Preface
Since the recovery (martial law was lifted in Taiwan in 1987) of modern art on Mainland China’s symbolized by the first “Stars Art Exhibition” held in 1979, and along with tireless creation of several generations of artists and the gradually set up artistic critical system, Chinese new art which is usually formulated, especially in the new century with the term ‘contemporary art’ (this term was used in artistic critique from 1992), has become a hot spot globally, and the marketization of art further confirmed and expanded the development of Chinese contemporary art as well as its social influential power. However, negative effect emerged together naturally. Now we could see that the decade from 2000 to 2009 not only received transformation from external circumstances and conditions, it is also reshaping its own history in establishing cultural subjective consciousness, fighting for legitimized identity and freedom of expression. In fact, Chinese new art and its history is experiencing constant ‘reshaping’, especially against the background of the global economic crises started from 2008, this ‘reshaping’ is taking place dramatically.
As time passes by, the contemporary art phenomena of the first decade of 21st century has been put on the agenda as an issue. We must follow the pace of time closely and do timely selection, analysis, explanation and judgment on the phenomena passing away. There had never been a essentialist criteria in history, neither there had been any absolute truth buried in unconsciousness or collective unconsciousness in history for us to explore. History only exists in rational judgment and actual writings. Based on such a view, we decided to select and measure the numerous materials and organize a comprehensive exhibition. In another word, we hope to discuss with everyone about what new art and phenomena value records in the first decade of 21st century. In such a period chaotic yet full of possibilities, we hope to make observation and analysis on the artistic development of this decade from a macroscopic and positivist perspective, comb out a historical clue and consolidate as well as complete the historical judgment which has been opened by most critics through ‘sampling analysis’ of the artistic phenomena of the new century. Thus we could manifest and summarize the existing achievement of contemporary art and provide richer materials and wider space of discussion for the further more artists and art historians (including critics) . Moreover, we would provide a ‘historical document’ with reference value for the creation of artists and the direction of Chinese art in the coming future.
Any writing and judgment of history has its own limitation and bias, which, however, will provide an angle of view for learning about the history and reality. We hope it is not only an exhibition, but a common platform by which a large number of people can participate in the criticism, discussion and research. Thus, we decide to take this exhibition to organize a series of academic activities, and invite experts in the fields of literature, philosophy, semiotics and others to deliver speeches and have interesting dialogs with the art circles. We hope the interdisciplinary and cross-domain dialogs can provide more possibilities for criticism and research on China’s new art. In addition, many young thoughtful arts critics have also been invited to participate in the research and discussion on subjects including “Stance of New Art” and “Writings of New Art History”. To make judgment on the past art history closer to the objective facts, the critics, who have made special contribution to China’s new art since China’s reforming and opening up, have also been specially invited to judge and write on important art and artists during these three decades. Therefore, we will do a lot of work and hope the activities will achieve great success. Relevant academic achievements would be collected and published.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to experts and scholars, agencies and media participating in and paying attention to our exhibition and relevant series of academic activities!
Curators: Lv Peng Zhu Zhu Gao Qianhui
March 2010
