Kate Downie’s “The Concrete Hour” Solo Exhibition

“No space is denied the right to be poetic. The physical experience of a city entails its own artistic language.” – Kate Downie

“The Concrete Hour” is a solo exhibition by UK’s leading artist Kate Downie who will be presenting for the first time in China at Where Where Art Space in Caochangdi.

“Returning to Beijing for the second time this autumn, the acclaimed Royal Scottish Academy artist meets a city whose fabric spans a rupture between the teeming, irregular accumulation of human life and possessions in narrow hutongs and the overarching, regular forms of skyscrapers and apartment blocks erected beside vast roadways; in this city, there is no ‘middle scale’.”

With two live drawing events on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, anyone can witness this pictorial drama unfold as Kate Downie will be creating two large-scale drawings on the walls of the gallery.

“Its realisation marks a first-hand artistic event with which the encounter is a unique experience for both artist and audience.”

Curated by Iona Whittaker, the exhibition will also display a series of supporting works and a film of the artist’s recent performance drawing in the UK.

Works by Kate Downie

Event Details:

• Live Drawing Dates: Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 from 5-6PM
• Exhibition Opening: Saturday, November 26, 2011
• Curated by Iona Whittaker
• Location: Where Where Exhibition Space “哪里哪里” 艺术空间
• Address: No. 319-1, East End Art Zone A, Caochangdi Village, Chaoyang District 100015  北京市朝阳区草场地村319-1艺术东区A区内, 100015
• Contact: 159 1080 3790

About Kate Downie:

Over the past 20 years, Kate Downie has established herself as one of the UK’s leading artists, known equally for her drawing and printmaking as for her painting. Less well-known are her series of short performance Road Movies, initiated in Paris with ‘Child’s Play Traffic Jam’ (1989) followed by ‘Driven’ (Aberdeenshire 1999), ‘The Asphalt Sea’ (Norway 2007), and ‘Matchmaker’ in 2011. Her first major solo show was in 1982 in her native Aberdeen; since then her work has been exhibited throughout the world including in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, France and the USA. Downie was President of the Society of Scottish Artists from 2004-2006, and was appointed a member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 2007. Her work is held in many public and private collections. Downie lives and works in Edinburgh.

3 Countries, 3 Artists: An Artist Exhibition Launch Party

“3 Countries 3 Artists: Fabien Mérelle, Shunsuke François Nanjo, Sun Xun”

This Saturday, October 8, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery will be hosting the opening of their newest art exhibition – “3 Countries 3 Artists: Fabien Mérelle, Shunsuke François Nanjo, Sun Xun” from 4:00PM-6:00PM at their gallery in 798 Art District.

An introduction of these three featured artists:
 Sun Xun Works:

Born in 1980 in Fuxin, Liaoning province, Sun Xun graduated in 2005 from the printmaking department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, China. While mainly a video artist, Sun Xun has also produced numerous drawings and mixed media works in which a central character, usually a magician, explores an apocalyptic and oneiric world.

Fabien Mérelle Works:

Born in 1981 in Fontenay-aux-Roses, Fabien Mérelle graduated from the National School of Fine Arts in Paris in 2006 with a 4 months exchange at the Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts. He produces small and meticulously executed drawings where his adult self battles with a perverted childhood universe.

Shunsuke François Nanjo Works:

Born in 1981 in Tokyo, Shunsuke François Nanjo graduated from Le Mirail University in Toulouse, France, in 2005. He uses painting, photography and installations to explore Heterotopia,which is the concept of space within spaces. Besides, he also aims to reveal the traces of memory that our experience leaves imprinted in the world.

All 3 artists have exhibited widely including the Drawing Center, New York, U.S.A, Guy Bartschi Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland, the Bencab Museum, Baguio City, Philippines and the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

The works of these three artists are all part of prestigious collections including Minsheng Bank Contemporary Art Collection, Florence and Daniel Guerlain Drawing Collection, and Platform China Contemporary Art Institute to mention a few.

This exhibition will be available from October 9-December 4 at Hadrien de Monteferrand Gallery in 798 Art District.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, 8 October 2011
• Exhibition: Oct. 9-Dec. 4, 2011
• Time: 4-6PM
• Location: Hadrien de Monteferrand Gallery
• Address:  798 Art District,  Next to At Cafe; No 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu Chaoyang District
• Contact: +86 139 1165 1353
• Website: http://www.hdemontferrand.com

About Hadrien de Monteferrand Art Gallery:

One of Beijing’s leading contemporary galleries, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery is the first in China to exclusively show contemporary works on paper. Through its exhibitions and unique relationship with international collectors, the Gallery promotes contemporary masters and emerging artists alike.  

Website: www.hdemontferrand.com/

Works on Paper: Cai Jin’s Exhibition Opening Party

This Saturday, July 9, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery will be hosting the opening of their newest art exhibition – “Cai Jin: Works on Paper” from 3:00PM-6:00PM at their gallery in 798 Art District.

Exhibited widely including the Chicago Museum of Arts, the Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Today Art Museum, Cai Jing’s works have been part of prestigious collections including Ullens, Sigg, and the National Art Museum of China.

Cai Jin is known for her “Bananaplants Series”. For this series, Cai Jin used the same and unique palette of red and purple to depict the contradiction between the growing energy of the plant and its inevitable decomposition.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, 9 July 2011
• Time: 3-6PM
• Location: Hadrien de Monteferrand Gallery
• Address:  798 Art District,  Next to At Cafe; No 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu Chaoyang District
• Contact: +86 139 1165 1353
• Website: http://www.hdemontferrand.com

About Hadrien de Monteferrand Art Gallery:

One of Beijing’s leading contemporary galleries, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery is the first in China to exclusively show contemporary works on paper. Through its exhibitions and unique relationship with international collectors, the Gallery promotes contemporary masters and emerging artists alike.

Pop On Over to Beijing’s New Pop-Up Brunch ft. Photo Exhibition by Helen Couchman

If you love food made from scratch, sangria and bright, airy spaces, check out the new POP-UP BRUNCH concept every Sunday at Amilana/ALUSS Art Photography Space.

I brunched with the usual suspects this past Sunday and we were crazy for their homemade baked goods (muffins, bagels and waffles!).

For only RMB 50, you can have your choice of 2 courses from the following:

1st Course:

• Cold, savory gazpacho with almond base
• Homemade blackberry muffin with seasonal garniture
• Seasonal fruit salad with homemade creme fraiche

2nd Course:

• Bacon & leek quiche with fresh salad (vegetarian option available)
• Homemade BAGELS from Hegel’s Bagels with salmon, creme cheese, red onions and capers
• Homemade lemon and cucumber ice cream with fresh waffles

To make the deal even better, just add another RMB 25 for a cup of coffee, tea or glass of sangria!

With each option sounding so delicious, we couldn’t help but try it all!

LumDimSum Snapshots of the Brunch Dishes:

Cold Gazpacho Soup / Homemade Blackberry Muffin

Seasonal Fruit Salad / Bacon & Leek Quiche

Homemade Hegel’s Bagel with Smoked Salmon / Fresh Waffles with Homemade Ice Cream

LumDimSum Snapshots of the Second Edition Pop-Up Brunch:

Event Details:

• Date: Every Sunday until the end of July
• Time: 10:00AM-3:00PM
• Location: AMILANA/Aluss Art and Photography Space
• Address:  Across the street from North gate of Nanluoguxiang: 141 GULOUDONGDAJIE
• RSVP: Text – 13371673102 or 18210138655 or email: popupbrunchbj@gmail.com

On a related note, from now until July 9th, friend and very talented photographer Helen Couchman will be holding a photo exhibition in the same space (a big added bonus to your next pop-up brunch experience!).

“Couchman has headed out into the streets armed with a camera and three mirrors. The mirrors are used to fuse the different elements of the photographed scenes, both material and immaterial.  The result is not the illusion of a cityscape but rather an intimate yet distant exploration of the fabric, and texture of a city whose detail as well as vistas are in flux.”

LumDimSum Snapshots of Helen Couchman’s Exhibition of New Work:

This new photographic series seeks the texture and the vistas of the hutongs that have undergone this process of destruction. As Couchman says, the project aims, “to explore what I can see of the land – literally the earth and fabric of the city. It has a performative angle: process, construction, dirt, proximity and distance are all evident in these images. This is what I am working with.”

Helen Couchman Exhibition Details:

• Dates: From 19th June – 9 July, 2011
• Time: 4pm-late
• Location: Aluss Art Photography Space
• Address: 2nd Floor, 141 Gulou Dongdajie, Beijing
• Tel: 8400-2628
• Website: www.helencouchman.com

Works on Paper: Mao Yan Exhibition Opening Party

This Saturday, April 23, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery is hosting the opening party of its new exhibition, “Mao Yan: Works on Paper”.

Mao Yan has exhibited widely including at the Denmark’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, the National Gallery of San Paolo, Brazil and the Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai, China.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, April 23
  
• Time: 3PM-6PM
• Location: Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery

• Address: 798 Art District, No 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu
• Tel: 139 1165 1353
• www.hdemontferrand.com

Monumental Ghostly Heights by Bradford Kessler

A good friend of mine and very talented artist, Bradford Kessler currently is hosting his solo Beijing debut exhibition at Da Feng Gallery in 798 from now until September 19.

Inspired by incidents relating to dreaming and escape, his exhibition references themes of conspiracy, movies, drugs, suicide and philosophy displayed in blueprints with bat blood, pretend B-Flick movie posters, and a set of abstract fiberglass sculptures coated in surfwax.

“An underlying thread of his works is the desire to escape humanness and discover what Walt Disney would call a “magic kingdom.” This search of a dream and the suspension of disbelief that supports it are evidence of a generation attempting to define and maintain their eternal youth. Kessler represents a generation of young artists rapidly surfing the internet, unafraid of pioneering new conceptual territories, and willing to dramatically expose themselves in the name of expression and creativity.”

Check out his interview with Time Out Magazine, click here.

Art Exhibition Details:

• Date: Until September 19
• Location: Da Feng Beijing Gallery
• Address: Factory 798 Art Zone, South Area at Dashanzi, 大山子798艺术区南区
• Website: http://www.dafenggallery.com/en/.html
  

DreamWorlds: Australian Art Exhibition

Witness the Official Opening of DreamWorlds, an exhibition of Australian moving image in public space on Saturday, September 4th at 6:30PM in Sanlitun Village. RSVP required (details below).

“Dream Worlds” is a public exhibition of eight leading Australian video artists. The exhibition celebrates the diversity of Australian art. “Dream Worlds” is part of the 2010
 Australia China Cultural Year

 exhibition curated
 by
 former director of the Australian Network for Art and Technology Melinda Rackham.

Event Details: DreamWorlds: Australian Moving Image 2010

• Date: 4 September 2010
• Time: 6.30-9.00pm
• Location: Sanlitun Village, Floor 4, Building 8, Courtyard 19, Sanlitun Road. (Access next to Element Fresh. Call 1581 1173 284 for directions.)
• RSVP: rsvp@dreamworlds.com.au
• Info: www.dreamworlds.com.au
• Curator: Melinda Rackham

Introducting: Wang Du’s Art Exhibition Opening Party

Hosted by Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery, check out the opening party for Wang Du’s “Top Secret – Flying Carpet III“ Art Exhibition on Saturday, August 21 from 3:00PM to 6:00pm.

Wang Du, a Chinese artist living in Paris, has been exhibited widely, including at the Paris National Museum of Modern Art, at the Venice Biennale and at the Hayward Gallery in London. His works are now part of important collections such as the Centre Pompidou.

Opposite House: Feng Shu’s Art Exhibition

Last Thursday was the cocktail reception for Feng Shu’s solo exhibition in the lobby gallery of the Opposite House boutique hotel.

Hosted by F2 Gallery, the exhibition showcased an assortment of Feng Shu’s incredibly beautiful, over-sized ornate porcelain insects featuring a blinged out scorpion to a variety of colorful dragonfly-type insects with long-stretching silver wings and even a gigantic floral skull.

A very unique exhibition, I was most impressed by the mutant winged insect creations and I was curious to learn more about this artist’s fascination with insects and his motivation to create such imaginative creatures.

In an article posted by Ling-Yun Tang about Feng Shu’s artistic background and insect creations, he explains:

The fantastic scale and ergonomic forms of the creatures transports them out of the world of everyday human nuisance and shifts the conceptual reference point from the entomological (?) to historical and philosophical concerns. Giant mosquitoes suck blood from their victims through piercing syringe proboscises; muscular spiders perch atop threatening needle sharp legs; scorpions armed with hefty pincers raise their venomous tails ready to subdue their prey; and beady-eyed flies at rest, at once beautiful and instinctively repulsive, await their next meal. The finely painted surfaces of the insect and arachnid bodies-some in Ming-Qing blue and white and pastel floral patterns, and others in abstract geometric triangles and irregular blobs-paired with contrasting metal limbs give the overall impression that these ancient creatures are science-fictional mutants, part animal, part robot. Do they represent the inevitable intrusion of outside change in Feng Shu‘s imagined historic past? Or are they the odd by-product of a Chinese modernity that is looking to move forward in the 21st century by openly embracing the agents of technological progress? The answers can go either way. It is this interplay between tradition and transformation that typifies Feng Shu‘s interpretation of contemporary society, where the mutual struggle between predator and prey can never be disaggregated from the larger question of evolutionary survival.

If you are interested in checking out these unique creations in person, you can visit Feng Shu’s art exhibition until September 30, 2010.

LumDimSum Photo Gallery of Feng Shu’s Exhibition at the Opposite House’s lobby gallery:

Featured Masterpieces:

I thought this exhibition was meant to be a solo exhibition for Feng Shu, but four paintings by Jin Yu were also displayed on the side of the lobby. All four paintings display the same two women in motion, with their bodies pressed against a glass surface. Interesting paintings, but I did not get the relationship with Feng Shu’s exhibition of large, porcelain insects.  Photos displayed below: