Liu Jianhua, Untitled 2012 02, 2012; porcelain

Following his preview two solo exhibitions at Beijing Commune, installation artist Li Jianhua is examining a deeper exploration into the thematic overlap of contemporary art and the traditional Chinese spirit through his new solo exhibition at Pace Beijing, unveiling a new aesthetic that drifts away from the prevailing popular value system in the country.

Beginning in 2008, Liu Jianhua started to shift the theoretical focus of his artistic creation away from sociological interpretations and towards the development of his ownunique conception of what he refers to as “quiet aesthetics.” In his recent work, the artist avoids the distracting noise of a superficial reality, watching calmly and rethinking thoroughly his view ofsociety, the cultural environment and the human spirit from a distance.

This exhibition will include two new sets of Liu Jianhua’s recent work, Behind the Lines and Elegancy and Danger, Your Visual Experience. The works feature a daring materiality designed to deliver a new visual experience to the audience. Through these innovations in materials, the artist seeks to elicit a different interpretation from viewers than what is the customary response to other installation work. In Behind the Lines, Yingqing (Shadow Blue) antique dishes and Qinghua (Blue and White) porcelain are intentionallymixed together to create subtle nuances, implyingthe possibility of an objective judgment and recognition gained from daily observation. Our everyday perception has been skillfully transformed into a philosophical inquiry, with sculptural functionality serving as epistemological metaphor.

Liu Jianhua, Untitled 2012, 2012; porcelain

Elegancy and Danger, Your Visual Experiences presents a constant feeling deeply woven into people’s daily life. This piece utilizes iron wires as its medium, reappropriating these mundane connective tools by elevating their utility from the anonymous materials of mass production to the precious status of rarefied art objects. Iron wires have been transformed and expanded from a kind of relatively violent material into a clearing where elegance and danger co-exist, opening a new perspective and the possibility of refreshed analysis and judgment.

Liu Jianhua, 1.2 meters, 2012; iron

The era of information overload also poses the threat of cultural homogenization. In response to the pervasive current psychological state of people, trapped in an unthinking addiction to rapid development and technological innovation, Liu Jianhua tries to awaken a traditional spirit through his artistic creation. He provides a kind of reflection and introspection that is independent of any popular value and interest, a re-interpretation of individuality and spirituality in contemporary times.

Liu Jianhua, 1.2 meters 02, 2012; iron

Liu Jianhua was born in 1962 in Jiangxi Province, China. He currently lives and works in Shanghai, China. He has shown and gained popularity both locally and internationally, including exhibitions such as Silent Anomalies, Art & Public Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland (2012); Screaming Wall, UCCA, Beijing, China (2011); Liu Jianhua: Horizon, Beijing Commune, Beijing, China (2009) and Dream in Conflict, Galleria Continua Gallery, San Gimignano, Italy (2008). Group exhibitions include ARSENALE 2012: The 1st Kiev Biennale of Contemporary Art, Kiev, Ukraine (2012); The 2nd Beijing Voice: Leaving Realism Behind in Pace Beijing, Beijing, China (2011); The 14th International Sculpture Biennale of Carrara, Carrara, Italy (2010), as well as New World Order: Present-Day Installation Art and Photography in the Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands (2008).

About the exhibition

Duration: 26 July - 1 September 2012

Venue: Pace Beijing

Opening reception: 26 July, 16:30-18:30

Courtesy of Liu Jianhua and Pace Beijing, for more information please contact pr@pacebeijing.com or call at+861059789781.