The Centre Pompidou and the West Bund Museum are presenting a joint exhibition on the young contemporary Chinese art scene as part of a Sino-French curatorial partnership. This multidisciplinary exhibition features works by 21 artists and paints a subjective portrait of a new generation of artists for the first time in France. The exhibition will be on view from October 9, 2024 to February 3, 2025.
Image above: Lu Yang, DOKU The Self, [2022], HD video, color, sound, 36’ © Lu Yang, Courtesy of the artist and the Society, Berlin
The Chinese character 目 (mù) means “eye” and refers to vision and the eye’s ability to organize reality. It is an essential element of Chinese writing and is used in many other sinograms.
Under this banner, the exhibition presents works by artists born between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. This generation grew up in the era of China’s reform and opening-up, developed international trade and enjoyed strong economic growth. The significant technological and social developments of this period allowed China to become the world’s second largest economic power and profoundly changed its view of itself and the world.
The selected works cover a wide range of practices – video, painting, sculpture, installations, photography and new media – and focus on recent works from the last few years. The global situation following the pandemic has prevented these works from becoming known beyond China’s borders, even though the Centre Pompidou has strengthened its ties with this young art scene during this period thanks to the Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum partnership in Shanghai.
Amidst this great diversity, the exhibition focuses on the key themes of the artists’ working methods. Among the core themes explored in the works of many of these artists are China’s interaction with the rest of the world, reflections on globalization and worldwide challenges, particularly the collapse of the environment.
This generation of artists has also addressed dynamic issues such as recent developments in Chinese society, particularly the changing lifestyles in the ever-expanding urban areas and the shifting paradigm of regulating various flows and activities. The awareness of China’s extraordinarily rich cultural and aesthetic heritage forms the basis for the work of some artists who strive to place and renew this heritage in a contemporary context.
Finally, the exhibition dedicates a large section to new media, which are particularly dynamic in a country that has experienced a rapid, massive and intensive digitalization of both its economy and its society.
Artists on display
aaajiao, Alice CHEN, CHEN Fei, CHEN Wei, CHU Yun, CUI Jie, HAO Liang, HU Xiaoyuan, LI Ming, LIU Chuang, LU Pingyuan, LU Yang, MIAO Ying, Nabuqi, QIU Xiaofei, SHEN Xin, SUN Xun, WAN Yang, YAO Qingmei, YU Ji, ZHANG Ding
Curator
Philippe Bettinelli, curator, new media department, Centre Pompidou – Musée national d’art moderne
Paul Frèches, managing director of the Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum, Shanghai
Gu Youyou, director of the exhibitions department, West Bund Museum, Shanghai
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 – Monday, February 3, 2025
Opening hours: Wednesday – Monday, 11 am – 9 pm
WHERE?
Centre Pompidou
Gallery 3, Level 1
Place Georges-Pompidou
75004 Paris
France
