“Clouds”
- Paul Hsiao
After 18 years, Soka Art Center will relocate to “798 Art Zone” in Beijing in April 2010. To commemorate this event we have invited 31 international contemporary artists to take part in “Clouds,” (雲端) an opening exhibition with a distinctly international feel, encompassing 8 countries in the Asia Pacific region, artists with different nationalities, artistic philosophies and creative ideas. With its passion for developments in the world of contemporary art, Soka Art Center showcases the great diversity of work shown by the gallery with some of the best works in the genre today.
The exhibition name “Clouds,” (雲端) comes from the popular concept of “Cloud Computing.” This idea is based on a combination of “networks” and “servers” that rely on computer technology developed over the Internet that on first hearing can seem poetically obscurantist or highly technological. In the digital age, in a world of virtual identities and digital interfaces, the line between real and unreal has become increasingly blurred, with only those things that are important to the individual being real. Since it was first established in 1992, Soka Art Center has curated a wide range of culturally diverse and multi-layered exhibitions that have attracted the gallery much attention for its great openness and autonomy. In an era that has seen the rapid development of computer technology and the dramatic shrinking of information, the content and form of art has also diversified. Today much computer hardware and software is out of date almost as soon as it goes on sale and very quickly replaced by an upgraded version. In the same way, many new artists disappear never to be heard from again after just a few years. With rapid changes in art types and consumer values what we have very much come to appreciate is that good artists and quality art showcase changes in different era, through the imagery, aesthetics, philosophy, culture, emotions or historical values that underpin the work.
The rapid and vibrant development of Asian economies, the expansion of globalization and connectivity to the outside world has ensured that “clouds” have long been integral part of our lives. Soka’s opening exhibition takes this view as its starting point, with artists invited to reinterpret various contemporary phenomenon. The question here is how best to use art, galleries and artists to achieve provide enhanced artistic and cultural content and professional collection related information. By infusing daily objects with art, artists can take new and novel ideas and a refined sense of aesthetics and make them an integral part of daily life for everyone. It is exactly by making art an important part of everyday life and therefore more relevant that the intrinsic spirit of contemporary art can be best conveyed and thereby challenge and change the way in which we live.
Soka Art Center invited Victoria Lu to curate the opening exhibition and 31 participating artists from across Asia, including; Fang Lijun, Wang Guangyi, Ai Weiwei, Li Hui, Zhou Chunya, Hong Ling, Zhan Wang, Zhang Xiaogang, Chen Zhen, Zeng Fanzhi, Sui Jianguo, Yang Jianping, Liu Ye, Cai Guoqiang, Yan Peiming from China; Lin Chien-jung and Yang Mao-lin from Taiwan; Odani Motohiko, Kato Izumi, Takashi Murakami, Nara Yoshitomo and Yayoi Kusama from Japan; Jitish Kallat, Sunil Gawde and Subodh Gupta from India; Budi Kustarto, Agus Suwage and Handiwirman Saputra from Indonesia; Gabriel Barredo from the Philippines, Natee Utarit from Thailand and Park Seo-bo from South Korea.
Soka Art Center Beijing’s new address in the 798 Art Zone is a Bauhaus style factory building with a zig zag shaped roof that is 8.6 meter high and has 1000m2 of space. The new address has a long history and Soka decided to retain the original building structure and external appearance to highlight the old style and flavor of the place. The exhibition space also attaches great importance to openness in the hope of providing a display area that is both more alive and diverse and as such able to fulfill a wider range of future needs. The question is what sort of visual impact is created when contemporary art encounters historical artifacts? The “Clouds” exhibition offers an experiences that focuses on home but also embraces things international,” forcing us to reflect on the future possibilities that await contemporary art and infusing 798 Art Zone with a powerful survivalist spirit.
