Young artists’ ‘delusions’ on display in Beijing
They grew up with the internet, studied fine arts abroad and present at exhibitions around the world — including their motherland, where contemporary art and the market have both prospered.
A group show of dozens of works by young Chinese opened at the Tang Contemporary Art Beijing on Aug 5. Nine artists, many of whom were born in well-off families after the 1990s, are displaying installations, videos, paintings and photos.
The show’s name, A Chemical Love Story, is borrowed from the title of a 1991 book about drugs by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin.
Bian Ka, who helped organize the show, says these young artists’ pieces can produce “delusions like drugs can”.
“They can access all the information they want through the internet and social media,” Bian says.
“Their art comes from the virtual world and books, unlike the older generations whose works are often based on life experiences. This leads to delusions.”
Qualifying artists had to be young, have studied abroad and have grown up in wealthy families.
“They’re very international. Many resumes I received are in English. They even use English names,” Bian says.
Chen Yimin signs her works as “Yorkson” rather than in her Chinese name. The 25-yearold, who recently graduated from London’s Slade School of Fine Art, explains she uses her English name so audiences won’t judge her by her gender or race.
Her mixed-media installation, To Job: Wars, was inspired by a Bible story and explores the dynamics of power and religion. Stained glass features two cartoons from pop culture, including the image of the French character Barbapapa, who appears as God.
“I think from a global perspective,” Chen says, who lives in London.
The artist moved to Britain after high school.
She has staged two solo shows — one in her hometown, Guangdong province’s capital, Guangzhou, and the other in London — and has displayed works in various cities in China and around the world.
“I prefer to do projects with different art institutions,” Chen says of her future plans.
Bian says many of the young artists’ works are “superficial and direct in expression” — and insists he doesn’t mean this in a negative way.
It’s a reality that most young artists and curators face in this age of globalization and the internet, he explains.
New York-based artist Liu Zhangbolong’s pieces, for instance, feature three photos of university laboratories.
A video titled The Jog by Taiwan artist Musquiqui Chihying, who studied at Berlin University of the Arts, shows a person running inside a supermarket.
Bian says: “These artists see — and learn and think about — the world via the internet. But the reality of what people really experience in China, for example, is different.”
These artists see — and learn and think about — the world via the internet.
Bian Ka, organizer of the show