《檔案》

胡向前│李明│李牧│唐狄鑫│趙趙

23.01.2010 – 07.03.2010

媒體預展：22.01.2010，下午5時正至6時正

開幕酒會：22.01.2010，下午6時正至8時正

幾十年的政治波普藝術，玩世現實主義常被視為當代中國藝術的一個重要標誌，這一點亦將寫入中國藝術史；幾十年後，將被後人重新評估它們在中國當代藝術的實際地位。中國在國際舞台上的蓬勃發展對當代中國藝術的長遠發展沒有並起了多大幫助。在此期間，官方對其當代藝術的態度發生了變化，促進開放的對話，但在這個遊戲當中，藝術家們的角色仍然不太明確。國內經營藝術系統之商業系統的運行仍然非常依賴著名的名字和價格，其他的一切幾乎沒有生存空間。本地投資也微乎其微，拍賣行的銷售市場和二級市場知識也是有限的。

因此，當今中國新一代的藝術家處於一個奇怪位置。厭倦了學院傳統、政治波普和玩事現實主義，但卻對當代現象持著敏銳的觀感，這些藝術家強烈的自我表態方式為當代藝術挑起了些波浪，即使影響力只限於自己活動的藝術圈子，即使不常被討論或廣泛發布。近期崛起的藝術家組合如雙飛，舒服和觀察社；以及集體項目／活動如《小製作》和《跳》似乎暗示著擁更強的集體聲音的必要性。或許我們不會認真看待這項目，又或倉促地輕視它們為可逃避不安全感的「舒適區域」。

《檔案》是一次選擇性的探索，企圖了解這些鮮為人知的「自我表達」方式。參展藝術家胡向前、李明、李牧、唐狄鑫及趙趙的作品可論為是象徵當代的中國青年：或個人，或反叛，或冷漠，或荒謬……

少了前人背負的包袱，展覽中的許多作品反而多了些許自我反射，或帶自傳性，或是惡作劇式的。但最為顯著的，是它們所釋放出對互相溝通的強烈慾望：李明探究我們對身體的感知，身體之間的親密，亦或探討男性身體之間模棱兩可的關係，純粹的身體認同感和身體之間的本能吸引；李牧每個月都買一份禮物寄給一為他素不相識，只是在街上拾到一張名片而得知存在的人，企圖建立某種連系，但卻拒絕真正的相識；胡向前或是匯集了所有他接觸過但不懂的文字編織自己的語言，運用字體的形態來表達思緒，編寫了整整一本日記，或在馬路中間跳舞，或是嘗試把自己曬成一個黑人；唐狄鑫或擺地攤販賣藝術，或與一個語言上完全無法溝通的友人一起旅行；趙趙的作品通過轉化著名的藝術作品成為卑微的物件如牙籤，或是以其他方式將老鼠糞升值成為一件珍品，質疑現行藝術體系以至其價值觀，以及跟社會的關係。

本展覽通過展示各個藝術家創作發展中不同階段的一系列作品試圖審查他們的藝術實踐，同時提供一個機會給予評估。更重要的，展覽希望闡明的是，這些自我表達不僅僅是為了消解沉悶、純粹兒戲且毫無意義的消遣活動。這一代的藝術家是絕對有能力激起漣漪的；他們不算很勇敢，沒有太多公開抗議，並經常挑戰抗爭與惡作劇之間的極限；然而，他們的行動在今日的中國當代藝術界里扮演了關鍵重要的角色。

媒體預覽後將設開幕酒會，時間為下午6時至晚上8時正。



-- 完 –


關於《檔案》

藝術家：
胡向前、李明、李牧、唐狄鑫與趙趙

策展人：
比利安娜•思瑞克與王佩琴

展覽地點：
奧沙觀塘

地址：香港九龍觀塘鴻圖道73-75號建大工業大廈5樓

展期：2010年1月23日至2010年3月7日

開幕酒會：2010年1月22日(星期五)下午6時正

電話：(852) 2793 4817


關於奧沙畫廊

奧沙畫廊為國際性的藝術機構，於香港、北京、上海及新加坡均設有展覽空間，致力推廣國際及亞洲的當代視覺藝術。奧沙畫廊的展覽網路遍及亞洲多個地區，有助探索在亞洲以至亞洲以外不同地區的多元化而又複雜的藝術關係。畫廊所代理的包括區內一些最具代表性的藝術家，而各地的展覽空間則為他們提供了一個跨越亞洲的創作平台。奧沙亦與多位備受推崇的國際藝評家和策展人緊密合作，籌劃及推廣探討當代議題相關的展覽和項目。



除舉辦大型群展和專題展覽外，奧沙畫廊亦為一些最具代表性的亞洲藝術家舉辦個展，當中包括來自中國的孫原和彭禹、沈少民、蔣志，以及其他亞洲藝術家，如石家豪（香港）、Nipan Oranniwesna（泰國）和蔡佳葳（台灣）。



展覽預告
奥沙蘇豪
《Louie Cordero: Soft Death》
16.01.2010–28.02.2010

近期展覽

奧沙觀塘
《表態：蔣志的一個展覽》
04.12.2010–17.01.2010



奥沙新加坡

Jompet
《Java’s Machine: Phantasmagoria》
14.11.2009–07.02.2010



奥沙上海

《石家豪：試身室》
29.11.2009–31.01.2010



更多詳情請瀏覽www.osagegallery.com



傳媒查詢

黎珮琪 (Kennis Lai)

電話: (852) 2995 7433

傳真: (852) 3007 2988

電郵:kennislai@osagegallery.com

BIOGRAPHY
Hu Xiangqian │Li Ming │Li Mu │Tang Dixin │Zhao Zhao

23.01.2010 – 07.03.2010

Press Preview: 22.01.2010, 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Opening Reception: 22.01.2010, 6:00pm to 8:00pm



Decades of political pop art, cynical realism has realm as a main symbol of contemporary Chinese art, which will remain part of the history that will after decades be re-evaluated for its actual position in contemporary art in China. The China boom on the international arena did not help much for contemporary Chinese art on a long run. The state, in the meantime, changes their attitude towards contemporary art, opening dialogues, a game where artists’ role is still very much uncertain. Commercial system that runs art system in China is still very much oriented to acclaimed names and prices, leaving not much space for anything else. Local investment is also minimal and knowledge is limited to auction house sales and secondary markets.

Thus, a new generation of artists in China today occupies a peculiar position. Weary of academy traditions, the overkill of political pop and cynical realisms, yet keenly aware and critical of contemporary phenomenon, these artists often possess strong individual expressions whose works create small waves, albeit contained within a close-knitted art circle and are less talked about nor circulated. The emergence of artist groups such as Shuang Fei, Shufu, and Observation Society; and collective activities such as Small Production, and Jump seem to suggest a need for a stronger collective voice, which are not taken seriously or which some may dismiss as being ‘comfort zones’ for the insecure.

Biography is a selective examination of these ‘individual expressions’. The artists included in this exhibition—Hu Xiangqian, Li Ming, Li Mu, Tang Dixin, and Zhao Zhao—belong to a new generation of artists whose works are arguably symptomatic of the youths in China today: alternately personal, rebellious, indifferent, absurd…

Free from the burden of previous generations, many of the works in the exhibition are reflexive, autobiographical, and prankish. Above all, there is a desire to communicate: Li Ming examines our relationship with our bodies, physical intimacy, and further explores the ambiguous relationship between men (an instinctual physical attraction tinged with awkward intimacy); Li Mu sends a monthly gift to a stranger whose namecard he found on the street, establishing a connection yet stops short of any real acquaintance; Hu Xiangqian wrote a diary made up of a language he invented, dances in the middle of a road, and tries to transform himself into a black man; Tang Dixin peddles art on the street, and travels with someone he can’t communicate linguistically; Zhao Zhao’s works questions the existing art system and its values, as well as its relation to society, through transforming famous works of art into lowly objects such as toothpicks, or otherwise elevate rat droppings into an object of preciousness.

Through a comprehensive selection of works from various stages of the artists’ development, the exhibition attempts at examining their artistic practice thus far, at the same time offering an opportunity for evaluation. More importantly, it aims to illuminate these individual expressions as more than just meaningless play borne out of boredom. This is a generation of artists capable of creating ripples; not that brave, without much open protests, tests the limits between protest and prank, yet through their actions takes on a crucial role in contemporary Chinese art today.

Press preview for the exhibition will be held on Friday, 22 January 2010 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. The artists will be present at the event. The press preview will be followed by an opening reception at 6:00pm.


ABOUT BIOGRAPHY

Artists:Hu Xiangqian, Li Ming, Li Mu, Tang Dixin, and Zhao Zhao

Curators: Biljana Ciric and Khim Ong

Venue: Osage Kwun Tong

Address:5/F, Kian Dai Industrial Building, 73-75 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon

Exhibition Duration: 23 January 2010 till 7 March 2010

Opening Reception: 22 January 2010 (Friday), 6.00pm

Tel:(852) 2793 4817

ABOUT OSAGE GALLERY
Osage Gallery is an international gallery group devoted to the exhibition and promotion of international and Asian contemporary visual arts, operating major spaces in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore. Osage Gallery’s network of spaces across Asia functions synergistically to explore the diverse and complex artistic relationships between the different regions of Asia, and beyond that, of the artistic relationships between Asia and other parts of the world. The spaces provide an Asian-wide platform for the artists represented by the gallery, who are some of the most exciting and significant in the region. The gallery also works closely with international critics and curators to present exhibitions and projects that address themes and issues relevant to our times.

In addition to organising major group and thematic exhibitions, Osage Gallery has organised solo exhibitions by some of the most significant artists in Asia, such as Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Shen Shaomin and Jiang Zhi from China, as well as other Asian artists such as Wilson Shieh (Hong Kong), Nipan Oranniwesna (Thailand) and Charwei Tsai (Taiwan).



Upcoming Exhibitions

Osage Soho

Louie Cordero: Soft Death

16.01.2010–28.02.2010



Current Exhibitions

Osage Kwun Tong

Jiang Zhi: Attitude

04.12.2009 – 17.01.2010


Osage Singapore

Java’s Machine: Phantasmagoria by Jompet

14.11.2009 – 07.02.2009


Osage Shanghai

Wilson Shieh: Fitting Room

29.11.2009–31.01.2010



Please visit www.osagegallery.com for more information.

MEDIA ENQUIRY

Kennis Lai

Direct:(852) 2995 7433

Fax:(852) 3007 2988

Email: kennislai@osagegallery.com

















Hu Xiangqian, Triangle Diary: From China to Britain to Indonesia (still from video), 2009, Video, loop

Hu Xiangqian, Sun (still from video), 2008, Video, 8mins, loop

Li Ming, X X (still from video), 2009, Single channel video, 5mins 17secs

Li Ming, Afternoon Happiness (still from video), 2008, single channel video, 6mins 58secs

Li Ming, Comb (still from video), 2008, single channel video, 7mins 15secs

Li Ming, Dr Ouyang’s Midnight “Hey” (still from video), 2009, single channel video, 10mins 39secs

Li Mu, Present, 2009, Installation, Dimensions variable

Li Mu, Diary in the Left Hand, 2008–2009, Photographic installation, Dimensions variable

Tang Dixin, Reed (still from video), 2009, Video, 16mins

Zhao Zhao, Cobblestone, 2007, Photograph, 2 panels, each 100cm x 150cm

Zhao Zhao, Necklace, 2007, Photograph, 3 panels, each 50cm x 76cm