Exhibition consists of eight Christmas trees weighing two tons, made of mirrored stainless steel, engines, gearwheels, metal chains and a CMOS chips.Through his razor-sharp sculptures, the artist initiates a dialogue, at once menacing and ironic, between fine tradition and modern day globalization.
Avanthay Contemporary Zurich is proud to present the Chinese artist, Shi Jinsong for his first
European exhibition. "Design 2007-Merry Christmas" consists of eight Christmas trees weighing
two tons, made of mirrored stainless steel, engines, gearwheels, metal chains and a CMOS chips.
Shi Jinsong (1969) is one of the most innovative and trenchant young sculptors in China.
His
extraordinary stainless steel sculptures are considered as the most provocative works having been
produced in China in the last decade. In his art nothing is what it seems. Through his razor-sharp
sculptures, the artist initiates a dialogue, at once menacing and ironic, between fine tradition and
modern day globalization.
Why did the artist choose this kind of materials?
“Laser cutting had been applied into this installation, though I thought it was just a fantasy in industry world not so
long ago.
CMOS-chip appears everywhere in my life, but its still possesses a glamour when I used it to play a song
Chains en-winded those trees illustrated under spotlight like the Milky Way, soft and sexy which left me a feeling of
“being so cool”, says Shi Jinsong
The theme is consistent with the season, but it also holds a special meaning for the artist.
Christmas is a Western tradition that has been spreading throughout China. Christmas trees,
snowflakes and stars symbolize the holiday in China. This has opened up a new world culture to the
Chinese. The only negative is the unstoppable loss of Chinese fine tradition. Shi Jinsong's trees are
beautiful yet there is a considerable conflict of fields in their meaning.
Opening 29 november 2007
Avanthay Contemporary AG
Limmatstrasse 275, Zurich
Free Admission