Qiu Anxiong
dal 5/2/2009 al 21/11/2009
Segnalato da
5/2/2009
Qiu Anxiong
Arken Museum of Modern Art, Ishoj
Utopia. Staring into Amnesia (2008), an enormous original Chinese train carriage from the 1960s, is the principal work in Arken's exhibition. Documentary video clips and poetic silhouettes have been added to the carriage taking us on a journey into China's past, present and future. In recent years Qiu Anxiong has received great international attention with his poetic and moving video works which span from big and complex installations to hand painted animated films. The show is the first presentation of his works in Denmark.
A dream comes true. In February 2009 ARKEN opens the first of three contemporary art exhibitions under the heading UTOPIA.
The first UTOPIA artist is Chinese Qiu Anxiong (b. 1972). His work Staring into Amnesia (2008), an enormous original Chinese train carriage from the 1960s, is the principal work in ARKEN’s exhibition. Documentary video clips and poetic silhouettes have been added to the carriage taking us on a journey into China’s past, present and future. In recent years Qiu Anxiong has received great international attention with his poetic and moving video works which span from big and complex installations to hand painted animated films.
The exhibition is the first presentation of Qiu Anxiong’s works in Denmark.
PHANTASMAGORICAL VISIONS
In addition, the UTOPIA exhibition presents three of Qiu Anxiong’s animated films. Inspired by traditional Chinese calligraphy, the Chinese artist leads us through a mythologised and dreamy version of the religious and political conflicts of modern society.
Temporal and cultural boundaries are crossed. Technology and nature merges: helicopters hover in the air like big birds, and black-clad people fly like planes, crashing the Twin Towers in a drawn version of 9/11.
UTOPIA & DYSTOPIA
Qiu Anxiong belongs to a new generation of Chinese artists who bridge Chinese culture and history and today’s globalised contemporary art. Cultures arise and perish, and the yearning for the perfect society is closely followed by the utopia’s antithesis: an oppressed, conflicted dystopia. In a poetic and sensual idiom Qiu Anxiong raises the issue of which new utopias may provide the clue for today’s globalised reality.
WHAT DO YOU DREAM OF?
UTOPIA at ARKEN is to debate the utopia, the grand shared notion of the perfect society. Whatever happened to it? Does it still exist today? And if not, what has taken its place? Individual dreams of the good life, conceptions of globalisation, tiny enclaves of communities?
UTOPIA is also social debate in the media and the world around us. It is education in the schools, and is research into art, society and museum. UTOPIA is a living process. Before, during and after each exhibition project, we wish to break through the walls of the museum and discuss with you welfare society, tolerance, community, and individual dreams and ideals.
Arken Museum of Modern Art
Skovvej 100 - Ishoj