Leo Xu Projects will be featuring the newest series of photographs by Beijing-based Chen Wei. One of the most representative and internationally active figures of young Chinese artists, Chen Wei (b. 1980 in Zhejiang) produces work that captures young Chinese’ responses to the current social climate and conflicts between global and local cultures. Subjects of his cinematically staged photographs include dreamscapes, unlikely moments in everyday life, historical residues and cultural memories.

Over the past couple of years, Chen has focused on youth cultures that revolve around dance clubs and music. This new series depicts young Chinese that take clubs as shelters and emotional outlets, and end up into a trance on dance floor. The moment of being entranced reveals the state of mind of this generation of Chinese amidst the transforming cultures shaped by new media and new policies. Chen will present at the booth a body of large-scale photos, which portray the dance clubs and the interiors as a specific type of architecture. Also on view will be a group of color photos that document the choreographed dance by a gang of youngsters. There has long been a kinship between the HK Pop and youth cultures from Mainland China. This presentation provides a rare chance to revisit this history.

Chen Wei’s works have been featured in numerous significant exhibitions at prestigious institutions and biennales, among others, “ON | OFF: China’s Young Artists in Concept and Practice”, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing (2012), Seoul International Photography Festival, Seoul (2009), “Yi Pai–Century Thinking”, Today Art Museum, Beijing (2009), Guangzhou Photo Biennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou (2009), Mediations Biennale, Poznan (2008), Seoul International Media Art Biennale, Seoul (2006). His recent solo exhibitions include “More”, Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai (2012), “Rain in Some Areas”, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich (2012), “Tight Rope”, Yokohama Creative City Center, Yokohama (2011). In 2011, he was awarded the 1st Asia Pacific Photography Prize at ShContemporary in Shanghai.

Chen Wei lives and works in Beijing.

Image: © Chen Wei, Leo Xu Projects