Positions of Chinese contemporary art and western building traditions will cover the baroque spaces of the former Cistercian monastery of St. Urban starting this June 12th. With “The Crocodile in the Pond”, curator Alexandra Grimmer introduces a radically new mind-set and proves primarily one thing with the works of 11 artists from ShanghART Gallery: This young generation does not want to fit into a certain image or an aesthetic school anymore.
Similar to the metaphor of the crocodile that is put in the pond and lies inert and motionless but still makes fish swim faster, the art scene in China has changed. Chinese contemporary art does not hide behind role models and masters anymore. A new mind-set has found its way into the studios and thereby into art production. A mentality in which artists no longer define themselves as Bohemian, but rather as innovators and successful think tanks for society. They have something to say and they say it loud and clear. They use technologic innovations of the 21st century, comment on social conventions with a twinkle in their eyes, and they work fearless in vast dimensions.
In this way a new sense of self-confidence has been established, one that is reflected in the contemporary art production and is all but compliant: adaptation would be the complete opposite of this attitude.
About the exhibition
Curator: Alexandra Grimmer
Date: June 13 – June 26, 2016
Venue: Museum Art St. Urban
Address: Weierweq 2, 4915 St Urban, Luzern, Switzerland
Artists: BirdHead, Chen Xiaoyun, Han Feng, Jiang Pengyi, Lu Lei, MadeIn, Shao Yi, Shi Yong, Sun Xun, Yang Zhenzhong, Zhang Ding
Courtesy of the artists and ShanghART Gallery, for further information please visit www.shanghartgallery.com.
