Why did I in 2007 establish the CCAA (Chinese Contemporary Art Awards) Art Critic Awards?
The vibrant Chinese art scene clearly lacked sufficient independent art criticism. In the past, this lack was due to an art operating system that was not differentiated enough – there was no independent media within the cultural domain, and no independence within these media. This situation provided insufficient resources to sustain a career as a truly independent writer. Then, in a booming art market, art media publications, artist books and exhibition catalogs abounded. Material conditions had improved greatly. Yet most of this writing had to cater to the needs of the market. In addition, the academic system inside China had been very slow in providing a specific curriculum for those wishing to pursue a career in art criticism. As we write 2010,the hype has cooled down a bit. Yet the issues remain largely the same.
Another weakness still weighs in on the Chinese art scene. The market, almost exclusively, validates what is considered good or bad art. This stems from insufficient resources to balance market powers, such as strong museum institutions capable and willing to participate in the discourse with their curatorial practice, and a particular lack of independent analysis and critique aimed at educating a rapidly growing audience that casts an eye on or is willing to invest in visual arts.
The Art Critic Award wants to address these issues twofold, by raising the discussion on independent art criticism which is so essential to advance art creation in China and to further educate the participants of this vibrant scene. It also seeks to encourage independent writing by enabling an in depth research project in Chinese contemporary art that might not otherwise have found financial support.
Wang Chunchen, as the winner of the 2009 award, has submitted an essay which looks at art intervention in Chinese society. Starting out from the abolishment of numerous art districts in Beijing he states that the art works created in these districts have never managed to make full contact with the society at large. As a result, be it in view of city planning or ideology in the ever expanding and fluctuating Chinese city and society, art has never made it on a priority list for consideration. What interventions have artists undertaken - and what could their means be - to close the diagnosed gap between art and Chinese society?
His essay on this very real and complex issue fully justifies the trust that the international jury consisting of Xu Bing (Vice President of Central Academy of Fine Arts.),Qiu Zhijie (Professor of China Art Academy….),Richard Vine (Senior Editor of Art in America….) and Uli Sigg (Founder of CCAA) put in selecting Wang Chunchen’s project as the winner of 2009 CCAA Art Critic Award.
Uli Sigg
Founder of CCAA Art Critic Award
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