There is a short video presentation by Huang Rui. (Mandarin with English subtitles.)
The gallery will open late for viewing on Thursday (28th Jan) until 8pm with refreshments.
10 Chancery Lane Gallery is honoured to bring the book of Huang Rui as an exhibition in itself. The book, 1989 - 365 Art Days in China and Germany, is the first book in China to commemorate the year of 1989. It is also the first book to connect China and Germany in 1989.
The book “1989” is a direct reflection of collective memory during that fateful year in both China and Germany. It is an honest and earnest re-examination of 1989 through the perspective of works of visual art created in both countries. These works of art touch upon all aspects of 1989: its cultural movements, social life, natural landscape and relationship to time. We revisit these works chronologically in the context of that calendar year. From the first of January until the thirty-first of December, month by month, day by day, 1989 once again unfolds before us, recollected through 365 days of art.
Both China and Germany had formed an important political link with the year 1949. In 2009, both countries commemorated the 60th anniversary of their founding. In 1989, by very different twists of fate, the two countries encountered their own political turns, yet inconceivably they echoed with each other. This book reflects these links–visuals chosen every two days were placed on facing pages, showing a dialogue between artworks from the two countries.
This book has surveyed and included documentation from many people –many artists, many writers. Each piece of work, with its own individual concept and hidden message, is joined to give a panorama of 1989–continuous at one point while disconnected at the other. This is an unknown venture, for they may become the ones that depict history through a new angle, taken as a standard to subvert political authority. They were not expected, but they open the door that was once shut tightly. Through the presentation of this book, people (especially those in China) are finally able to look at, to speak of, to make a comment on the year of “1989.”
Nearly 200 artists, photographers and writers from China and Germany participated in this book. It contains some 365 significant works of art and photography–all created in 1989. There are also 24 photographs documenting the history of China and Germany from 1949 to 2009. By constructing a clear chronological structure, this surfeit of artistic material takes on unique meaning. It reflects not only the profound changes of that year, but also its grand artistic works.
There is a short video presentation by Huang Rui. (Mandarin with English subtitles.)
The gallery will open late for viewing on Thursday (28th Jan) until 8pm with refreshments.
1989 - 365 Art Days in China and Germany
530 pages, 401 Black and White and Color photos
Chief Editor: Huang Rui
Contributions of Huang Rui, Gu Zheng, Bérénice Angremy, Geremie Barmé, Michael Kahn-Ackermann, Tilman Spengler and Christoph Tannert
Production and design: Thinking Hands
Support of the Foreign Affairs Office of Germany and Deng Xihong
