artforum.com.cn: Nowhere to Land – Yin Xiuzhen at Pace Beijing

无处着陆:尹秀珍个展 Nowhere to Land – Yin Xiuzhen

2013.07.20–2013.09.28 佩斯北京| Pace Beijing

Pace Beijing, 798 Art District, Beijing

20 July – 28 September, 2013

以一系列表现烟花绽放于漆黑天空的画作作为尹秀珍最新个展的开场或许有着什么特殊的含义(“烟花”系列,2012-2013)。尹更为人所知的是她融合缝制在一起的衣物的装置性作品,而在此她的画布都是几何形状的:六边形、十二边形等等。画布深深的边缘侧面被灰色的颜料覆盖,在画布周围凸起成脊状。在隔壁的一个黑暗的展厅里,一座如同雕琢过的宝石状的大型雕塑伫立在地面上(《黑洞》,2013),彩色的LED灯从雕塑里打出。这个宝石是由黑色T恤做成的,每个logo和标志都放在了雕塑立面的正中。

衣物始终保持着与人体的某种联系,甚至当穿衣人不在时一样如此。在尹秀珍的作品里,这种与人体的联系保持着一种叙事方式,仿佛这些衣物的原主还继续活在这些作品中。有时艺术家在衣物的柔软(可被理解为生物体的一种性质)与另一种材料的坚硬之间做出明显的对比。《救生筏》(2013)就是一套被黄色衣服覆盖的座位形状的作品,由一套铁管框架支撑。许多根汽车尾气管也从这底下戳出,这些管子高度磨光的金属质地可被理解为“救生艇”的喷气推进系统。这种相似的连接以更佳的效果出现在《无处着陆》(2013)中。一个原尺寸的飞机起落架被倒过来放置在画廊地面上。走近看你会发现,这个巨大的轮胎也是由纺织物制成的,而支撑它的金属结构则包含了金属的盆和盘,忠实地模拟了飞机的形态。

从画廊高屋顶垂下的是“孤独”系列(2010)。一根长长的管状米黄色织物条内部一节一节地被塞得鼓鼓囊囊,有如章鱼吸盘。一只童鞋挂在这条向下垂吊一端,并且只有鞋尖轻轻触地。当画廊里空气流动时,作品也来回移动,而这只鞋子则开始在地板的沙面上画线。这个超现实的人体部分以一种奇特的方式侵入画廊的空间,并以它不协调的存在形式和无目的的移动制造出一种关乎失去的辛酸感。在这件作品中,尹秀珍成功地将意图的精妙与富有诗意的标志性材料和外形结合在了一起。

— 文/ 李蔼德 (Edward Sanderson), 译/ 吴玉笛

The first works encountered upon entering Yin Xiuzhen’s current solo show at Pace Beijing are a series of paintings representing bursts of fireworks against a dark sky (Fireworks Series, 2012–2013). Each canvas is shaped as a geometric form, a hexagon, dodecahedron, etc. the deep edges of which are each coated in thick grey paint, building up in a ridge along the front surface of each piece.

It is perhaps significant that paintings serve as the introduction to this show, as Yin is better known for her installations incorporating elements made from stitched-together clothing. Turning the corner into a darkened room, a large structure shaped like a cut diamond sits on the floor (Black Hole 2010). The facets of the diamond are made from panels of black t-shirts, with the logos and symbols applied to the original items positioned centrally on each facet. These also have small gaps between them, through which light from an LED array inside the structure glows in ever-changing colours.

Continue reading

Chinese art market confidence

ArtTactic, Chinese Art Market Confidence Survey, Dec 2009

If anyone has a copy of this report, I would be very interested in taking a look (I might even cook you dinner). It would be fascinating to know what their criteria are for measuring “sentiment.” The report appears to look at a good range of artists1, so each one’s comparative results would be interesting to see. I’ve been hearing (mainly from auction results, so that’s pretty selective) that established names are recovering quickly, but the market for younger, less established artists is struggling (as one would expect). Most people I’ve talked to about this subject see these periodic downturns as, by and large, a “good” thing. I’m not denying the pain involved, but it’s a time in which everyone is forced to re-focus on their core strengths and if these aren’t sustainable then, perhaps, it’s time to move on.

The confidence in the Chinese Contemporary art market has strengthened significantly since February 2009, and is now back above the 50 level. The ArtTactic Confidence Indicator has increased from 16 in February 2009, to 57 in November 2009. The current level signals that there is more positive than negative sentiment in the art market. This is the first contemporary art market that ArtTactic has surveyed since the downturn, in which the Confidence Indicator has come in above the 50 level, which implies that the Chinese art market could be one of the quickest to recover.2

  1. Ai Weiwei, Cai Guoqiang, Cao Fei, Chen Wenbo, Fang Lijun, Feng Mengbo, Feng Zhengjie, Gu Dexin, Gu Wenda, He Duoling, He Yunchang, Hong Hao, Li Shan, Li Songsong, Liang Shaoji, Lin Tianmiao, Ling Jian, Liu Wei (B. 1972), Liu Xiaodong, Liu Ye, Lv Shenzhong, Mao Yan, Nie Mu, Qiu Zhijie, Shi Jinsong, Song Dong, Sui Jianguo, Tan Ping, Wang Gongxin, Wang Guangyi, Wang Jianwei, Wang Qingsong, Wang Wei, Wang Xingwei, Wu Shanzhuan, Xu Bing, Xu Zhen, Yang Fudong, Yang Shaobin, Yin Xiuzhen, Yu Hong, Yue Minjun, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhan Wang, Zhang Dali, Zhang Huan, Zhang Peili, Zhang Xiaogang, Zhong Biao, Zhou Tiehai, Zhou Xiaohu.
  2. ArtTactic (2009), Chinese Art Market Confidence Survey, Dec 2009. Retrieved from http://www.arttactic.com/view-report.php?type=reports&id=23 on 12 January 2010.