Chinese Art in the Age of Globalization
- "Global Painting: A New Generation of Chinese Artists" in ItalymartThe museum was successfully opened
"Global Painting".Exhibition poster
On December 6, 2023, the opening ceremony of "Global Painting: A New Generation of Chinese Artists" was held in the academic lecture hall of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MART) in Trento and Rovereto, Italy. This exhibition features 106 paintings by 24 young artists from China who were born after their birth. The opening of the exhibition was presided over by Vittorio Sgarbi, director of the MART Museum, a well-known Italian art theorist and Italian Deputy Minister of Culture. Hundreds of visitors and academic experts from Milan, Rome and Venice in Italy, as well as from other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic, attended the opening of the exhibition.
martExterior view of the museum
martOverlooking the Art Museum Square
Vittorio Sgarbi, Director of the Mart Art Museum, presided over the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Sgarbi said that the younger generation of Chinese artists, free from geographical constraints, has allowed him to see a freer, more authentic and pluralistic artistic creationIn the face of the large number of Western audiences at the opening ceremony, Lu Peng, the Chinese curator of this exhibition, said that he chose 24 young Chinese artists this time, hoping to use their works to let Italian and even European audiences see the latest changes in China. As an art historian, Mr. Lu Peng is well aware of the European audience's understanding of Chinese contemporary art in the past decades, but in the face of the latest changes, Western audiences and academics are still unfamiliar. Therefore, this exhibition is not only a relatively large-scale exhibition organized by Chinese artists overseas after the epidemic, but also a concentrated presentation of the development of the history of Chinese contemporary painting art on the world art stagePaolo de Grandis, the Italian curator of this exhibition, said that he was very pleased to be able to introduce the works of young Chinese artists to the MART Museum, which was founded in 1987 and is a very unique art museum with an important influence in Italy. Here, the avant-garde and tradition coexist: from Futurism to the Italian New Century, from poor art to ultra-avant-garde art, and even the latest art research, such as the group exhibition of Chinese youth paintings, and the Dürer exhibition that opened at the same time, are the direction of the museum's research. He hopes that the creations of these young Chinese artists can let the world know about the latest changes in Chinese art.
The two curators of the exhibition, Lu Peng and Paolo de Grandis
We know that Italy, and the Venice Biennale in particular, is an extremely crucial window for Chinese contemporary art to go global. In 1993, the "Oriental Road" curated by the Italian curator Oliva gave the world a basic understanding of Chinese contemporary art, and some important Chinese artists such as Fang Lijun, Wang Guangyi, Xu Bing, and Ding Yi were gradually recognized by the world and China after this exhibition, which opened the door of Chinese contemporary art to the world and was a collective breakthrough for Chinese artists. Thirty years later, a group of equally young Chinese contemporary painting artists came to Italy again to show their thinking about the times and the diverse and rich reality of China with their works at the MART Museum. This is very important to expand the multi-layered understanding of China in the Western world. Because at present, due to the ** war, the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the relationship between geography and different religious civilizations has become more and more tense, and the globalization tendency shown by the youngest generation of contemporary painting in China is to continue to move towards integration and civilization reconciliation!
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held in MARTHeld in the Academic Lecture Hall of the Art Museum
Just like the title of the exhibition, "Global Painting", another focus of this exhibition is to highlight the "global" characteristics of contemporary youth painting. Due to the development of the global economy, information technology, and transportation, Chinese artists born in these years naturally have an international vision. As a result, the images created by these young people naturally present a global stance and attitude, which stems from the cultural intermingling brought about by the globalization movement and the continuous overlapping of pictorial experiences. Of course, the nature of globalization and the differences of individual spirits coexist, and the cultural DNA of individuality and aesthetic display is greatly strengthenedMoreover, the immediate, immediate, physical feelings and experiences are also at the core of the attention of this generation of young artistsTheir dynamism is also evident through the active co-construction of urban life and everyday experiences, responding to the changes in the real world through authentic and sensitive intuition.
martThe director of the art museum, the dean of the Academy of Fine Arts of Turin, and the two curators of the exhibition exchanged views on the spot
These new painting phenomena are difficult to divide by style or genre, and the classification and formal positioning of these young people has lost its meaning. With the disappearance of regionality, the problems faced by these painters are no longer limited to specific countries and regions, but the integration and evolution of globalization and localityThese artists, who are classified as global paintings, have also benefited from the rapid and unavoidable development of globalization and the market economy. They observe the changing world and emphasize the dynamism of the language of painting, taking into account both image and language, concept and expression. In this multicultural context, each person creates a new historical resonance by showing the most authentic personality, and their works represent the diversity and openness of artistic development in the era of globalization, presenting the unique insights and expressions of the new generation of artists on globalization, technology, and multiculturalism.
The exhibition officially opened to the public on December 7 and will last until April 14, 2024. After the exhibition at the MART Museum in Italy, the exhibition will also travel to other museums in Europe and the United StatesThis will be an important exchange and collision between the world for the new generation of Chinese painting, and we believe that it will bring new artistic ripples to ourselves and the world
Vittorio Sgarbi, Director of the Mart Museum and Deputy Minister of Culture of Italy, with some members of the curatorial team.
Exhibition Name:Global Painting: A New Generation of Chinese Artists.
global painting——la nuova pittura in cina
Exhibition Organizer:
mart - museum of modern and contemporary art of trento and rovereto
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Trento and Rovereto, Italy).
Museum of Contemporary Art, Yinchuan.
Curator:
Lü Peng, Paolo de Grandis
Curatorial Execution:
Carlotta Scarpa, Li Guohua.
Exhibition Team:
Manuela Schi**ano, You Yi, Feng Rui, Cheshire, Zhang Yun, Wang Xiaorong, Huang Yachen, Miko
Exhibition Hours:
December 7, 2023 - April 14, 2024.
Exhibition Venue:
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Trento and Rovereto, Italy).
Participating artists (by initials):
Bi Jianye, Chen Xuanrong, Chi Ming, Feng Zhijia, Fu Meijun, Ge Hui, Ge Yan, Huang Qiyou, Lin Wen, Liu Yuanyuan, Meng Site, Meng Xiaoyang, Meng Yangyang, Qi Wenwen, Qiao Xiangwei, Shen Muyang, Tang Dayao, Wang Yilong, Wu Qian, Xiong Tao, Xu Dawei, Zhai Liang, Zhang Zhaoying, Zheng Mengqiang.
Opening view of the Global New Painting Exhibition (Gallery).
Exhibition view
How to understand "globalization" and Chinese artists
-- "Global Painting" Exhibition Roundtable Forum
Poster of the Roundtable Forum
On December 7, 2023, the "Global Painting: A New Generation of Chinese Artists" Roundtable Forum was held in the academic conference room of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MART) in Trento and Rovereto, ItalyThe roundtable forum invited academic experts, art managers and artists from all over Italy to participate, and three artist representatives from China participated in the exhibition, together with the curator and executive curator of the exhibition. The roundtable forum was moderated by Andrea del Gurciu, professor at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Brera, Italy. During the conference, Chinese curators and artists introduced their works and the background of the exhibition, and foreign experts also gave their academic opinions on the issue of globalization and their views on the Chinese artists in this exhibition. Among them, Silvio Cattani, Vice President of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Trento, Italy, also attended the meeting.
The following is a summary of the speeches made by the experts at this academic forum, and more detailed reports will be published in later reports.
andrea del guercio(Director of the History of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Brera, a well-known historian).
I firmly believe that the gap between the East and the West needs to be dissolved, and the regionality of globalization is a negative understanding of globalization under Western ideology, and when it comes to globalization, it will talk about global warming and social problems. In the 16th century Renaissance, part of Western painting was about oriental aesthetics, images, and symbols. The art market is very active in the global context, and the art economy is not only a very important part of the exhibition, but also a very important part of the world, and there are a large number of collectors in China.
Lv Peng (Curator).
The paintings on display in this exhibition can be seen as part of the most dynamic new Chinese painting in recent years. The curators selected works from young artists born in the 80s and 90s who show a distinctly personal perspective on images and narratives of experience. No modern painting or genre language can summarize their particularity and the richness of form, just like what we feel in the wave of globalization today: the resources of imagination and history jointly promote the change of the form of human civilization, and those images and symbols used by artists, those visual resources from experience and society, from different countries and regions, from history and today, are reduced and reorganized by artists into a new image world, which is the remnant of the old world, but also the germination of the new world; They are the problem of art, but also the emergence of new art;They come from the pictorial history of civilization, but also from the visual drama filtered by the heart. Unlike purely abstract games, the works in the exhibition give a question of reality, the individual, the world and humanity.
Li Guohua (Executive Curator).
Unlike Europe and the United States, "globalization" is a relatively progressive concept in China compared to regional art. China's regional art has produced many good artistic phenomena and artists more than ten or twenty years ago. But in recent years, it has become synonymous with conservatism and backwardness. This is because for the later generation of painters in China, the circumstances surrounding their lives have changed. For them, the most important words are: globalization, marketization, diversification, and technology. And, more concerned with their own lives, those immediate, present, physical feelings and experiences than the previous generation's deep interest in politics. The macro is no longer the main direction of their thinking, and the real feelings and judgments of individuals are the subjects they want to express.
Qiao Xiangwei (Participating Artist).
I was born in Xi'an in 1993, which is an ancient city with a history of nearly 1,000 years, just like Florence in Italy, but it is also living in this ancient city that has left the mark of this city in my upbringing. These imprints can also be seen in my paintings, such as the work "Where I Lived" in this exhibition, the intertwined red tasseled guns in the picture, the stacks of books piled up, the school gate and the most commonly painted plaster statue of David, the most commonly painted in Xi painting, the presentation and placement of these objects is a method I often use in my paintings, sometimes I feel more like a director, arranging those objects and people that can reflect things in the right corner or any place. I think this is the most important point for me to judge a painter, to create something related to my own life, whether it is coerced by life or exiled, we will have emotions when we experience it with our hearts, and this emotion is the biggest motivation to support me to complete my work, if the emotion disappears, then the reason for creation is gone, and it is also the ......end of a work
Zhang Zhaoying (Participating Artist).
I am not only an artist, but also a faculty member at a university. Here, the emphasis is on the experience of different cultures because of the important influence it has had on my artistic practice. Taking the city where I grew up as an example, Guangzhou, as an important city where Chinese and Western cultures meet, has a complex and diverse business history and Western culture that has long infiltrated all aspects of the city, and the mixing of various cultures is an unavoidable reality for individuals. Therefore, we should not underestimate our own response to the environment, and in this context, art alone can express and transform this "situation" that you are facing. Therefore, in my artistic creation, I will arrange classic images and scenes from Western art history into my paintings through methods such as borrowing, moving, and deconstructing......
Meng Yangyang (Participating Artist).
As a generation born in China, in today's global context, when information and energy are constantly intertwined and more complex, the structure of our artistic creation must be diverse and open. The cultural mix brought about by the globalization movement has become a part of our daily lives. How to use these resources to reconstruct and create our own art is a topic faced by our generation of artists. My paintings focus on the human figure and the body, as well as the emotional depiction of space and scenes. I usually explore myself through my creations, exploring the mysteries of the human spirit and emotions with an understanding of traditional culture, aesthetics, religion and philosophy. These works do not come from realistic images, but by letting one's imagination depict characters, breaking the shackles of time, identity, and geography to construct an ideal and free world. Perhaps this is also a naïve and beautiful understanding of "globalization".
elena pontiggia(Italian art historian and art critic).
There is a very important key point in the work of Chinese artists - narrative (time, history, scenes, characters...).In modern terms, narrative is like writing a **, and the artist needs to keep narrating, constantly elaborating, and constantly expressing.
alberto mugnaini(Art historian, artist).
Globalization, especially in the present, is a concept of urbanization, where cultures are constantly blending and clashing, and all art forms are a complex environment that has changed the way artists look at the world
riccardo de angelis tommasi(Art administrator, historical researcher).
Oriental painting has always been in an active state, especially in the context of the long history of traditional Chinese ink painting, painting can effectively connect with the world, in fact, the most important core is the spirituality of Chinese culture. In fact, the artists in this exhibition have a lot of connections with traditional Chinese culture.
marina pizziolo(Art Consultant, Art Historian, Critic).
The global art market economy is not only a tool for exchanging goods, but also a dialogue between artists and human beings. China is very huge, and every exhibition represents an excavation, and we should encourage more exhibitions in China to bring China abroad and foreign countries to China.
antonio levolella(Italian sculptor artist).
When I visited China twice, I found that Chinese artists are deeply thinking about social issues, and it is a very, very gratifying and joyful phenomenon that young artists can express their inner world very strongly.
roberto codroico(Architectural historian, art historian).
The global cultural export is not a conflict, but a fusion. In the context of Western art history, painting tends to be more of a static state, and the works of Chinese artists in this exhibition are very powerful, shouting!
In particular, some experts expressed different views on the positive effects of "globalization" during the meeting. In Italy, including in Europe, many regional cultures have been well preserved in the process of globalization, which has made the artistic situation in Europe rich and diverse. Of course, the starting point of such a comment is based on the social background of the cultural development of Italy and Europe, and for Chinese artists, the impact of the process of globalization on their creation is much more complicated. It is true that the process of globalization has weakened the characteristics of China's regional art, but on the other hand, it has also given these young Chinese artists a more open and free creative context, so that they can show their artistic charm on a higher and broader platform!Moreover, in the special context of China, only by adhering to the general direction of "globalization" can we maintain the vitality and future of contemporary artBased on this reality in China, this "Global Painting" starts with contemporary painting and re-shows Chinese art to the world today.
Group photo of the roundtable forum.
Exhibition Name:Global Painting: A New Generation of Chinese Artists.
global painting——la nuova pittura in cina
Exhibition Organizer:
mart - museum of modern and contemporary art of trento and rovereto
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Trento and Rovereto, Italy).
Museum of Contemporary Art, Yinchuan.
Curator:
Lü Peng, Paolo de Grandis
Curatorial Execution:
Carlotta Scarpa, Li Guohua.
Exhibition Team:
Manuela Schi**ano, You Yi, Feng Rui, Cheshire, Zhang Yun, Wang Xiaorong, Huang Yachen, Miko
Exhibition Hours:
December 7, 2023 - April 14, 2024.
Exhibition Venue:
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Trento and Rovereto, Italy).
Participating artists (by initials):
Bi Jianye, Chen Xuanrong, Chi Ming, Feng Zhijia, Fu Meijun, Ge Hui, Ge Yan, Huang Qiyou, Lin Wen, Liu Yuanyuan, Meng Site, Meng Xiaoyang, Meng Yangyang, Qi Wenwen, Qiao Xiangwei, Shen Muyang, Tang Dayao, Wang Yilong, Wu Qian, Xiong Tao, Xu Dawei, Zhai Liang, Zhang Zhaoying, Zheng Mengqiang.