Ai Weiwei at Blenheim Palace

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Toothpicker

Blenheim Palace

For years, I have wanted to visit the 18th century Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill and home of the Dukes of Marlborough; and finally last weekend, my friend and I joined a group to visit this splendid Baroque palace in Oxfordshire. We also managed to see Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei‘s exhibition before it ends on 14th December.

The exhibition is the artist’s largest one in the U.K., showcasing more than 50 new and iconic artworks on display throughout the palace and its grounds. Interestingly, the Chinese connection is evident as the palace itself is filled with chinoiserie and Chinese porcelain pieces from the Qing Dynasty. It is a brave move for the new Blenheim art foundation to install contemporary art work by a provocative Chinese artist in such a historical setting, and the result is both compelling and puzzling.

With no labels or information available, visitors walking through the historical rooms are confronted with art installations that probably make no sense to them. In the Red drawing room, the installation “He Xie 2012” composed of large pile of porcelain crabs covers most of the carpet in front of the fireplace. The crabs may look playful and intriguing (or mouth-watering to the Chinese tourists as they love eating crabs), but one would have to use a bit of imagination to understand the meaning behind them (apparently, they refer to censorship).

One interesting aspect of the exhibition is that some of the art pieces are quietly ‘hidden’ amongst the decorations and historical artifacts. i.e. the 17ft chandelier of glass crystals that resembles an upside down Christmas tree in the main hall and a pair of wooden handcuffs suggestively placed on the bed of Winston Churchill.

The installation that seems most ‘at home’ is the “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold“ in the Grand Saloon. The well-known sculptural pieces are the artist’s reinterpretation of the legendary bronze zodiac head statues that once surrounded the fountain-clock at Yuanming Yuan (Old summer palace), a former imperial retreat that was burnt down by the British and French troops during the Opium war. It’s quite an irony to see these replicas being installed inside a British Palace after 154 years!

We were very lucky with the weather because the rain stopped and the clouds cleared up as soon as we arrived, and we were blessed with blue sky and sunshine while we were at the palace. This allowed us to stroll in the beautiful garden and see the large outdoor installation “Bubble”, comprises rows of shiny blue porcelain bubbles that resemble the Chinese chess game of Go to me.

Unfortunately, due to time constraint we did not have enough time to cover the entire garden, which I am sure will look marvelous in the summer; hence, I will have to make another trip in the future just to visit the gardens alone.

Asia Triennial Manchester 2014

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Toothpicker

I visited Manchester once when I was at university when my friends and I drove to the city and spent half a day there. I don’t recall much except for traffic jams and gloominess; needless to say, I was not particularly impressed. Yet when I found out about the Asia Triennial Manchester this autumn (27th Sept – 23rd November), I was curious and wanted to visit the city again, properly.

I have never heard of the Asia Triennial before, but I was intrigued by what I saw via the media. However, with work getting busier, I only booked one night there, which I later regretted. With only 36 hours in the city, I decided to plan ahead and so I emailed the event’s PR for more information. Catherine was very helpful and emailed me the event brochures and press releases before my trip. Although there are ongoing events and activities (including symposium, film programme and open studios etc) throughout the triennial, most of them had already taken placed as the festival was coming to a close.

One of the main events at the Triennial was “Harmonious Society” exhibition curated by Centre for Contemporary Chinese art. The exhibition re-examined the ‘conflicts’ and ‘harmony’ of China and that of Asia and the world. The Chinese title of the exhibition can be translated as: ‘Nothing (has happened) under the heavens’, which is derived from the current socio-economic vision and political proposition of China’s regime since 2005.

The project invited 30 artists from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong to develop artistic responses that are specially commissioned and site-specific. It took place in six venues across the city centre, though unfortunately one of the main sites, Artwork was closed while I was there.

At the Manchester Cathedral – Top right: Li Wei’s “A decorative thing”; Main: Zheng Guogu’s “Brain Lines”

I didn’t know what to expect before my trip, but I was expecting the weather to be cold, grey and wet. Instead, I left the cold, wet and grey London behind and arrived to find blue sky, sun and warmer weather, whcih took me by surprise and made my trip even more pleasant!

At the historical Manchester Cathedral, Chinese artsist Zheng Guogu‘s “Brain Lines” consists of 13 freestanding light boxes, representing the 12 Apostles and Jesus. The work explores the fine line between faith and science, visually representing the connections both within the brain and between Jesus and the 12 Apostles.

Another piece of work nearby “A decorative thing” is created by another Chinese artist Li Wei. The mirror sculpture is a response to the Cathedral’s Gothic architecture, and its frame is adorned with animals and fantastical hybrid creatures. This provides a literal reflection on humanity, evolution, scientific and religious beliefs.

The John Rylands Library – 2nd row right & 3rd row middle: Samson Young‘s “Muted Situations”; 3rd row right: Zhao Yao‘s ” Wonderlands”; 5th row left: Annie Lai Kuen Wan‘s “Lost in Biliterate and trilingual”; 5th row right: Wang Yuyang‘s “Breathing books”

I have visited many libraries in the world, but I never knew that one of the most spectacular libraries in the world is situated in Manchester! The neo-Gothic Grade I listed John Rylands Library was built as a memorial to her husband by Mrs John Rylands. She commissioned Basil Champneys to design the building, which took 10 years to complete and was opened to the public in 1900. In 2007, a £17 million extension project was completed, offering modern facilities and better accessibility.

Several artists’ work could be found in various locations within the library including: Wang Yuyang‘s “Breathing books”, Zhao Yao‘s ” Wonderlands”, Annie Lai Kuen Wan‘s “Lost in Biliterate and trilingual”, Samson Young‘s “Muted Situations” and Jin Feng‘s “Chinese plates”.

In the middle of the spectacular reading room, there was a pile of books on a table, and they turned out to be an installation by Chinese artists Wang Yuyang. I inspected the seemingly ordinary books up-close, and suddenly the books started to move in slow, breathing motion! Elsewhere, there was a display of 18 white ceramic books created by Hong Kong ceramic artist Annie Lai. These white books are moulded from various bilingual dictionaries, and yet they have no text and cannot be opened, thus, transforming the purpose of dictionaries. I was also intrigued by Hong Kong composer and sound artist Samson Young’s video installations (the videos are available to watch via his weblink above) of various sonic situations. The work explores sound layer, where foreground sounds are consciously muted or suppressed, and as a result the less-commonly-noticed layers are revealed (this work echoes John Cage‘s famous piece, 4’33”), challenging the viewers/listeners’ expectations and assumptions on images and sounds.

National Football Museum – Top: Yang Zhengzhong’s “Long live the Great Union”

At the National Football Museum, one of the exhibition floor was closed and so I didn’t see some of the exhibits except for Chinese artist Yang Zhenzhong‘s “Long live the Great Union“. From the side, the 3-D architectural installation of Tiananmen Square are seen as 9 separate pieces. But from one viewpoint through a hole, the architecture is ‘reassembled’ in front of the viewer’s eyes. A clever and playful installation that coincides with the ‘harmonious’ theme of the exhibition.

Museum of Science and Industry – 3rd row: Luxury Logico’s “Solar, Manchestr”; 4th & 5th row: Chen Chieh-Jen’s “Realm of Reverberations”

The Museum of Science and industry is another wonderful discovery during my stay in Manchester. I spent hours here, and I would have stayed longer if it wasn’t for the tight schedule! I have always had a strange fascination with old industrial machines, aesthetically and mechanically (perhaps I am geekier than I realised). At the museum, I felt like a kid in a candy store because the museum is full of beautiful machinery! The museum is huge, and it is composed of several buildings including two Grade I listed buildings: the world’s first railway station, Manchester Liverpool Road and 1830 warehouse.

One unmissable outdoor installation was “Solar, Manchester” created by Taiwanese artists group, Luxury Logico. Specifically constructed for the exhibition, this installation is composed of over 100 reclaimed street lamps from Greater Manchester and are refitted with LEDs to create an artificial sun. The ‘glowing’ sun, symbolising hope and optimism about a high-tech and sustainable future, could be seen by passerby from afar after dark.

Elsewhere at the museum, exhibits included: Hong Kong artist Lee Kit‘s ” I don’t owe you anything” and four Taiwanese artists: Chang Huei-Ming‘s “The last rose”, Kao Jun-Honn‘s “Malan girl”, Yao Jui-Chung‘s “Long, Long live” and Chen Chieh-Jen‘s “Realm of Reverberations”

I was especially touched by international renowned artist Chen Chieh-Jen’s subdued “Realm of Reverberations”, consisted of four video works of Taiwan’s first leprosy hospital, Losheng Sanatorium, established in 1929 during the period of Japanese colonisation. The government’s decision to demolish the building and relocate the sanatorium in 1994 for the expansion of the metro system caused outcry and protest amongst the locals because many of the residents had lived there their entire lives. Chen Chieh-Jen’s daunting and powerful videos act as photographed cinema, documenting the eradication of memories, history and ‘home’ (now a ruins) to a vulnerable group of elderly and disabled victims. His works capture the pain and isolation of these victims, and highlight the issues of marginalisation and inequality in our consumer society today.

This exhibition is currently exhibiting in Paris at Galerie Olivier Robert (5 Rue des Haudriettes, 75003 Paris) until 13th December.

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art – Top right, 2nd & bottom row left: Pak Sheung Chuen’s “Resenting Hong Kong series”; Bottom right: Liu Xiaodong’s “In between Israel and Palestine”

It is interesting that the only art organisation in the UK dedicated to contemporary Chinese art is based in Manchester and not London. The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art has been exploring Chinese contemporary art and visual culture for 28 years through innovative programme of exhibitions, residencies, projects, festivals, symposia and events etc.

At the centre, two Chinese artists responded very differently to the theme. In gallery 1, Chinese artist Liu Xiaodong presented “In Between Israel and Palestine”, a collection of realist paintings, accompanied by video diary and journal excerpts from his one month stay in Tel Aviv and the Holy Land. The artist is known for his documentations of social issues in China through his carefully orchestrated compositions in his work. In this case, everyday life in Israel and Palestine is depicted in a diptych format, which acts as a visual conveyance of the divide in the region.

In Gallery 2, Hong Kong conceptual artist Pak Sheung Chuen explores identity and historical significance in “Resenting Hong Kong series: Resenting my own history”. This exhibition is particularly timely because of what has been happening with the ‘Umbrella revolution’ in Hong Kong recently.

In this project, the artist invited Hong Kong people to donate HKD $1 coins with Queen Elizabeth II’s profile (still found in circulation sometimes) and to stipulate someone in the U.K. to scrape away this profile on the ground. This action separates Hong Kongers and the British, previously connected by the two sides of the coin, and leaves a mark on the ground in the U.K. Some of the coins are assembled into a mirror, creating a moment of reflection on the past and future. During the exhibition period, visitors were also encouraged to participate in this on-going project.

Kashif Nadim Chaudry’s “Swags and Tails”

At the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Nottingham-based British Muslim artist Kashif Nadim Chaudry is showcasing artwork featuring skulls and stitches at his third solo exhibition, “Swags and Tails” (until 31 January 2015) as part of the festival.

The exhibition explores family traditions, religion, sexuality and politics. Chaudry mixes traditional craft techniques with conceptual, sculptural forms, using unusual and challenging materials. As a gay Muslim, Chaudry is outspoken about his identity and constantly uses his artistic work to push boundaries in relation to his sexuality and religion. Insider the former Victorian fish market, visitors can view Chaudry‘s haunting, beautiful, and skillful pieces installed in various areas within the venue.

Due to time constraint, I was not able to visit all the venues that took part at the festival, but I was glad to have visited the main venues within the city centre. Now I will have to wait three years for the next festival, but hopefully I will be more prepared and have more time to wander (without rushing) next time!

Paris Asiatique

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Toothpicker

Musée Guimet

Aside from the Japanese gardens in Albert Kahn‘s museum and gardens, there are many other places in Paris for Asian culture enthusiasts because the French have always had a passion/interest in Asian arts and culture, much more so than the English. Although London is a multicultural city with many great museums, it does not have museums that are dedicated to Asian arts only, but there are two of them in Paris!

The most well-known of the two is Musée Guimet ( 6, place d’Iéna, 75016), which has one of the largest collections of Asian art outside Asia. Founded in 1879 by an industrialist, Émile Étienne Guimet, the museum’s collection is splendid and you would need a good few hours to wander and examine the vast historical artifacts and art work spanning over five millenniums and covers the entire region including Afghanistan and central Asia. This museum is not to be missed!

Musée Guimet

Just round the corner from the museum, the museum has a hidden annexe called Galeries du Panthéon Bouddhique/ The Panthéon Bouddhique (19 Avenue d’Iéna). The gallery is located within a former private mansion of banker Alfred Heidelbach (1851–1922), built in 1913 by René Sergent. The entire gallery is dedicated to Buddhist art, with over 250 works from Japan and some from China gathered in 1876 by Émile Étienne Guimet.

To mark the museum’s 10th anniversary in 2001, a Japanese pavilion was added in the garden where tea ceremony would be performed. This is probably one of the most tranquil spots in the city, and if you don’t have the time to visit the Japanese gardens at the Albert Kahn‘s museum and gardens, then this garden would be ideal if you want to spend some time to reflect or even meditate.

Galeries du Panthéon Bouddhique and its Japanese garden

For a long time, I have wanted to visit UNESCO’s Headquarters ( 7 Place Fontenoy 75007) partly to see the architecture and excellent art collection (including Angel of Nagasaki and works by Le Corbusier, Joan Miro and Henry Moore etc ). But the highlights here are the Japanese garden, Garden of Peace created by Japanese-American the acclaimed artist and sculptor Isamu Noguchi in 1958, and the ‘Meditation space’ designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Unfortunately, a group tour ( 30 mins long) of the building and garden must be made well in advance via email and I was never organised enough to do so, hence I will have to leave this for my next trip.

UNESCO Paris

The second museum dedicated to Asian art is Musée Cernuschi ( 7 avenue Vélasquez 75008) next to Parc Monceau. The museum was founded in 1898 by Henri Cernuschi (1821–1896) and is located in the small mansion which used to be his home. The permanent collection here is mostly ancient Chinese, while others are from Japan and Korea, including a large prominent Buddha of Meguro, a Japanese bronze from the 18th century, collected by Cernuschi.

The museum also some contemporary collection by Asian artists and temporary Asian art exhibitions are held in the galleries on the ground floor. This museum is now one of the 14 City of Paris museums and offers free admission ( another gem is the Musée Zadkine near Jardin du Luxemburg). There many wonderful museums in Paris, but this one is a must if you are interested in Asian art.

Musée Cernuschi

If you are looking for the most unusual and beautiful cinema in Paris, then you must visit the Cinéma Étoile Pagode/ La Pagoda ( 57 bis, rue de Babylone, 75007). This dance-hall turned independent cinema is replica of an antique Japanese pagoda designed by architect Alexandre Marcel in 1896. It was built as a gift from Monsieur Morin, owner of Le Bon Marché department store to his wife probably to save a failing marriage, though it didn’t work because she left him a year later for his associate ( so I guess a beautiful cinema is not enough to save a marriage).

The cinema officially opened in 1931 and has screened many premieres including Jean Cocteau‘s Testament d’Orphée in 1959 and from films The New Wave directors. The cinema was saved from demolition in the 1970s, and now you can still enjoy watching films in the two screening rooms including the exuberant ‘Japanese room’, or have tea/cocktails in the tranquil and leafy Japanese garden.

Cinéma Étoile Pagode

Interestingly, there is another pagoda near Parc Monceau, and it is simply called The Pagoda/ La Maison Loo ( 48 rue de Courcelles, 75008). Originally constructed as a hôtel particulier in the French Louis Philippe style, the building was bought in 1925 by Mr. Ching Tsai Loo (1880-1957), a celebrated collector and dealer of Chinese and Asian art and antiques.

With the help of prominent architect Fernand Bloch (1864-1945), the building was transformed into the Pagoda, aiming to be build a cultural bridge between France and China. It is now a private museum, offering exhibitions and shows throughout the year.

A Japanese Zen rock garden at the entrance of Maison Européenne de la Photographie

Last but not least, Maison de la culture du Japon /Japanese cultural centre ( 101 bis, quai Branly 75015) is a good venue for those who love the Japanese culture. This massive glass building near the Eiffel Tower has a concert hall, theatre, cinema, exhibition area, library and a pavilion dedicated to tea tradition. There is also an interesting bookshop on the ground floor that sells books related to Japanese arts and culture as well as stationery.

Contemporary Chinese culture at The Floating Cinema

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Toothpicker

It’s not an exaggeration to say the ‘dilemma’ that faces many Londoners is not the lack of entertainment/consumption choices, but the overwhelming of choices available. And when it comes to cultural events, we are just spoiled for choice and it’s hard to keep up even if you are subscribed to hundreds of e-newsletters (because you still need to time to read them all)!

I have long wanted to attend events organised by The Floating Cinema, but somehow never got round to it. Finally, when I found out about the Contemporary Chinese culture events curated in partnership with the Manchester-based Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, I was eager to sign up for some events that took place on the canal boat.

The boat was parked by the Granary Square in Kings Cross for the weekend. The outdoor canalside steps are ideal for the outdoor screening of several Chinese films. Due to the boat’s limited seating, most events were full and I managed to book myself onto two events.

Main & bottom left: The Floating Cinema in Kings Cross; Bottom right: Yan Wang Preston

The first event was “Both Sides Now“, a collaboration between Jamie Wyld from Video Club (UK) and Isaac Leung from Videotage (HK). The screening included new and historical documentaries and animations created during the 1980s-2000s from China and Hong Kong exploring the impact of three decades of cultural and societal development. The screening was also followed by a discussion and Q & A session.

Some of the videos shown are quite political sensitive, hence they cannot be shown in China. The artists in the programme include: Ellen Pau, Linda Lai, Anson Mak, Kwan Sheung Chi, Lee Kit, Tse Ming Chong, Choi Sai Ho, and other 11 artists from Hong Kong.

For those who are aware of Hong Kong’s current political climate would know that it is far from rosy. The city’s largest pro-democracy rally in a decade took place on 1st July, with around 510,000 protesters participating and it made headline news across the globe. Whenever there is political and social unrest or even economical downturn in a state or region or country, it is also the time for creativity to emerge and blossom… this unsettling period may be a tough time for Hong Kong’s citizens, but it has enabled a new breed of talents to make their voices heard.

One of the most memorable video/animations at the screening was the last one by Hong Kong artist, Wong Ping. His “Under the lion’s crotch” is bizarre, grotesque, graphical and disturbing, but it is also dark and humourous. The animation is the artist’s interpretation of the current situation in Hong Kong and it won an award at the 2013 18th IFVA festival in Hong Kong. Here is an extract from the artist’s website about the work:

“Under the Lion Crotch”
Here comes the end
Our land is brutally torn apart by conglomerates
Redevelopment swept across the city
Their thriving business had left us homeless
Rotten city, rotten crowd
Luxury clothing won’t conceal the stench
Top yourself and throw a curse
Fill the streets with our merry hearses
Is the world going to end
as we’ve been longing for?
Destroy us all together with the chaos
Set us free like
the ashes in the wind

*Beware of the graphical material in this video!

No One Remains Virgin “Under the Lion Crotch” MV from Wong Ping on Vimeo.

The second event I attended was a talk by an award-winning Chinese photographer and visual artist, Yan Wang Preston. Her talk was on her long term artistic and research project, Mother River, which she has been working on since the end of 2010. Initially driven by a personal desire to reconnect with one’s Motherland, the project focuses on China’s most iconic waterway: the Yangtze River.

The artist also wanted to investigate the impact of the controversial hydroelectric dam that has had on the environment and the local people. The dam was built to prevent flooding and generate power in the local areas, yet the construction also flooded important archaeological and historical sites, displaced some 1.3 million people, and caused significant ecological damages to area.

The artist epic journey across China began from the source of the river (in Tibet) and photographed the 4,000 mile long Yangtze River with a precise interval of every 100 kilometres and 63 fixed points in total. Yan spoke about the difficulties she encountered during her journey, but despite all the mishaps and re-shoot, she finally completed the project earlier this year. Yan‘s photographs of China are fascinating, but what touched me most is her passion, courage and determination. Feeling disillusioned by the ‘new China’ and horrified by what she saw during her first research journey of the damage caused by the construction of the dam, the project became her personal quest to reconnect with her roots, heritage and culture. And the result is an admirable achievement that she should be very proud of.

Here is a video of a symposium given by Yan in 2012 about her work:

Yan Preston – Land / Water Symposium 2012 | Water Image from Land Water on Vimeo.

Conceptual art exhibitions & performance in London

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Toothpicker

Ai Weiwei’s ‘Forever’

Last month, I visited Lisson Gallery to see the new exhibitions of two renowed contemporary conceptual artists, Ai Weiwei (until 19th July) and Richard Long (just ended).

I have quite mixed feelings towards Ai Weiwei because I often think that his political activism, colourful character and public relations seem to outshine his art work. Not that the artist lacks substance, but without his arrest and continuous controversy, I wonder if he would still be considered as one of the world’s ‘greatest’ contemporary artists? As a human being, I admire his courage and persistence, but as a viewer, I find some of his work cold, calculating and manipulative.

At the exhibition, his installations of stainless steel bicycles stacked and layered together are part of an ongoing series, ‘Forever’, named after the well-known Chinese bicycle brand that has been mass-produced in Shanghai since 1940. The work mocks the assembling and copying that occur in China and the fact that the symbolic cult design is steadily dying out while being replaced by smog-emitting cars. I found the installations aesthetically interesting to view but that is about it.

Elsewhere in the gallery, there are a variety of hand-carved objects like two marble recreations of his father’s armchair, sets of cosmetics bottles made from jade, marble gas mask, coat hangers, handcuffs and Beijing taxi window handles that are made of glass.

My favourite items at the exhibition are the glass taxi window handles because of the story behind them. In his documentary shown downstairs, he spoke to different Beijing taxi drivers who complained about the government insisting that they removed the window handles for fear that political activists and protesters would transmit their leaflets through car windows near Tiananmen Square. Unbelievable!

The exhibition also displays his well-known ‘A study of perspective’ photo series, where the artist’s middle finger is positioned in front of some of the world’s most notable man-made landmarks around the world. Whether I or others like his art work or not, it’s besides the point because the artist has succeeded in making his statements clear to the world through his art work. In this day and age, talents would not get you very far unless you are able to create hype around you and what you do. And Ai Weiwei is a master of this.

Main & bottom middle: Richard Long’s ‘Four ways’; Bottom left: Richard Long’s ‘With no direction known like a rolling stone’; Bottom right: a piece of ‘street art’ outside of the gallery

In the other gallery on the same street, British conceptual artist Richard Long‘s work couldn’t have been more different. His work focuses on the existential notion of the solitary exploration of nature, inspired by walks in rural England and trips from around the world. As someone who became keen on hiking/walking in the recent years, I appreciate Long‘s respect for nature, which is evident in his art work. He usually works in the landscape but sometimes uses natural materials in the gallery. He often arranges them in basic archetypal shapes and forms, which appears to be simple yet surprisingly powerful in a confined indoor space.

The most eye-catching work at the exhibition was ‘Four ways’ installed in the front room, composed of 2 diagonal lines of delabole slate from Cornwall. In other rooms, there were texts/graphics documenting his walks, wall pieces made from clay and mud, as well as a room full of photographs taken while he was in Antactica and the Swiss Alps.

Marina Abramović’s 512 hours at Serpentine Gallery

Although Lisson Gallery also supports performance artist, Marina Abramović, her new performance in London, 512 hours is being shown elsewhere at the Serpentine Gallery (until August 25).

I have previously written about Marina Abramović (twice actually on her documentary and institute) and I thought her work, ‘The artist is present’ at MOMA in New York was raw, ground-breaking and powerful. Hence, I was curious about her new performance despite the mixed reviews.

Normally, I hate queues and would avoid them as much as possible. However, this time I was prepared to queue for a while if necessary, so I picked to do this on a sunny and warm afternoon during the week. The queue was shorter than I expected and I waited about 30 mins before I was let in.

After leaving all our possessions in the lockers outside (hence no photography), visitors would enter a large white room full of people sitting at rows of wooden desks counting rice or seeds of some sort. In the other rooms, there were people lying down on beds, sitting on chairs facing the wall and people walking ‘mindfully’ or standing on a plinth in the middle of the room. While there were many assistants (all dressed in black) giving directions to the visitors, Marina was nowhere to be seen.

After spending about 15 minutes wandering in and out of the rooms observing others, I finally saw the artist emerged. She spoke to a few visitors and then held a young girl’s hand and led her up to a plinth. By this time, I was rather bored and decided to leave after spending about 20 mins inside.

‘An elaborate exercise in mindfulness‘ was how art critic Laura Cumming summed it up in her article for The Observer and I couldn’t agree more. In April, I spent 168 hours doing ‘nothing’ silently with a group of strangers at a Zen retreat in rural Devon, yet nobody saw it as art nor did they think my actions were radical. I understand that Marina is trying to spread mindfulness to the public through her work, but claiming this to be radical is quite ludicrous. I think that most people would have preconceived ideas or judgements before their visits, some may want to be emotionally charged while others may be cynical and dismissive. Hence, it is no surprise that some may be overwhelmed by their experiences while others experienced the opposite. Even though I had no expectations before I went, I left feeling disappointed, so perhaps I was secretly hoping to gain something out of it.

The so-called performance perhaps reinstated the artist’s psychological power and control on her visitors. I found it self-indulgent and it would be hard for the visitors (myself included) not to be self-conscious because they are aware that they are being watched by others including the cult icon herself. How much of the emotions generated in this space is genuine and how much of it is being manipulated? I doubt the visitors can answer it themselves.

When I got home, I couldn’t help but wonder the power of fame on people, especially on artistic people who struggled to get recognition for a long time. When fame arrives one day, it also has the ability to remove certain qualities that these artistic people once possessed. Marina, Zaha Hadid (whom I used to admire a lot) and Wong Kar Wai to name a few. I think that artistic people are most creative and true to themselves when there are creative and financial constraints. The reward of fame or celebrity status may create total freedom for them, but this along with narcissism may also be their worst enemies.

Latitude 22N Studio visit

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Toothpicker

Julie and Jesse’s Latitude 22N studio in Chai Wan

Since the launch of the e-shop over a year ago, I have had many opportunities to meet with different designers around the globe, though I particularly enjoy getting to know the designers I work with. It is not only about building long-term work relationships, but it is also crucial for me to understand the people and minds behind the products. Being able to work with like-minded designers is not an opportunity that happens to everyone, so I feel lucky that often I am able to meet and work with designers who share similar values and vision.

I discovered Latitude 22N by chance and immediately fell in love with their designs, especially the S.M.L. candle holders that we stock from the studio. I have been communicating with Julie from the studio via emails for a while, and so I was quite excited when she invited me over to visit their studio in Chai Wan, an industrial area in Hong Kong that is becoming more ‘artistic’ thanks to the high rental prices in other more commercial areas of the city.

Main: The S.M.L candle holders and their Night Market collection

Interestingly, Jesse, Julie and I all share a New York/ Parsons connection, and so we could compare life in Hong Kong vs. New York. We also spent a long time discussing the local and Asian design scene, and I learned about the difficulties they had to face in regards to crafting and manufacturing ceramics in China. Although Julie and Jesse are not ethnically Chinese, their works capture the Chinese heritage and spirit, yet they are ‘reinterpreted’ in a contemporary way with much care and insight. I especially love their Fragment porcelain vases, which break away from traditional boundaries, and challenge the viewers to look beyond the aesthetics.

Experimental pieces that are as intriguing as the finished pieces…

I was also very impressed by their cool and spacious studio, I think they have done an amazing job in converting a factory into a working studio that also regularly hosts art/ design/ photography exhibitions.

A new photography exhibition by Marc Progin,’Mongolia’s land of Nomads, Caravans & Migrations’ will open on 14th March ( until 13th April), so visitors can visit their studio at Unit 16 B, Man Foong Industrial Building, 7 Cheung Lee Street, Chai Wan.

Chinese design now

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Toothpicker

King – Chair No.53 by Shao Fan at Chinese design today, Themes & Variations

Chinese art and design seem to be the talk of town in London lately… not only there is the contemporary art exhibition at Hayward Gallery, there is also a major selling exhibition of contemporary Chinese design at Themes & Variations, as well as a talk that I attended on “Chinese design revolution” at the Design museum last week.

At Themes & Variations in in Notting Hill, 16 emerging and established Chinese designers’ limited pieces are on display and are all available for sale. The pieces range from furniture to photography, ceramics and even fashion pieces. There are many eye-catching pieces including Shao Fan‘s reconstructive chairs ( see above), Li Lihong‘s ceramic sculptures, Zhang Zhoujie‘s stainless steel coffee table and my personal favourite: the rock-like sculptures made of sponge by Su Wentao ( see below).

Left: Specious series: Black and red rocks made of hand-cut sponge by Su Wentao. Right: Memory box table by Jia Li.

Sometimes I get asked by my friends if I would stock Chinese design products, my answer is ‘of course’, I have even contacted a Chinese company before but unfortunately nothing came out of it. However, I admit that I am more cautious when it comes to Chinese design products, my main concerns are to do with quality control and the issue with copying.

Honestly, it is not easy to be ‘original’ these days especially when we are constantly absorbing so much information. Sometimes designers may not ‘copy’ deliberately but they are subconsciously influenced by images or concepts that they previously absorbed without realising. I am not trying to defend their actions but there is difference between ‘knowingly’ copy and ‘unknowingly’ ones, though where you draw the line is the question. The Chinese have had such a bad reputation for piracy that it will take time and collective effort to change the general public’s negative views accumulated over the years.

Chinese design at Super Brands London September 2012 displaying chairs by Xiao Tianyu (left) and Jiang Li (right).

At the “Chinese design revolution” talk at the Design Museum, Lorraine Justice, the author who launched a new book of the same title gave insights into the past and current Chinese design culture. Lorraine is the current Dean of the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and previously she was the Director of the School of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) for seven years.

Interestingly, Lorraine defended Chinese ‘piracy’ when she showed slides of the famous blue and white Chinese porcelain-ware created in the 9th century, which as we know were widely copied by the Europeans from 16th century onwards. Besides the Europeans, many aspects of the Japanese and Korean culture, arts and crafts also originated from China, though they eventually evolved and integrated into their culture. So Lorraine has a point, copying has always existed whether we like it or not.

At the Q & A, when asked by some Chinese design students about the future of design in China, Lorraine predicted that fashion and graphics would take off quicker than industrial, products and furniture design partly due to the country’s poor distribution channels. Another problem is that big Chinese firms still favour hiring foreign designers over local ones, and with so many new design schools and graduates, many Chinese design graduates would end up being paid minimal wages and unable to truly fulfill their potential.

Shenzhen pavilion at 100% design London in September

In the past decade or so, more Chinese designers are being recognised worldwide and here are a few more names or companies that are shaping the current Chinese design world:

Neri&Hu – Founded in 2006 in Shanghai, the two US-trained architects returned to China to set up their design and research centre, including a retail design store, Design Republic. Their reinterpretation of traditional Chinese products in a minimalistic approach demonstrates that Chinese design aesthetics can be as ‘understated’ and ‘sensitive’ as the Japanese. Emphasising on high quality material and traditional craftsmanship, the design duo are well-respected in China and internationally.

Innovo Design – Founded by Zhang Lei in 2004, the Hangzhou-based product design collective also explores the traditional Chinese culture, but emphasising on the sustainability of processes and materials. In 2009, Lei met Jovana from Serbia and Christoph from Germany, and they started to collaborate on the “Future Tradition” project in both Milan and China.

Hesign – Set up by Jianping He in Berlin in 2002, and then Shanghai in 2005, the company specialises in graphic design, branding, publishing and cultural events organisation. Well-known for blening Chinese aesthetics with contemporary satire, his graphic posters have received critical acclaim and many international design awards around the globe.

Shang Xia – This is not your average Chinese brand, the brand was founded in 2008 by Chinese designer, Jiang Qiong Er ( who trained as an interior architect) and French luxury brand, Hermès. The collaboration includes furniture, homeware, tableware, jewellery and fashion, all of which are produced in China with an emphasis on craftsmanship and simplicity.

With the government focusing and investing more on the design industry ( unlike ours who is doing the exact opposite!), and with more international designers relocating to China to work closely with their manufacturers or local craftsmen, the future of Chinese design looks very promising. However, as the gap between the rich and poor widens in China, the word ‘design’ seems to be associated more with the intellects and privileges. Do the majority of the population below the middle class understand or even care about design? Probably not. If the aim of design is to communicate with people and improve their quality of life, then why should the lower classes be excluded from it?

When will local Chinese farmers be able to easily purchase cutting-edge farming equipments or use ‘design’ to promote themselves or their farms like many farmers do in the West these days? Unfortunately, I still can’t see that happening for quite a while.

Chinese design today at Themes & Variations ends on 8th December.

Art of change: New directions from China

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Toothpicker

Try to spot the difference between the main and the bottom left! They are 2 different people… Xu Zhen’s “In just a blink of an eye”. Bottom right: Yingmei Duan’s “Sleeping, in between and patience“.

In the past decade or so, we often hear about new Chinese art works fetching millions at art auctions around the world, yet apart from Ai Weiwei, Yue Minjun and Hang Xiaogang, many are still rather unknown outside of China, unless you are are familiar with the contemporary Chinese art scene.

At Hayward Gallery‘s Art of change: New direction from China exhibition, nine Chinese artists are chosen to exhibit their work spanning between 1993 to the present day. I didn’t have much expectations before I arrived ( as I am a bit of a sceptic of contemporary Chinese art ), but luckily, the show did surpass my expectations.

There are many experimental and interactive work that question, observe and reflect on the new changes that have been taking place in China. Moving away from the traditional media, many of the works are performance installation art and videos, which are quite refreshing and entertaining.

Liang Shaoji’s Nature series involves a lot of silkworm

One of my favourites is Xu Zhen’s “In just a blink of an eye“, an illusionary art installation that involves a real-life performance… from afar, we are led to believe that it is a (wax-like) sculpture, but up close, we are able to see a ‘real’ person who actually blinks and breathes! While I was there, a changeover took place ( curtains were drawn to keep the secret) and then another ‘face’ dressed in the same outfit appeared and ‘floated’ in the same Matrix-like position. So what is the secret? It doesn’t matter because the artist has succeeded in engaging all the visitors there and created a talking point among them.

The artist’s ironic view on our modern society’s obsession with the gym ( which I totally agree with because I find gyms soulless and extremely boring ) is expressed in his fitness machines installation where users can operate the them by just moving their fingers via the remote controls! Yet on the other side of the gallery, “The Starving of Sudan“ questions the limits of voyeurism, human exploitation and moral conducts, which is subtle yet thought-provoking.

Across the main gallery, Liang Shaoji‘s compelling Nature series including various silkworm installations, bringing the visitors closer to nature. In an dark room, visitors can see watch and hear silkworms eat, spin and metamorphose. It is a tranquil experience and reflects the essence of Daoism and Buddhism, two of the most important religions in the Chinese history before the Cultural Revolution.

Chen Zhen’s Purification room

While I was slightly disappointed by some of the works in the upper galleries, back at the lower galleries before exit, I was quite taken back by the works of Chen Zhen ( who was diagnosed with a blood disease in his 20s and eventually died in 2000). Chen Zhen‘s personal experience and the message of impermanence is reflected in a lot of his work, like his Purification room, where natural materials are used to purify a room full of everyday objects.

Main photo: A room full of meat… photos by Gu Dexin. Bottom left: Sun Yuan and Peng Yu’s installations. Bottom right: architectural sculptures made of candles by Chen Zhen

The most intriguing part of this exhibition is the lack of personal styles or signatures of each artist, they seem to be constantly exploring new styles, identities and visual languages. In Guardian (read it here), Ai Weiwei heavily criticised the current Chinese art world and indirectly the artists involve at this exhibition, which I think is correct to a large extend but at the same time rather biased and harsh. Although these artists’ works might not have been politically driven or lack shock tactics, I still find it quite encouraging to see them moving away from the traditional media and testing new grounds. While I do believe that contemporary Chinese art is over-hyped, I feel more hopeful about its future after seeing this exhibition, and unexpectedly, it has evoked my renewed interest in a world that Ai Weiwei claims does not exist.

Art of change: New directions from China at the Hayward Gallery ends on 9th December.

Song Dong’s ‘Waste not’ exhibition

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Toothpicker

The problem with London is that there are too many cultural activities going on all the time, so it’s hard to keep up sometimes. I almost missed the mesmorizing ‘Waste not‘ exhibition by Chinese artist, Song Dong at the Barbican Centre, it was luckily that I managed to catch it at the last minute. It has been a long time since I felt genuinely moved by an art exhibition, and it made me think hard about my own family ‘junk’ issue!

The exhibition comprised over 10,000 household possessions, collected by the artist’s mother, Zhao Xiangyuan over a period of five decades. Zhao started collecting at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution as a means of survival, but gradually these objects took over her life, fulfilling the emptiness that she suffered after the death of her husband in 2002.

The initial installation was created in 2005 by Song Dong, installed with his mother as a way to help her cope with her grief and put her memories in order. Tragically, Zhao died in a car accident in 2009, but Song’s family would reunite and work on the installation as it travels and exhibits around the world.

Personally, I have also been dealing with the huge collection of ‘stuff’ that my family has accumulated over the years. Like Zhao, my mother doesn’t like to throw things out, she often claims that these objects would be useful one day especially like jam jars, plastic containers, used envelopes and old magazines etc. Some of the items that I discovered during a clearance recently could be considered as museum pieces!

While many of us get attached to items that have sentimental value, I failed to understand my mother’s persistence in keeping the ‘useless’ objects until this exhibition…

I am sure that most visitors to the exhibition can somehow relate to the story behind because it is not so much about art, but about human emotions, family bonds, memories and nostalgia that we all share regardless of our nationalities, ages, gender and backgrounds.

Hong Kong International Art fair 2012

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Toothpicker

Nishino Kozo’s ‘Memory of the Sky’

Originally, I wasn’t planning to go to the Hong Kong International Art Fair, but thanks to my brother who got free access to the show and other related events, I took the opportunity to see what the fuss was all about.

Art HK started in 2007, which was a relatively small regional art fair, but has since become more important in the international art circuit for contemporary Asian art, especially after Art Basel acquired it in 2011. Apparently, this year, the show has attracted many new galleries as well as foreign visitors, which also meant that it was almost impossible to book onto most gallery events related to the show!

After attended the rather cramped and commercial London Art fair earlier in the year, I wasn’t expecting much from this. But surprisingly, there were wider varieties and more experimental works from both Asia and Western galleries. However, I wasn’t not so sure about the ‘collectable value’ of these art pieces, many of which seemed like ‘promotional’ pieces that aimed to draw attention, but then again, that is how I feel towards most contemporary art works anyway.

One of the most ‘talked about’ pieces was Ai Weiwei‘s ‘Cong‘ – externally displaying 123 letters from regional governments whose schools collapsed during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, while internally listing the 5,196 students who were tragically killed in the event due to negligence by construction companies and local government officials ( see below).

Meanwhile, there were also many works by contemporary Korean artists, including some rather eye-catching inflatable lotuses by Choi Jeong Hwa ( see his ‘golden lotus’ below).

My problem with large trade and art fairs is that I tend to get overwhelmed very quickly, and would lose interest after a while. My friend and I managed to do one floor in just over 2 hours and decided to head to the bar while completely missed the other floor!

Oh well, I guess there is always next year…

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Tag Archives: Chinese art