By Gu Zhenqing, curator
"Essence refers to the origin of spiritual homeland for mankind. It means the original homeland that people from different nations and religious who have struggled to find, a land that is removed from their own cultural traditions and subjectivity, What the "essence" seeks out is not just a cultural homeland for a people or a nation marked by cultural identifiers, but the kind of unfading spiritual wellspring that was opened up by the religious and philosophical traditions of the " Axial Age" of ancient civilization. Under the conditions of globalization, modernization and urbanization, China, like other developing nations, in facing the various new leaps and crises brought about by a period of social transition. This has often led people to return to the spiritual foundation that was constructed by ancient philosophical systems of thought, and upon which mankind has long relied for survival. "Essence" is a longing look back on human spiritual geniuses from a society flooded with material desire. The essential experience of Chinese modern and contemporary artists is a continuation and generation of conscious spiritual transformation born out of Chinese cultural traditions, as well as a contemporary aesthetic mode marked by logical progression and active innovation. On the new multicultural stage shared by international society, Chinese contemporary writers and artists are producing a human experience unique to development nations, one which forms their responsibilities and contributions to national culture and global society as individuals. " Essence" is the open spiritual concern that has been maintained by Chinese contemporary artists who possess profound imagination and creativity, one which carries the great dream of a renaissance in Chinese culture that forward-thinking and conscientious Chinese people have dreamt for a century.
Exhibition of contemporary art by Chinese artists, curated by Gu Zhenqing.
"Essence refers to the origin of spiritual homeland for mankind. It means the original homeland that people from different nations and religious who have struggled to find, a land that is removed from their own cultural traditions and subjectivity, What the "essence" seeks out is not just a cultural homeland for a people or a nation marked by cultural identifiers, but the kind of unfading spiritual wellspring that was opened up by the religious and philosophical traditions of the " Axial Age" of ancient civilization. Under the conditions of globalization, modernization and urbanization, China, like other developing nations, in facing the various new leaps and crises brought about by a period of social transition. This has often led people to return to the spiritual foundation that was constructed by ancient philosophical systems of thought, and upon which mankind has long relied for survival. "Essence" is a longing look back on human spiritual geniuses from a society flooded with material desire. The essential experience of Chinese modern and contemporary artists is a continuation and generation of conscious spiritual transformation born out of Chinese cultural traditions, as well as a contemporary aesthetic mode marked by logical progression and active innovation. On the new multicultural stage shared by international society, Chinese contemporary writers and artists are producing a human experience unique to development nations, one which forms their responsibilities and contributions to national culture and global society as individuals. " Essence" is the open spiritual concern that has been maintained by Chinese contemporary artists who possess profound imagination and creativity, one which carries the great dream of a renaissance in Chinese culture that forward-thinking and conscientious Chinese people have dreamt for a century.
Exhibition of contemporary art by Chinese artists, curated by Gu Zhenqing.
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SUN YUAN PENG - "IF YOU SEEING IS NOT AN OPTION" 30 min video / loop |
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GUAN WEI - " WAR ON PAPER" 2003 - 2014 video 5 min |
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CHEN WEINONG - " A BOUNDLESS VIEW" 2010 video 30 min / loop |