We went to a truly remarkable art exhibition today — seven installations on the theme of Confucius by the Chinese artist Zhang Huan. I cannot remember the last time an exhibition left such an impression on me. It was an event, something happened in those three rooms, and I’m glad I didn’t miss it.
The first room had a gigantic statue of Confucius made in silicon which looked perfectly life-like. If Mr Kongzi had started talking I would not have been surprised. Clearly he is alive and doing very well in today’s China. The second room had three large paintings made from ash showing the ocean, the disciples of Confucius and of Jesus. The gray colors looked desolate but clearly the old images still survive despite all the destruction China has endured. The final room had a large cage with a violent and erratically moving zombie Confucius. A large tree was trying to sprout again, but it was not planted properly and many of the branches were wilting. Monkey were jumping around in the cage, or they were jumping around before they were removed — presumably they didn’t much care for the life as museum exhibits.
I normally don’t like performance art which I find too jokey and too clever, but this is serious and moving stuff. Zhang Huan is surely one of the greatest artists alive today. He has that unique gift of seeing what others don’t see and of being able to present it to others to improve on their vision. Consider the below: Zhang Huan meditating in a public toilet in Beijing, smeared with honey, waiting for the flies to land. It is Buddha’s rejection of the world, and his deep concern for the world — all presented in a contemporary Chinese context.
I’m delighted China has artists like Zhang. There is nothing derivative about his work, it is an expression of a mature and self-confident person — a China mature and self-confident enough to question itself and its future. And he lives right here in Shanghai!
These are some of his pictures. More to read:
- New York Times, “Chinese Art, in One Man’s Translation,” Sept 7, 2007.
- official web site.
- Rock Bund