"The Pluralistic Look of Chinese
Contemporary Art Since the Mid-Nineties"
Feature Article
by
Li Xianting
| Introduction:
"China/Avant-Garde Art Exhibition" The exhibition "China/Avant-Garde Art Exhibition" which took place at the National Art Gallery in Beijing in February 1989 assembled many of the artists who had been a significant driving forces behind modern art in China since 1985. By allowing the artists and their works to cross the threshold of the most important official art hall in the country, the exhibition conferred on these artists a kind of officialdom. This resulted in feelings of elation, even euphoria amongst artists. |
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 China/Avant-Garde
Art Exhibition
Exterior View
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| Reality
set in after the exhibition was shut down only a few hours after it opened
when Xiao Lu and Tang Song performed their Happening,
"Two Gunshots Fired at the Installation a dialogue"
in which Xiao fired live gun-shots at the glass on a telephone kiosk containing
a photographic life-sized photographic image of Tang placed on the inside.
Tang Song was detained and arrested and later that day Xiao Lu turned
herself in to the Public Security authorities.
Both were released after three days when it was discovered that the gun they had used was registered to a high ranking official and that they were also the daughter and son of two high ranking officials. (It is now recognized that this was also part of the overall Performance work.) The shooting incident resulted in the exhibition being closed twice and eventually forced Chinese Avant Garde art back underground. It also became clear as a result of the closure of the show that the Government remained highly sensitive to any art that was ideologically in opposition to its aims, or anti-establishment in nature. Much as it had been when the "Star Painting Exhibition" was shut down in 1979. The "China/Avant Garde Art Exhibition" became a symbol both to the end to a phase of development in modern art in China and eventually led to a final playing out of modern art of the 1980s. The year 1989, similarly to that of 1979 was one of intellectual vigor and ferment in China, especially in the fields of art and theory. In one respect, the shooting happening in the gallery was a precursor to the Tiananmen Incident, in as much as it was an idealistic attempt to bring about structural and political reform in China under the flag of Western democracy. It quickly met with strong and swift opposition. As a result of the ill-fated nature of events, the first half of 1989, revealed a dogmatic backlash against idealism, both in art and society in general, which in turn formed the backdrop out of which Political Pop and Cynical Realism would emerge. Conceptual Performances included Huang Yongping's, "Towing the China National Art Gallery Away," of 1989. The sketch, shown at China/Avant Garde Art Exhibition revealed a broken down pick- up truck situated in front of the National Art Gallery. The truck's tow ropes were to be tied to the front columns of the building and the truck would proceed to try to tow the building away. The plan illustrates the humor and irony of many of Huang Yongping's works.
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 Liu Wei
"New Generation"
1992
104x85cm
Oil on Canvas Collection of Francesca Dal Lago
 Wang Guangyi
"Great Castigation Series: Coca
Cola"
1993
200x200cm
Oil on Canvas
(Note:
Wang Guangyi successfully juxtaposed symbols of the Cultural Revolution
with symbols of Western Pop culture, producing a humorous and ironic
effect. This became recognized as the basic form expression of Political
Pop.)
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 Yu Youhan
"Mao Zedong and Whitney
Houston"
Oil on Canvas
 Gu Dexin Untitled 1989 Installation colored pvc after being torched  Xu Bing "Book From the Sky" 1987-1989 Dimensions Variable Installation with Hand-printed Books
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 Zhang Peili "X?" 1987 Installation View, Glass and Surgical Gloves
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Copyright ©
1999
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