Showcase – Xiao Jun's works exhibition
Opening: March 21[sup]st[/sup], 2009, Saturday, 15:00
Exhibition dates: March 21[sup]st[/sup] to May 3[sup]rd[/sup], 2009. 10:00 – 18:00 (Monday closed)
Venue: Shopping Gallery, 1/F, Bldg 8, 50 Moganshan Road, 200060 Shanghai.
Tel: +86 21 62770903 / Fax: +86 21 62771797
E-mail: shoppinggallery2008@gmail.com / www.shoppinggallery.cn
After participating to a few exhibitions in the 1990s, Xiao Jun, born in 1965, suddenly withdrew from the art circle, without ceasing creating works. This solo show gathers series of works from 1996 to nowadays.
Generally speaking, Xiao Jun's works present a recurrent structure: frames divided into compartments as windows or boxes, superimposition of materials into different layers, etc., while contents vary from colored geometrical compositions to Western magazines' images and texts, or even terra cotta objects with furs and feathers.... In "Showcase", three series of works will be presented:
"Shallow depth: just as skin is the most sensible part of the human body, easily worn and modified, when I paint, I sometime feel that I am touching or applying makeup on skin.
Candy box: each day people open their eyes and read. I displayed things I read, that used to be new, between still sheets. They are unbelievable, as transparent, uneaten, fascinating candies.
Showcase: the display in "Showcase" is composed of things, related to each other or not, resembling to a certain ideal space. People (things close to people) usually are the elements in space that attract me the most. My showcases and my inner thoughts coincide into one same energy."
"Meanings (or things) that we wish to hide the most in works are usually easy to notice, but even revealed they wont make a "soul-stirring" noise.
Covering over and over a work isn't recommendable, but I often do that, then the original content loses its meaning and the anxiety of the moment is added to it.
It's all related to my own private life, only these tangled unclear things can be controlled, the production process is random, unconscientious.
I'm always deeply touched by images, I hardly (almost never) remember experiences coming from words, images became my diary.
I have always been focused on external beauty, some friends consider that I show an utter unconcerned delight for images, this is a relevant qualification, I am infatuated with these "two dimensional characters". If I was one of them, how would that be?
Just as child's drawings, pleasure is very important while meanings they embody are unintentional, even incompatible with the environment, answers to the why and the wherefore are unobtainable, there's only "me"." -- Xiao Jun.
Xiao Jun's works will be presented from March 21st to May 3rd, 2009 at the Shopping gallery.
Part of the exhibition room was a replica of the artist's living room. Furnitures (sofa, tv, shelves, chair), ornamental objects coming from his place as well as music he usually listens to were displayed in the space... emphasizing the intimity between his works and his private life.
In an interview the artist declared that he doesn't consider himself as an artist, he just like realizing these works. They are also meant to show to others what he likes and make them understand him. These works are strongly related to his life and couldn't be achieved in a studio or anywhere else but the place he lives.
Candy box, mixed media, 1996
Candy box, mixed media, 1996
Candy box, mixed media, 1998
Candy box, mixed media, 1999
Candy box, mixed media, 1999
Showcase, mixed media, 2006
Showcase, mixed media, 2006
Showcase, mixed media, 2006
Lolita, mixed media, 2007
Showcase, mixed media, 2009
Showcase, mixed media, 2009
