Two exhibitions
dal 23/6/2010 al 17/8/2010
Segnalato da
23/6/2010
Two exhibitions
Photo Edition Berlin, Berlin
"Chinese Interiors", is a photo project of the Dutch photographer Robert van Der Hilst realized in the years 2004 - 2009, he manages to capture the day to day life of the people through facial expressions and body postures. For the photo series "Love Hotel" the Chinese artistic duo Meng Jin and Fang Er would rent a room for 3 hours during which they would then stack and wrap the present hotel furnishings, creating amorphous agglomerations.
For the start of the summer, Photo Edition Berlin is showing "Chinese Interiors", a photo project of the Dutch photographer Robert van Der Hilst, as well as the photo series "Love Hotel" by the Chinese artists Meng Jin and Fang Er. For all three artists, this exhibition is the first show at the Berlin gallery.
Robert van Der Hilst
Chinese Interiors
Photographs from the years 2004 - 2009
Robert van Der Hilst, who was born in Amsterdam in 1940, pursues - beside his journalistic work (amongst others for Merian, Stern, Geo) - the subject of interiors in foreign countries. His first works were born in the Seventies in Mexico, and were followed by additional photo projects in Cuba from 2001 onwards, and then from 2004 onwards in different Chinese Provinces as well as in Japan.
Robert van Der Hilst lived for many years in these countries. Through the long time he spent in Cuba, Canada, Latin America, Japan or China he manages to gain the trust of the people. The Photographer is capable therefore of creating intimate picture series, taking into account the cultural specificities of each country, and resulting in images which the subjects of the photos can relate to.
He manages to capture the day to day life of the people through facial expressions and body postures as well as through scenes of human interaction in the usually difficult to access private spaces.
The Shanghai Art Museum opened in April 2010 with van Der Hilst’s solo show of Chinese Interiors.
A 278 pages catalogue of his work has been released in June 2010 by Shanghai People's Fine Art Publishing House ISBN 978-7-5322-6763-7 (Text in English / Chinese) and Gallimard Paris, and can be signed upon request at the opening.
Meng Jin & Fang Er
Love Hotel
Photographs from the years 2008 / 09
Alongside "Chinese Interiors", the photo project "Love Hotel" by the Chinese artist duo Meng Jin and Fang Er is presented. Interiors are also at the center of this series, which is the first collaboration of the two artists.
In the so called "Love Hotels", the artists would rent a room for three hours during which they would then stack and wrap the present hotel furnishings, creating amorphous agglomerations. Instead of using human bodies, the artists would arrange the found objects through proximity and distance, in such a way as to imitate the scene of a love act.
The fleeting moment of intimacy is built up through the process of arranging the objects, and summits finally in the photographing of the sculpture with the hotel scenery as backdrop. After this intervention, which is intended to leave the observer with a feeling beyond happiness and drama, as if one had come back from an excursion into another world, the furniture is put back in place.
Both positions, shown by Photo Edition Berlin, present complimentary and unusual insights into contemporary China.
Image: Meng Jin & Fang Er: "Love Hotel", 90 x 102 cm, Edition 8, 2008 / 09
Opening reception: Thursday, 24 June from 7pm
Robert van Der Hilst will be present. Book signing.
Photo Edition Berlin
Ystaderstr.14a, D - 10437 Berlin
Opening hours: Wed 2 - 6 pm Sat 12 - 4 pm and by appointment