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What happens when an ancient water town fuses with modern art?
The 2019 Wuzhen Contemporary Art Exhibition, or Art Wuzhen, is the answer. Held in Wuzhen, a scenic water town in east China's Zhejiang Province, the modern art exhibition opened at the end of March this year.
Exploring the present
Themed "Now is the Time," the exhibition dives deeply into the modern age and what contributes to its meaning. Using various art forms, such as photographs, paintings, immersive and interactive installations, and more, the artists try to ask questions of the modern world and sketch out possibilities of the future.
But the discussion is not about time itself. Instead, it's about trying to decode the essence of this era, which has undergone a great transformation in recent years. Globalization has become faster and the technological revolution has drastically changed the way we live.
The entrance of the North Silk Factory in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
The entrance of the North Silk Factory in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Zerotime" by Children of the Light. The sticks are covered by light-reflecting materials, and can be lit up using the flashlight on a mobile phone. It explores the infinity of space and paths. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Zerotime" by Children of the Light. The sticks are covered by light-reflecting materials, and can be lit up using the flashlight on a mobile phone. It explores the infinity of space and paths. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"White Torture" by Gregor Schneider. The prison-like exhibit describes the way to destroy a person without leaving any traces behind. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"White Torture" by Gregor Schneider. The prison-like exhibit describes the way to destroy a person without leaving any traces behind. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Untitled-Room WZ" by Chen Sung-Chih. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Untitled-Room WZ" by Chen Sung-Chih. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Untitled-WZ" by Chen Sung-Chih. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Untitled-WZ" by Chen Sung-Chih. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Chinese Carp" by Shen Shaomin. Some of the artificial fish have robotic tails and gills, allowing them to move like the real thing. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Chinese Carp" by Shen Shaomin. Some of the artificial fish have robotic tails and gills, allowing them to move like the real thing. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Black Sutra" by Deng Yufeng. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Black Sutra" by Deng Yufeng. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Rat" by Su Yongjian. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Rat" by Su Yongjian. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
"Whether it's good or bad, it's changing across time," Wang Xiaosong, co-curator of the art festival, said. "It's not the continuity of a stable status anymore. It's a qualitative change."
An international art carnival
Sixty artists from 23 countries and regions were invited to participate. The big names include: Australian artist Brook Andrew, artist Chen Sung-Chih from China's Taiwan, Dutch photographer Rineke Dijkstra, Chinese photographer Feng Li, Guatemalan performance artist Regina Jose Galindo, American video and installation artist and Golden Lion winner Gary Hill, British visual artist Julian Opie, and German Golden Lion-winning artist Gregor Schneider.
Their works are dispersed among several venues in the town, including the North Silk Factory, Rice Barn and West Scenic Zone.
The sub-venues
Most of the exhibition halls are housed in time-honored buildings, which provide a rustic feel. But inside, the modern art contrasts the old exteriors.
Three sub-themes were selected to represent the artwork in different venues. "Here and Now" is the theme for the North Silk Factory, where the art is more focused, powerful, direct and expressive. "The Quaking Pendulum" is for the Rice Barn, which reflects the uncertainty and tentativeness of the artwork there.
A view of Wuzhen water town. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A view of Wuzhen water town. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A view of Wuzhen in the rain. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A view of Wuzhen in the rain. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A view of Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A view of Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A street in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A street in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo by Qu Bo
A bridge in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo
A bridge in Wuzhen. /CGTN Photo
In the West Scenic Zone, instead of being in a gallery hall, the art pieces are dispersed on the street corners, citizen squares and leisure parks of the water town. The layout encourages people to get closer to modern art, which many people view as being too removed from daily life to be tangible. "Exceedingly Close, Exceedingly Far" is the theme.
Local inspiration and youth vitality
Art Wuzhen features 35 exhibits that will be shown to the public for the first time. Based on Wuzhen's humanistic environment, 30 of them were specifically created for this exhibition.
The exhibition also includes a youth program themed "How Far Off is the Future," initiated this year to discover and encourage emerging young artists.
Awards for the youth program were announced at the opening ceremony on March 30, with Wang Tuo taking home the top honor, the "Youth Contemporary Art Wuzhen Award."
The exhibition runs through June 30.
See more photos of the 2019 Art Wuzhen:
Read more about the activities of 2019 Art Wuzhen:
Video editor: Wang Zeyu
Videographers: Cheng Biao,Wang Zeyu
Photographer: Qu Bo
Text by: Jiang Qingrui
Copy editor: Katrin Büchenbacher
Chief editor: Lin Donwei
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