In early 2002, the British government permitted a couple to "customize" an infant, and to use the stem cells of this baby to cure a patient who suffered from Mediterranean anemia. Human beings are changing the purpose of creating life from life-creating to other "usage". (...)
This Friday, Nov. 15, 6-8pm, you are cordially invited to the opening of Li Shan's Exhibition 'Reading'
"In early 2002, the British government permitted a couple to "customize" an infant, and to use the stem cells of this baby to cure a patient who suffered from Mediterranean anemia. Human beings are changing the purpose of creating life from life-creating to other "usage". But that is not the point, what will really resonate are the after effects that will come when human being encounter butterfly, fish or any other creature, and the attitude of human being facing this.
The enchantment of butterfly and fish is that they can enable human being to
have a "shake", remove their long history, and tear down their dignity. It doesn't seem so harmonious to equal human being to other species, our arrogant
way of writing, our vertically walking etc. are all beyond the tolerance of
living things.
As long as human being can treat their lives as dispensable goods, they have no
reason to refuse to let their genome encounter butterflies or fish's. Though
the realization of this kind of encounter depends mostly on chances, they are
absolutely not ruthless mixing-up. Mr. Jones, professor of London University,
once said "the evolution of human kind has already find its end", that
suggested it's the time human being should retreat from the current position
in biology.
Human-fish crossbreeds or human-butterfly crossbreeds have no past, they are
pure and beautiful; human-fish crossbreeds or human-butterfly crossbreeds will
add many magic experiences to this world." LI SHAN, Aug. 2002, Shanghai
Image:
Li Shan: Reading, 208 x 539cm, oil on canvas
Li Shan: Born 1942 (Heilongqiang, China), 1982 Painting the Chinese Dream,
Brooklyn Museum, NY, USA; 1986 1st Shanghai Concave/Convex Exhibition, 1988 2nd
Shanghai Concave/Convex Exhibition; 1989 Chinese Avant-Garde, National Art
Museum, Beijing; 1993 XLV Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy; China's New Art
Post-89, Hong Kong; 1994 22nd Biennale of Sao Paolo, Brazil; 1998 Inside/Out,
PS1 NY, SFMoMA etc. LI SHAN lives and works in Shanghai
And also at ShanghART:
THE 26 EVIL SPIRIT PASSES - THE DAY OF PEACE, Installation by Wei Guangqing
at the new ShanghART Suzhou creek warehouse (by appointment only, call 6359
3923)
ShanghART gallery
2A Gaolan Rd, 200020 Shanghai, CHINA
Tel 86 - 21 6359 3923, Fax 86 - 21 6359 4570