On October 20th, 2017, the press conference of “The Unknown Future – Hebei International Visual Art Experimental Exhibition” was held in the auditorium of the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. Niu Heyin, Founder of Herbal Heaven and Director of NIU Art Space, Cang Xin, Curator and Academic Director, Fu Lei, Curator?and?Exhibition?Planner, Cao Kai, a representative of the Academic Committee, participating artists Zhang Xiaotao and Guan Wei attended the press conference.

Zhang Zikang, Director of CAFA Art Museum, serves as the Art Director of the exhibition, which is jointly curated by the famous contemporary artist Cang Xin who serves as Academic Director, and the artist Fu Lei. A special invitation was offered to influential critics and curators in China to form an academic committee. At the press conference, it announced the members of the curatorial team, academic committee and participating artists.

Cang Xin, Curator and Academic Director introduced the event stating: “This exhibition was originally initiated by Niu Heyin and Fu Lei, and it is the result of the constructive or independent thinking of the entire region and environment. This exhibition holds a position and attitude that is independent & free thinking, as well as disinterested, or without any additional ideology. Emphasizing the individual, and the individual is constructive, which is an attitude, a position.”

In summary, when the contemporary art develops today, the attribute and boundary of new media art can be comparable to artificial intelligence. With digital technology as the foundation, the artists of new media art have transformed the resources in the fields of history, culture, philosophy, and technology etc. Within the memory of mankind into contemporary artworks, giving people the ways and angles that are different?from?the?past?for?them?to?view?and?understand?the?world.?Therefore,?Cang Xin, the curator and Academic Director, said that: “The artists we invite this time are the people with a dual perspective on thoughts and technology, who can reflect the future prospects of social development. The forms include: documentary, art, film, two-dimensional animation, three-dimensional animation, experimental video, experimental sound, internet art, interactive audio and video installation, as well as computer game art, etc., all of which shall be the arts that are integrating with the opening characteristics of various media.”

The participating artist Zhang Xiaotao considered himself as a participant of the show, and said: “As a contemporary artist, I think it is necessary to actively develop, to practice, to intervene in the social scene. No matter how society is, your art cannot stop, with your morality & justice, your position, your attitude, and method, you have to continuously participate in the scene, independently voicing your concerns.” The participating artist Guan Wei also said that he has always been concerned with “The Unknown Future”, and he “l(fā)ooks forward to this unknown future exhibition to bring a miracle to Shijiazhuang.”

The exhibition will be held at the No.1 and No.2 exhibition halls of the NIU Art Space of Herbal Heaven Industrial Park in Shangzhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, on October 29. At the conference, the representative of the academic committee Cao Kai said that, it would also hold two academic forums including “Forum A: Future Experimental Direction of Media Art” and “Forum B: Breakout – Current Dilemma of the Documentary Image” on October 30, in addition to the exhibition, to invite the media artists and scholars from all over the country to participate in the discussion.

Text edited by Lin Jiabin, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

Photo by the organizer

About the Exhibition

The Exhibition Team

Exhibition Planning: Niu Heyin, Liu Yunqi, Fu Lei, Lv Tong

Artistic Director: Zhang Zikang

Academic Committee (in alphabetical order of the last name): Cao Kai, Peng Feng, Ji Shaofeng, Zhang Haitao, Zhu Zhu

Academic Chair: Cang Xin

Curators: Fu Lei, Cang Xin

Curatorial Assistants: Lv Tong, Wang Rui, Wang Jiahui

Participating Artists:

Chinese Artists (in alphabetical order of the last name): Ai Xudong, Chen Lei, Chen Youtong, Dai Chenlian, Ding Shiwei, Gong Xu, Guan Wei, Guo Xiaojun, Hu Jieming, Huang Junhui, Kong Weimeng, Lan Jing, Lei Lei & Thomas Sauvin (France), Li Hongqi, Li Yun, Luo Wei, Ma Yongfeng, Miao Xiaochun, Niu Heyin & Wu Lihong, Qiu Yu, Shang Chengxiang, Sun Xun, Tian Xiaolei, Wang Sugen, Wang Jing, Wu Chao, Wu Dewu, Wu Wei, Wu Xiaojun, Xiao Qing, Xie Xiaoze, Xu Zhongmin, Yan Heng, Yang Qian, Yao Qingmei, You Qi, Yu Bogong & Tang Guanhua, Yu Xingze, Zang Kunkun, Zhang Qikai, Zhang Xiaotao, Zhao Tianji, Zhang Jie, Zhang Zhaoying, Zheng Hongxiang, Zhou Xiaohu

Foreign Artists (in alphabetical order of the last name): ?Koskentola Christina (Finland), Lee Nam Lee (South Korea), Ismael Rodríguez (Mexico), Alessandro Rolandi (Italy), Louis Leonardo (Ecuador)