Long March Space presents a solo presentation of works by artist Guo Fengyi, the first solo exhibition of the artist since her passing away in 2010. The third solo exhibition of the artist at the gallery, this eponymous show brings together over 30 works on paper (most have never been publicly exhibited before) into a comprehensive and focused showcase of her immense oeuvre.
Guo Fengyi (1942-2010, Xi'an, China) is a self-trained artist whose practice commenced in 1989. Since retiring in 1984 because of health reasons, Guo began practicing Qigong (a traditional Chinese physical exercise that cultivates the energy within the body, historically related to both Daoism and Buddhism.) as a way to alleviate illness. Accompanying her ever-deepening study into the philosophies of mysticism, she began having powerful visions that she felt compelled to give form to through the act of drawing, as a way to adjust the balance between her mind and body. Through her practice on Qigong and her study of the important divination text Yiching (Book of Changes), she was inspired to begin a two-decade quest on the various knowledge systems in Chinese traditional culture. Her works inquire into the meaning of life, nature and the universe.
Guo Fengyi’s visual language and her unique way to comprehend and experience the world cannot be concluded or defined with any singular terminology such as “Folk art” or “Art Brut”. Bringing her work into the context of contemporary art offers a new perspective into the stagnant system that the art world operates, from how art is taught in academies, how art is practiced in studios, to how art is shown in institutions.
Guo Fengyi is one of two Chinese artists featured in Massimiliano Gioni’s “The Encyclopedic Palace” (2013), Venice Biennale. Her work can also be seen this year at “Alternative Guide to the Universe”, Hayward Gallery, London, as well as the upcoming 2013 Carnegie International, Pittsburg, USA. Guo Fengyi first marched into the contemporary art world in “The Long March - A Walking Visual Display” (2002), where she produced site specific works at Lugu Lake, Yunnan Province, China in collaboration with American artist Judy Chicago. Her work continues to captivate audiences throughout the world and has been exhibited at the 2005 Biennale of Contemporary Art, Prague, Czech Republic; the 2005 Yokohama Triennial, Yokohama, Japan; the 2006 Taipei Biennale, Taipei, China Taiwan and the 2010 Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Korea; as well as part of several important international museum group exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyon, France, Kunsthaus Graz, Austria and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan. Guo Fengyi has held solo exhibitions at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand (2009) and Contemporary Art Gallery (CAG), Vancouver, Canada (2012).
Image: © Guo Fengyi, Long March Space
