Arrow Factory is pleased to announce the Shanghai-based Museum of Unknown’s latest undertaking—Decor—interactive work that addresses questions of value in art. Setting up Arrow Factory’s space as a provisional lending library, the project invites members of the public to borrow artworks on a temporary basis according to conditions set out by each artist. Following the rental period, material and photo records will be collected and edited together to document the process and illustrate different ways in which audiences perceive notions of value and the designations of ‘decoration’ and ‘art’.
On its surface, Decor appears as a semi-conventional painting exhibition: works are hung salon-style on three walls with a gallery associate perched at a desk nearby. However the real issues Decor confronts rest upon the fact that that each work is available “for rent” to members of the public and is accompanied by an individually crafted lending agreement designed to fulfill this purpose. Various conditions set out in the agreement—from the amount of cash deposit to stipulations pertaining to the identity, age or nationality of the borrowing party—unwittingly reveal discrepancies in how a given work’s value is perceived, both by its maker and the potential borrower. Additionally, the very act of drafting such a contract is an invaluable lesson towards contemplating complex notions of worth. As artists grapple with questions of who their audience might be, audiences appraises for themselves the role and function of art in their daily lives. Visitors may ask: why take this painting home? Or, why go through the trouble to borrow something that will just hang on my wall? And we in the art field might as easily ask: Is art in any way diminished by its place in the home? Or, can it prove beneficial in adding meaning to our surroundings? Decor seeks to address not only the highly subjective nature of value and aesthetic judgment, but also the sharp disparity between art exhibited in public space versus the art that adorns the walls of our private domain.
Since its inception, Shanghai-based artist group the Museum of Unknown has staged installations and interactive projects designed to probe fundamental questions pertaining to the making and reception of contemporary art. Focused on exploring the ontology of art, their work seeks to actively reflect upon how the role of the museum, institutions of knowledge and discourse can affect our perceptions towards art.
Participating artists:
Tang Dixin, Zhang Yunyao, Li Shenghua, Xiao Jiang, Xu Xiaoguo, Liu Yiqing, Wu Ding, Liao Fei, Chen Yongwei, He Yida, Su Chang, Zhang Ning, Zheng Huan, Zhu Ye, Qiu Anxiong, Wu Xiaohang, Xu Jiangyue, Shi Gaoqing, Chen Liangjie, Lore Van Elslande
