – response to the Jade Buddha Temple

The Jade Buddha Temple appeared like an anachronism in the midst of the Shanghai skyscrapers. Outside the temple walls on the bustling street, cars are crammed on the two-lane street with bikes weaving in between them. Beggars are lined up near the entrance making full use of the simple English that they know.

Inside, the world is a much quieter place. Replacing the sound of horns and the chatter people is the constant murmur of people praying and the occasional bells. Monks complete their daily rituals while tourists are observing. Guards roam the temple grounds to ensure that no harm occurs to precious artwork inside and occasionally drag the unsuspecting group of college students with a professor in tow to the residential temple gift shop. However, let it not be said that the gift shop was any less spectacular with intricate woodcarvings and palm paintings, complete with palm painter.

Within main rooms of the temple, statues are lined up on both sides, surrounding the larger statues centering the room. Offerings are laid on top of intricately carved tables and a cushion is provided for those who wish to pray. Faces of the Buddhas seem dramatic to the point of almost becoming caricatures. Gone is the realism of landscapes found in ancient Chinese paintings. Instead, these seemingly realistic Buddhas carry superhuman features, looking almost unsettling.

In the library of the Jade Buddha Temple, contains a dedication to the artist, Hong Yi, who became an ordained monk at age 39. This small dedication features photographs, a new form of media at the time, and calligraphy written in a unique style. Perhaps most fascinating is the deathbed photo in which it is believed Hong Yi predicted his own death. After studying European and American history for so long at school, religion has become synonymous with old traditions and values. However, here on the other side of the world, Buddhism embraced modern media and the ever-changing world.

Buddhist Temple

Taylor Williams

Buddha Jade Temple

This past Thursday afternoon we took a trip to the Buddha Jade Temple in Shanghai. The temple effectively blocks out the constant bustle of Shanghai with a calmer, more relaxed atmosphere. The temple was painted mainly with bold red and gold. There were lay people as well as monks milling about the courtyard. In the inside of the temple there were enormous porcelain statues of different Buddhist religious figures. These figures were largely human in nature although some had numerous limbs. The figures did not have the imposing, superior attitude that is common in the depictions of most western religious figures. These Buddhist religious figures were often represented smiling and indicated more of a focus on human connection. In one of the murals in towards the back of the left side of the temple there were tens of different scenes all depicting an almost celebratory festive atmosphere. Many of the statues were recognizable such as the world famous image of a golden, overweight Buddha bearing an ear to ear smile.

Alternative Spaces

http://leapleapleap.com/2010/12/alternative-space-yellow-pages/

1A SPACE
www.oneaspace.org.hk

Founded in 1998 in Hong Kong, 1a Space is a non-profit visual arts
organization. It is operated by a program committee and governed by a
board of directors. For operating capital, it relies on donations and
other financial aid, whereas part of the administrative fees are
funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. The space has
planned and produced more than one hundred events and exhibitions,
including international exchanges, cultural fairs, interactive
community events, events on art education, art appreciation, art
criticism, and art publications. Previous exhibitions include
"National Museum or Gallery?," "Corner of Dialogue," "Writing Machine
Collective," "Three Pieces of Thousand Layers Pudding," and others.

ARROW FACTORY
www.arrowfactory.org.cn

Founded in Beijing in 2008, Arrow Factory transformed a former
street-side shopfront into a space to regularly host art projects and
installations. One of its objectives is to be visible to passersby
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It has held Rania Ho and
Wei Weng's Slice, Patty Chang's Touch Would, Ni Haifeng's Vive la
Difference, Wang Gongxin's It's Not About the Neighbors , Kan Xuan's
Light , Lin Yilin's Big Family: Brothers, Not Comrades , the group
exhibition Just Around the Corner , Li Jinghu's Snowman, Wen Peng's
One-Man Theater, to name a few.

BIZART ART CENTER
Founded by Davide Quadrio, BizArt was an independently managed
non-profit center for the arts combining art with commerce, as well as
an artist-in-residence program. Its inaugural show "Supermarket: Art
For Sale" was held in October, 1998. At the beginning, BizArt had no
fixed location. In 2000, a company office was set up on Huaihai West
Road. In 2001, artist Xu Zhen joined the organization. In 2002, the
original space was demolished. After moving three times, Biz-Art
settled in the 50 Moganshan Road district at the end of that year. In
2007, with the support of Hong Kong non-profit ArtHub, BizArt also
became a nonprofit. In September of 2010, it was disbanded and renamed
MadeIn Space, an arm in Xu Zhen's multifunctional arts company,
MadeIn.

BLACKBRIDGE OFFSPACE
Blackbridge Offspace is an artist-run, non-commercial space in
Beijing, initiated and run by Anna Hofbauer and Bianca Regl. Located
in Bianca Regl's studio in Heiqiao, it invites an artist-curator every
month to visually discuss a contemporary issue of his/her interest.
Curators are asked not to focus on singular positions but to find
linkage between works that designate strong forms of contemporary art
production.

BORGES LIBRERIA INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART
www.borgeslibreria.com

A bookstore established on the campus of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine
Arts at the end of 1993, Borges Libreria had to twice register and
change campus addresses in April of the following year. In 1997 the
store moved to neighboring Xin An Tower (a building in which it would
eventually move seven times). Between 1997 and 2000, it held a series
of contemporary art events; Cao Fei, Yang Yong, Jiang Zhi and Wang
Ningde all had their first solo shows here. In 2003 the bookstore
moved to 95 Yile Road, and in July of 2007, the affiliated
contemporary arts organization and publishing projects became
independent from the store itself, and moved to an old house at 7 Yile
Alley No. 1. Beyond the publication and arts projects, there is also
the "Liang Juhui Memorial Room" commemorating the deceased member of
the Big-Tail Elephant group and the "Robbe-Grillet and Nouveau Roman
Reference Room." In the last two years the space has mounted major
exhibitions including "Eleven Women and Her Generation" (Yang Yong),
"Borges' Tiger—Two Paintings by Deng Yifu," and "Books—An Exhibition
of Video Works by Jean-Philippe Toussaint."

CHART CONTEMPORARY
www.chartcontemporary.com

ChAR T Contemporary was founded in 2008 in Beijing by Megan and K.C.
Connolly as a "curatorial laboratory" with the aim of "bringing
together art and people." The primary objective is to build a bridge
between the East and West through the organization and promotion of
contemporary art and cultural events. Collaborating artists include
Chen Ke, Cheng Guangfeng, Lin Yi, Huang Xiaoliang, and Yang Xinguang.
Previous exhibitions have include "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End
of the World: Chen Ke's Solo Exhibition," "Open House," and "Floating
Chinese Musicians."

CHINA ART ARCHIVES & WAREHOUSE (CAAW)
www.archivesandwarehouse.com

Jointly founded in 1999 by Hans van Dijk, Ai Weiwei and Frank
Uytterhaegen, it was the first space of its kind in China. Originally
named New Amsterdam Art Consultancy (NAAC ) in 1993, the title was
changed to China Art Archives and Warehouse (CAA W) in 1999. Its space
in Caochangdi opened in 2000. CAA W focuses on unearthing experimental
unknown artists with potential. Throughout the years it has held
various important exhibitions.

THECUBE
www.thecubespace.com

An art and event space hosted by Amy Cheng and Jeph Lo, TheCube is
situated between the arts and the carnivalesque air of the Taipei
commercial zone around the Kungkuan night market. Established in April
2010, TheCube regularly hosts exhibitions and lectures.

DDM WAREHOUSE
www.ddmwarehouse.org

Established in October 2000 by Wang Ziwei in an old industrial
warehouse on Dongdaming Road along the Huangpu River, DDM Warehouse is
only a short distance from the Bund. Due to the demolition of
Dongdaming Road, the space moved to 570 Huaihai Middle Road in 2008.
At the same time, Deng Weimin took over the directorial reigns. Now
semi-historical, this alternative space used to be Shanghai's most
experimental spot for art. DDM has staged exhibitions in every medium,
contemporary dance performances, experimental poetry readings,
independent film screenings, and so on. Recent exhibitions include the
Shanghai eArts Festival's "New Media Archaeology Project" curated by
Li Zhenhua, and the 52nd Venice Biennale parallel project "Migration
Addicts."

DOGPIG ART CAFÉ
blog.xuite.net/dogpig.art/xox333

An out-of-the-ordinary space for arts and culture in Kaohsiung, DogPig
hosts exhibitions and performances on a varying schedule, and even
welcomes the public to perform their own work. In a diverse mixture of
doctrines, every month it hosts different events that may involve
painting, sculpture, installation, theater, performance, experimental
noise music, games, and film.

DONKEY INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART (DICA)
www.donkeyinstitute.net

Jointly founded in Beijing in 2009 by Michael Yuen and artist Yam Lau.
Invoking the unwavering spirit of the donkey, DICA dedicates itself to
supporting contemporary experimental art by literally carrying art
around on the back of donkey. It is at once a call for a slower, more
laid-back departure from life and work and a challenge to the
get-rich-quick ways of the contemporary art market. The institute
frequently collaborates with Vitamin Creative Space and HomeShop,
among others. Previous events include "Portable Artist's Book Library"
and "Potential Extensions to the Donkey Institute of Contemporary
Art."

HOMESHOP
www.homeshopbeijing.org

Located in one of Beijing's old hutong alleys, HomeShop is a
25-square-meter retail space cum sleeping-working-living studio. It
publishes an independent journal called Wear, and has carried out a
series of projects in its own name, such as "Olympics 08" and
"Cultural Exchange."

INART.SPACE
www.inart.com.tw

Founded in 2007 in a renovated 50 year-old apartment, InArt is run by
Jamie Tu. With a focus on contemporary art, its aim is to construct a
comprehensive and multi-faceted space to promote the work of young
Taiwanese artists. It has hosted the experimental project "Hai'an Road
Art Intervention Plan," Fang Marvin-Minto's solo exhibition "Bonsai
2009," and other shows.

IT PARK
www.itpark.com.tw

Jointly founded in 1988 by photographer Liu Qingdang and artists Tsang
Pu and Chen Hui-Chiao out of a desire to create a conscientious, ideal
and open park space to broaden the vision of Taiwanese artists and
provide a platform for experimental, avant-garde and non-mainstream
creativity. For distancing itself from the official and commercial
systems and cultivating Taiwanese contemporary art in the long-term,
it was awarded the 13th Taipei Culture Prize in 2009. Notable shows
include "IT Park Opening Exhibition," "Microwave Exhibition," and solo
exhibitions of Huang Wen-hao and Carlos de Paz.

LONG MARCH SPACE
www.longmarchspace.com

Founded by Lu Jie in 2002, Long March Space merges liberal thought,
academics, art and commerce into one creative structure, and at the
same time is involved in the art market. Its founding act in 2002 "The
Long March—A Walking Visual Display," saw 250 artists intervene at
various points along the route of the historical Long March,
generating creation, discussion, and various other work that supported
the social engineering of cultural development in the old
revolutionary base. The recent "Ho Chi Minh Trail" is a new work of
the self-titled "Long March Project." It also maintains a commercial
program, participating in international art fairs including Art Basel
and Frieze.

MADEIN ART SPACE
Previously called BizArt Center, the name was changed to MadeIn Art
Space in 2010. It is the first non-profit contemporary art space of
MadeIn (Culture Ltd.), founded by Xu Zhen. The inaugural exhibition
"Dedicated to the Money-Makers" saw the participation of Li Ming, Lin
Ke, and Yang Junling.

OBSERVATION SOCIETY
www.observationsociety.com

Founded in 2009 by Doris Wong Wai-Yin et al., Observation Society is
an independent space for the arts set in a former hair salon and with
a distinctly perceptual bent. Previous exhibitions include Li Jinghu's
"Forest," "L'Écume des choses—l'art de Wong Waiyin" and Hu Xiangqian's
solo show "Knee-Jerk Reaction."

PARA/SITE ART SPACE
www.para-site.org.hk

Formed at the beginning of 1996, Para/Site employs one curator, one
gallery manager, one program coordinator, one part-time education and
development officer, and is governed by a board of directors. Apart
from financial subsidies from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council,
Para/Site also receives active support from patrons and friends. The
space's yearly programming encompasses ten exhibitions and the
publication both of exhibition catalogs and Hong Kong's only visual
arts magazine, PS. It also manages the smallest exhibition venue in
Hong Kong, Para/Site Central, which is hosted by Hanart TZ Gallery.
Para/Site has held Tatsumi Orimoto's "Bread Men," an Ai Weiwei/Vito
Acconci collaboration, and over 100 other exhibitions and public
performances.

PLATFORM CHINA
www.platformchina.org

Founded in early 2005 by Sun Ning, Platform China is a
multi-functional arts center (and commercial gallery) dedicated to the
development and promotion of Chinese contemporary art, as well as to
building a platform for dialogue and exchange between Chinese and
international artists. It boasts an exhibition space, a multimedia
exhibition hall and international artist-in-residence studios. Notable
exhibitions include the group shows "Incest-Complete Art Experience
Project, No. 1," "CONVERGENCE at E116°/N40°," "History of Chemistry,"
"We 116 Cannot Stop, to Stop is to Fail," and solo shows by Tang Yi,
Li Wei, Jia Aili, Jiang Zhi, Wang Gongxin, Wang Taocheng, and others.

SHOPPING GALLERY
Established in 2008 by Shi Yong, Xu Zhen and Jin Feng The Younger in
Shanghai's M50 art district, Shopping Gallery is dedicated to
discovering and promoting talented young artists, curating exhibitions
from outstanding artists and otherwise enriching the Chinese
contemporary art scene. The gallery "represents" several young artists
with potential. They have held the group exhibition "Quietly Appeared
Commercial Salon, i.e. Useless King on the Shore of the Fools" as well
as solo efforts by artists such as Yuan Yuan, Xiao Jun and Dai Qing.

SPACE STATION
www.space-station-art.com

Founded by curator Fu Xiaodong in Beijing's 798 district in 2009,
Space Station's aim is to make experimental art projects happen.
Notable exhibitions include Wang Wei's solo show "Historic Residence,"
Shi Jinsong's "Taking Off the Armor's Mountain," "Double Fly Palace,"
Shi Qing's "Not Long Enough," Fang Lu's "Unrecording," and Huang Ran's
"A Blithe Tragedy," among others.

TAIPEI CONTEMPORARY
www.tcac.tw

Art Center Over 30 people from the Taiwanese contemporary art scene
banded together to establish the Taipei Contemporary Art Center, the
opening of which was officially announced at the end of August 2009.
At the end of February 2010, the center was opened in two old office
blocks in the heart of Taipei's old city, Hsimenting. TCAC provides
artists, curators, critics, and those from other cultural fields a
non-profit and communal space to convene and discuss artistic creation
and cultural policy. The 30-plus founding members include artists Chen
Chieh-Jen, Yang Jun, Tsui Kuang-Yu, Wang Jun- Jie, Yao Jui-Chung, Hung
Tung-Lu, Chang Chien-Chi, Michael Lin; curators Manray Hsu, Meiya
Cheng, Amy Huei-hua Cheng, Frankie Su, Hongjohn Lin, Lin Ping, Chen
Hsin-Chun, Pan Sheau-shei, Mia Chen; and academics Chen Tai-Sung,
Huang Chien-Hung, Chen Kai Huang, Huang Hai Ming, Chochun Kung, Ku
Shih-Yung, and others.

UPRIVER MUSEUM
With investment from Chengdu Haosi Real Estate and backing from the
government, Chen Jiagang founded UpRiver in Chengdu in 1997. Managed
by domestic art critics and artists, it became the first privately
operated museum in China to uphold international standards. Now
defunct, it held "The Inaugural Exhibition of the UpRiver Museum
Collection" (September 1998), "The Creations of Alfred Aldrake"
(November 1998), and "'99 Academic Invitation Exhibition" (April
1999).

VIDEOTAGE
www.videotage.org.hk

Established in 1986, the non-profit arts organization Videotage is
housed in the Cattle Depot arts district in Kowloon. Videotage
(literally merging the two concepts of "Video" and "Montage") is an
interdisciplinary artist collective that focuses on the development of
video and new media art in Hong Kong. It began as a facilitator for
collaborative time-based projects, but later began to play a role in
film, recording, and other forms of media production.

VITAMIN CREATIVE SPACE
www.vitamincreativespace.com

Founded in Guangzhou in November 2002 by Zhang Wei and Hu Fang,
Vitamin Creative Space is an alternative contemporary art space (and
commercial gallery) dedicated to contemporary art exchange and to the
exploration and integration of all forms of contemporary culture. The
temporary space "The Shop" was Vitamin Creative Space's Beijing take
on a "store." Projects in recent years include "Landscape of
Sur-consuming" (2000), Antony Gormley's "Asian Field" (2003), "Playing
at Home/Playing Away: The Maze of Reality" (for the "Zones of Urgency"
section of the 50th Venice Biennale), and Xu Tan's ongoing "Keywords"
project to name a few. Vitamin has now relocated to Beijing where it
opened a new space "The Pavilion" late this year near the Today Art
Museum.

this week's openings

March 17, 2011 / Thursday

"My Projection is Focusing," solo exhibition by Huang Kui.
ShanghART H-Space (50 Moganshan Lu, Building 16, Shanghai). March 17
to May 7, 2011. Opening: March 17, 5-7 pm.
Who am I? What am I? Is that "I" only a part, or all of my body? Would
a person still be a whole when he got some replacement organ? What's
the difference in entity, between the "I" just given birth and the
philosophizing "I"? They would never share a same cell again.

March 17, 2011 / Thursday

"The Third Eye," Iran Contemporary Art Exhibition, with Shoja Azari,
Majeed Beenteha,  Puoyan Jafarizadeh Dezfoulia, Shanram Entekabi and
others.
Other Gallery (No. 101, Building 9, 50 Moganshan Road, Shanghai).
March 17 to April 17, 2011. Opening: Thursday, March 17, 4-7 pm.

March 18, 2011 / Friday

"Clown's Revolution," exhibition by Sun Xun.
Vanguard Gallery (204, Building 4A, 50 Moganshan Rd, Shanghai). March
18 to April 24, 2011. Opening: March 18, 4-7 pm.
Sun Xun's works are predominantly monochromatic, highly detailed
hand-drawn animation films. His works investigate the construction and
narration of history.  "Clown's Revolution," the work he displayed
during the Holland Animation Festival, is his special reading of
history. This time, the exhibition includes not only the animation,
but also a large amount of manuscripts.

March 18, 2011 / Friday

"Alex Katz: Recent Paintings and Selected Prints."
James Cohan Gallery (1/F, Building 1, No. 170 Yue Yang Road,
Shanghai). March 18 to May 15, 2011. Opening: Friday, March 18, 6-8
pm.
After graduating in Manhattan in 1949, Alex Katz studied plein air
painting in Maine. Light is a key and central subject in all of Katz's
works. The velocity and subtle, ever- changing shifts of light—'fast
light' as Katz calls it—and the way it is articulated and captured is
an imperative for the artist.

March 20, 2011 / Sunday

"Trilogy: Liu Wei Solo Show."
Minsheng Art Museum (Building F, No. 570 Huaihai West Rd, Shanghai).
March 20 to May 3, 2011. Opening: Sunday, March 20, 4 pm.

by Bo Hershey

The Shanghai Museum provides viewers with a look back in time with a
focus on classical and pre-Communist era works. Specifically, one
finds that the collection of paintings found are what make the
Shanghai Museum so intriguing. The exhibit on the classical paintings
of China show how art has changed overtime. If one follows the
chronological aspects of the collection one sees that Chinese
paintings developed overtime.
The variety of styles presented at the Shanghai Museum show that each
period had its own mark in the development of Chinese paintings.
Beginning with the Tang Dynasty one finds that the paintings are
relatively primitive when compared to later periods. The figures don't
have the same natural form but instead illustrate how painters
perceived their world. As artists began to refine their techniques
their paintings had more of a free flowing feel that gave viewers the
sense they were actually there. This is clearly seen in the Song
landscapes. These kinds of paintings are the ones I personally enjoy.
The Song artists developed a painting style that draws the viewer into
the landscape. Their use of ink during this period shows that Song
artists were masters of the natural landscape. For example, the use of
ink washing gave Song paintings misty feel that was naturalistic to
the area it was produced. Another defining feature of the Song
paintings is the lonely human figure lost in the natural landscape.
This shows that the natural world is a much larger place than man. In
addition, the collection encompasses other periods such as the Ming
and Qing. Any viewer finds once that these periods are unique. That
seems to be a unique feature of Chinese paintings. Each period in
China had its own way to present its paintings. The organization of
the exhibit makes this clear through its grouping of period paintings.
The Shanghai Museum has one of the finest collections of Chinese
paintings. Anyone who is studying in Shanghai should at least visit
the Museum at least once to learn about China's artistic history.

Response #1: Propaganda Gallery Adrian Lo

Visiting the propaganda gallery was truly inspiring. It helps me
attempt to understand the intentions of the government and the people
during a time of extreme censorship. It was fascinating to see how
drastically the posters changed, in terms of style, artistic value and
message, through the many decades.

What particularly struck was the style in which some of the more
recent posters were drawn. They often used the color red as their main
theme, which is one of the only consistent themes through the many
different decades. I believe that the red is not only used as a symbol
of nationalism (red is the main color of the Chinese flag,) but is
also used to be more eye-catching and bold. Examples:

These two posters have very different messages, one promoting and
supporting farmers turned soldiers and the other saying "long live
Chairman Mao," but they still maintain some similarities in artistic
value and style.

I instantly saw certain resemblances to some famous contemporary work
that is not originated from China. Shepard Fairey, most famous for
creating the Barack Obama's campaign posters, adopts a very similar
style to the above examples. It makes one wonder whether these Chinese
propaganda posters served as his inspiration? Here are some examples
for comparison:

I believe that Fairey definitely used the idea of propaganda posters
but rather put a twist on the intended message, while trying to
maintain it's artistic style and value. His work serves as a good
example of how the Chinese Propaganda posters have influenced
contemporary art globally.

Shanghai Museum

Anne Lykes

On Tuesday afternoon, March 3, our Contemporary Modern Chinese Art
class visited the painting galleries of the Shanghai Museum.  This was
my first visit to the well-know museum in People's Square, and upon
approaching the building I was immediately struck by the imposing and
somewhat intimidating façade.  Ancient-looking stone sculptures
surround the building, which was designed to look like an ancient
bronze cooking vessel called a "ding."
           Upon entered the museum, we were immediately ushered
straight to the painting galleries.  The space itself was uncluttered
and had a streamlined aesthetic.  Once I started examining the
paintings more closely, I decided that this calm setting suited the
paintings themselves.  Most of the works of art portrayed serene,
tranquil images using a muted palate and pen and ink.  The works
themselves were painted on either panels, most of which remained in
tact with their original screens, or on scrolls.  The works on scrolls
in particular employed many storytelling techniques and helped to
convey a progression of events to the reader.
           Observing the change in style from the traditional
paintings to the more modern and those of the Shanghai School provided
great insight into the tradition of Chinese painting as a whole.  To
the untrained eye (me—however in this situation I had the great
advantage of an extremely knowledgeable professor as my guide), the
similarities between these paintings seemed to stick out more than the
differences: all use a similar palette, what one might think of as
pastel or water-based colors; their display on panel or scroll
remained consistent; and, in a general sense, the subject of the
natural world and all that it contains run strongly throughout the
entire gallery.  The later paintings, however, begin to reflect a
break with traditional Chinese painting and signal a new tradition in
Chinese art.  The later works have a much tighter style, and often
utilize bolder hues.  The artists showcased their abilities through
skillful brushwork and articulate detailing and began to pave the way
for a new kind of painting in China.

Shanghai Museum

The Shanghai Museum showcased scroll paintings from different periods
of China's many dynasties. The paintings were displayed in a unique
style that I had never seen in traditional western art. The paintings
were on long rectangular scrolls. The scrolls all seemed to be around
the same height but some of the scrolls stretched out for at least 15
feet. This enabled the artists to paint a truly panoramic scene. Very
quickly the lack of vibrant color became a pattern. Many of the
paintings only used black ink while other paintings with color used
muted colors. The paintings focused on the natural world, with humans
taking a less important role. Many of the paintings either had small
insignificant depictions of humans or no life whatsoever. Paintings of
trees and tree limbs were very common, almost always of the black and
white variety. These drawings of tree limbs were minimalist, with a
premium put on the meaning of each and every brush stroke. The last
painting we observed was a panoramic scroll painting of a town, this
was the first to use bright colors, mainly for the tree leaves.

In most of the paintings, whether vertical or the panoramic scrolls
there was writing and seals on the edges of the paper. These seals
were seals from the paintings various owners as well as seals of
approval from other artists. The seals were a signature of the time
and were personalized. The characters on the paintings gave the artist
the ability to further express the theme and meaning of the particular
painting. The writing was often a poem that fit the feeling of the
painting. Overall the paintings seemed to be dark and serious, with a
strong emphasis on the romanticism of nature's beauty.Taylor Williams

Propaganda for every man.

The first thing you notice about the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is that it's not your typical museum or gallery, of course propaganda isn’t typical of every day life as Americans know it. PPAC is located in the basement of an apartment building near the French Concession. There's obviously no sign advertising the center and the staircase to the basement is scary, at best. 

All the posters are in Chinese, so I had no idea what they were saying, but it was interesting to see the similarities and differences in drawing/painting style from decade to decade. Most of the posters use primary colors and lots and lots of red. I don’t know that much about politics, but art is not something I normally associate with politics. It was very different for me to think of propaganda as an art form. I learned this past week in Global Media (which is now cancelled so I guess these types of contributions will now be fairly limited) the Chinese government owns the media, unlike in the United States. 

All aspects of the management team are appointed by government officials and these editors, producers, etc. merely serve to carry out their governments’ ideals, which may vary from province to province.

According to the 1957 model of the media (which lasted until 1978), media served as the mouthpiece of the Party. Wartime propaganda was a major part of this model because propaganda is a way of legitimizing the ruler’s wishes.

Ink and name stamps

The first thing we, as a class, noticed about the Shanghai Museum was its very “un-Chinese” architecture. Some hated it, others were indifferent, I happened to like it. I think the architecture of a building is very telling of it’s contents. Not so for the Shanghai Museum, or at least the exhibits we saw. The building is somewhat reminiscent of a stadium and stands on the uglier side of the scale, while stately stone dragons, dogs and other animals guard the door. Inside, the atrium has rich mahogany banisters that end in a golden dragon’s head.

Ink is a large part of ancient Chinese culture. Not only is it used for painting, but ink and brush is the writing instrument of choice. The paintings we saw in the Chinese painting gallery featured both black and white and color paintings as well as vertical and horizontal scrolls. 

What I found the most interesting was the signatures. One year for our family reunion, my grandparents gave everyone their own jade name stamp, but mine is certainly not as intricate or stylized as the artist’s! I really like the gourd shaped one. I’ve only seen square name stamps and I also liked that it looked like a little person.

Paper, Water, and Ink - Response to the Shanghai Museum

Located on the third floor of the Shanghai Museum in People’s Square is the Chinese Painting Gallery. The gallery is dimly lit to protect the ink paintings; however, motion sensors detect people approaching the paintings and turn on brighter lights accordingly. As the class roams through the gallery, the paintings grow more modern in date but continue with the general style of the ancient Chinese ink paintings. Paintings in this gallery are painted with ink and water, sometimes with the addition of color, on paper attached to silk. They are presented as scrolls hanging either horizontally or vertically. Since the basic shape of these paintings is an elongated rectangle, entire panoramas, vertical and horizontal, are captured and the images seem to become more majestic. Appropriately, nature is a common subject in Chinese art, and through these broad perspectives, the artist can create an awe-inspiring projection of nature. Even in the older paintings where straight lines and dots are not used, each painting holds an impressive amount of detail from the stones on the mountains to the leaves on the trees, demonstrating the artist’s amazing brush control. Perhaps it is this detail that overwhelms the very viewer and adds to the grandeur of nature. Humans and man made objects are more diminutive. Modern paintings, many by the Shanghai school artists, seem in general to have a more narrow focus and upon careful observation, incorporate small elements of western design. But, what is perhaps most striking to me is that almost every painting is matched with some sort of poem or writing, whether it is a few lines or an entire essay. Though these words may not always be written by the artist themselves, they seem to guide or at the very least inform the viewers of what the artist originally wanted to portray. While Western art emphasizes individual interpretation, these paintings share their messages.

Secret Propaganda - Response to the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre

Hidden away in the basement of some residential high rises, the Propaganda Poster Museum, featuring posters from the time of Chairman Mao and the Communist Party of China, is located near the intersection of Hua Shan Lu and Wu Kang Lu. During the Anti-Rightist Movement under the leadership of Mao, scholars, students, artists and other “Rightists” were persecuted. While the art featured in here was embraced during that time of censorship, it seems almost ironic that these propaganda posters are now the ones concealed from sight. Inside the basement, there are walls of images featuring the iconic Mao, his army, hardworking people, and even foreigners. Since the museum is small, they are tightly packed on the wall with little descriptions stuck next to them.

As I walk through, I learn from these posters the values of Chairman Mao and the Communist Party as the times change. The exhibit begins in a time of peace and the posters focuses on the common people with their high-spirited, hardworking nature reflected through their exaggerated expressions. As the timeline leads into the period of the cold war, the army and Mao become the center point. Surprisingly, many of these posters include content regarding foreign countries and other global issues. Perhaps most striking to myself is the seemingly friendly relationship between the army and the people.

This “hole in the wall” museum of propaganda posters reminds me of the changing roles that art can take and how heavily it can affect people’s opinions. What was probably widespread then, has been mainly reduced to the contents of this small museum.

Elizabeth Wu
Contemporary Art and New Media
Response #1

A man, muscles bulging, face cemented into a firm grimace.  Cast-iron
chains shackle his hands, but that doesn't stop him from cocking his
rifle and lurching forward to battle with the rest of the massive
crowd of the defiant and oppressed.
The Chinese Communist propaganda of the late 1960's and early 1970's
reflected the international upheaval churned by rising social and
liberation movements.  The images that the Chinese government
presented to their people were clear – we, along with Black Americans,
Cubans, the Vietnamese, and all other oppressed peoples are all united
in an epic struggle against forces of tyranny.  This message was
communicated in a multitude of ways.  One poster showed a heroic
Fidel, fist clenched, mouth letting out a fearsome war cry.  Another
featured a black man prominently, but only as one in a mass of people
of mixed races, all donned in brilliant red, yellow, blue, orange,
green garb, and charging forward to defeat the forces of imperialism.
Another depicted an American anti-war rally, with the Capitol building
disappearing into the background, drowned out by a sea of protesters
of all races wielding "Get Out of Vietnam" posters.
As an American observer with a strong background in recent world
history, these images are undeniable attempts by the government to
link Chinese Communism with other worldwide movements that it deemed
noble and worthy causes.  But were these posters effective among a
Chinese audience that perhaps did not have access to information about
world events?  Were these posters distributed more heavily in the city
or the countryside?  And why was it important to foster support for
these international movements among regular Chinese people?

Bo Hershey

The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre provides viewers with a place of historical reference. When viewing the various forms of Chinese propaganda one sees that each period had its unique style. When looking even deeper one finds that every poster tells a different story. When observing the propaganda posters of the Cultural Revolution the viewer is provided with primary source of that era. These posters are not similar to contemporary art forms of the 21st century. Instead they speak to the sensibilities of that time. The collection of posters found at the Propaganda Center shows the kinds of art forms accepted under Mao.  The visual language of each poster shows that political propaganda was the major art form of that era. Each poster seems to have the same kind of political tone.  Yet the themes of each of the posters seem to tell a different story.  A few are a glorification of Chairman Mao. Here the posters show Mao as a cult figure. When looking at these posters one can see similarities to the Spanish baroque paintings that presented the Hapsburgs as regal leaders of their domain. The poster artists of the Mao era follow a similar technique by making Mao the central figure of the poster.  The anti-Western bias is another interesting feature found in many of the posters.  These kinds of posters were used as a way to change the viewers perception in a negative light.  Propaganda in many ways is an art form whose purpose is to influence the viewer into believing the story presented. Basically, the posters of this era are no different from those other art works. The role of the viewer is to understand the artist's objective and make judgments that question the reason for its creation.  

Anne Lykes—Response to Propaganda Poster Collection

 

Visiting the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Museum is a bit like finding yourself in the basement of an old friend, albeit one who happens to be an extensive poster and print collector.  Entered through a somewhat shabby side door and rickety staircase, the museum is housed in a nondescript apartment building, one that I certainly never would have found on my own, and upon our arrival Yang Pei Ming, the founder, director and collector, meets us and walks our group through the rooms, chatting away as if we were old friends. 

 

The vast array of posters, which date from 1949 onwards, chronicle important events, both within China and throughout the world.  Styles vary, from more traditional-looking Chinese paintings to intricate woodcuts and futuristic cityscapes.  Many of the bold, streamlined designs bring to mind similar imagines in American propaganda posters, such as those of Rosie the Riveter and Uncle Sam.  A main difference I notice, however, is the different uses of color.  American propaganda posters by and large use a predominantly red, white and blue palette, while these posters were very colorful and no one hue stood out more than the rest.  A favorite poster of mine was one that showed a bold profile of Castro, with his hundreds of troops lining up behind him.  The poster's simple yet confident style seems to character Castro well, and the history behind the image—that of China's support of Cuba—is an interesting and perhaps somewhat overlooked moment in time. 

 

Ultimately, the poster collection captures sentiments and events that might otherwise be forgotten to history.  From the posters to the extensive Daizibao pieces, the museum showcases important artifacts from the not so distant past. 

March 16 panel info

The 2011 Shanghai International Literary Festival begins on March 4, kicking off three weeks of readings, discussions, debates, workshops, literary
lunches.

Mandatory for the students, 10 RMB each, they will be reimbursed by NYU. 

*Shanghai Art Histories *– Cracked Open. Xhingyu Chen, Biljana Ciric, and Zhao Chuan, organized and moderated by Defne Ayas. A look back at the recent
history of contemporary art production in Shanghai and an exploration of the writing and recording of artistic histories; what's included, what's
excluded, how are the nuances distilled and who becomes the authorized narrators? Wednesday, March 16, 7pm/ Address: No. 5 on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Road, by
Zhongshan Dong Yi Road

More info here:
m-restaurantgroup.com/mbund/literary-festival.html