With concept playing a dominant role in contemporary art, material is often considered as secondary, or just as a vehicle of expressing ideas. The physical aspect can even be overlooked when the ultimate conceptual ideal is realized. An unusual amount of importance and emphasis is given to “materials” in the works presented in Materialism. This does not imply that conceptual elements are lacking in these works but rather, they emerge or are even nurtured during the course of exploration of the medium.

Participating artists: Guo Zilong, Hu Qingyan, Li Gang, Li Jinguo, Pan Kai and Song Jianshu

Image: © Pan Kai, Red Gate Gallery