This exhibition is the result of an experimental visual art program. At the symposium of the Second National Peasants’ Photograph Exhibition organized by China Photographers Association, an initiative of “finding the real perspective of a peasant” was raised by scholars and experts. A program of parallel expression joining artsts with villagers through video work was then launched.
Shangquan is a group of families of Yangzhuang Village, belonging to Shagou Township under the Xiji County of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The village is listed for ecological migration. The whole population is to be moved out of the mountains to the flatlands in 2013.
Over 80 critics, theorists, photographers, artists, film directors, peots and writers came to this village one group after another between December 2012 and March 2013. They worked together with 29 villagers to create a series of visual documentation and expressions. All participants were free to record anything.
No thematic preset was given. The 2,000 works shown in the exhibition include the very emotional documentation of the village that is about to become memory by the peasants, many of whom operated a camera for the first time in their life. There are as well dedicated works of many professional artists from different backgrounds. This is a collective depiction and multi-dimensional visual documentary of the specific living conditions of the common people in a time of social changes.
The oldest participant of the 29 villagers is 64 years old, while the youngest is a child of 4. These villagers are, to name a few: Li Wenzhong, Li Huangying, Ma Wenyou, Ma Cuiping, Ma Shenghua, Ma Wen, Li Jinmei. And the artists include Wang Rui, Suo Jiulin, Xie Hailong, Chen Xiaobo, Zang Ce, Wang Zheng, Yuan Dongping, Xu Zhiqiang, Yan Ming, Sun Yanchu, Liu Miaomiao, Wu Ang, Xie Qiongzhi, Hai Yang, Sun Yanyong, Bai Dongquan.
About the exhibition
Overall Advisory: Wang Yao, Long Songlin
Project Planning: Wang Zheng, Zeng Yi
Curator: Chen Xiaobo
Academic Moderator: Zang Ce
Advisory on Ethnic Culture: Ma Jibo
Exhibition Director: Da Men
Editing Director:Wu Pingguan
Executive Director: Xu Zhiqiang
Publicity Director: Wu Yanhua, Wang Yanfeng
Organizers: Today Art Museum
China Photographers Association
China International Culture＆Image Communication Corporation of Xinhua News Agency
Co-Organizers: Council for the Promotion of Oriental International Photographic Art
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Photographers Association
Xiji County Federation of Literary and Art Circles
Supported by: ARTRON GROUP
Opening: 3pm, April 7, 2013
Duration: April 8 -28, 2013
Venue: 2nd ,3rd ,4th floor exhibition hall of Building No.1, Today Art Museum
Address: Pingod community, No.32 Baiziwan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel: 8610-58760600-100
Courtesy of the artists and Today Art Museum, for further information please visit www.todayartmuseum.com.
