Yan Lei: Sparkling (Upgraded)
July 26 – October 11, 2009
Feng Mengbo: Restart
July 26 – August 30, 2009
Shi Zhiying: From the Pacific Ocean to the High Seas
July 26 – August 30, 2009
798 Art District, No.4 Jiuxianqiao Lu
Chaoyang District
Beijing P.R.China, 100015
July 25, 2009, Beijing — This summer, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) will present three solo exhibitions, Yan Lei: Sparkling (Upgraded), Feng Mengbo: Restart and Shi Zhiying: From the Pacific Ocean to the High Seas. The exhibits will be open to the public starting July 26. In addition to these exhibitions, the Yan Pei-Ming: Landscape of Childhood, which opened in June, will continue to be on display during this period.
The keywords to describe the three upcoming exhibitions are “restart”, “upgrade” and “repetition” respectively. In this sense, the individual exhibitions are connected to each other as the artists pursue their own self exploration, through the development of artistic themes and language. The exhibition space is laid out as an immersive environment, where the floors and ceilings of the halls are filled as part of the exhibit, as well as the space beside the walls. As you walk through the exhibition, it is just as if you are walking through the artists mind. Accompanied to Restart is an audio guide powered by an Apple iPod touch, which is the first time this has been done in China before. The audio guide is intended to improve the communication between the artist and audience to provide a more intimate understanding. “Devoted to be the dialogue platform for China and international Contemporary art, the new summer exhibitions continue the independent, original curatorial spirit of UCCA, and show our long-term determination and mission in promoting Chinese Contemporary art” says Jérôme Sans, UCCA director.
Yan Lei: Sparkling (Upgraded) continues Yan’s ongoing exploration of representation, power, and the medium of painting. The artist displays the theme “upgrade” through multi-dimensional elements. Walking atop a glittering floor, visitors will find the exhibition hall transformed, its walls covered with artist-designed wallpaper. Pictures hang throughout the space, documenting the luminaries of the Chinese art scene, inspired in part by Jérôme Sans’ Polaroid photographs. The show addresses issues of art, value, and celebrity status from a playful and knowing perspective, amongst a dazzling environment.
Feng Menbo: Restart is an exhibition that realizes one of the artists’ dreams. Feng stated that a previous set of paintings, which was finished in 1994, Game Over: Long March, was a draft of his future video game software. Constrained by the technology of that time, the draft is now complete. Players will move up and down the darkened space of the UCCA, and engage in various battles and challenges through a complex system of sensors and digital projections. The culmination of 15 years of Feng Mengbo’s practice, this customized video game speaks to China’s recent history as well as its contemporary conditions.
Shi Zhiying: From the Pacific Ocean to the High Seas is the first solo exhibition of this young artist, recommended by Yan Pei-Ming for UCCA’s Curated by… project. Yan is also the curator for this show, which includes paintings and videos created in an expressionist style, presenting the audience with a vivid and moving image of the ocean, as well as the artists own perspective of observing and experiencing the world.
Artists’ talks and workshops will be organized accompanying the exhibitions to provide face-to-face opportunities for the public to communicate with the artists, and to learn more about the stories behind the scenes. Please visit the UCCA website www.ucca.org.cn for more details and updates.
Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) is a non profit, comprehensive art center founded in Beijing by collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens in November 2007. UCCA presents exhibitions of established and emerging artists and develops a trusted platform to share knowledge through education and research.
