Groupshow
Island 6 Art Center Shanghai P.R.C
May 25 2007 - June 8 2007
Project, Concept & Coordination: Rolf A. Kluenter
Curator: Andrea Neidhoefer, Shanghai Museum of
contemporty art (MOCA)
Catalogue distributed by Timezone 8
Figure for the base of a crucifixion #1 - #10
For more information:
http://www.ccc-hs.net/ccc-hs/servlet/content/458?
In 1967, long before the term "globalisation" was born, the German sculpture and installation artist Joseph Beuys created the idea of "Eurasia", a Utopian internationality that combines the culturally different areas of Europe and Asia. His motivation behind this concept was to connect two different cultures and political systems, Democracy and Socialism. Beuys believed that Europeans could learn from Eastern cultures to overcome their overly rational and analytical ways of thinking and become more intuitive - how he saw people in the East. Now, 40 years later, the artistic works of 18 European and Chinese artists are gathered together in the exhibition "eurasia one". They will explore how far Beuys' idea of a cultural migration between Europe and Asia has been developed. The exhibition tries to let the proximity to the original, Utopian conception of the Beuys' "Eurasia" become transparent. Soft-opening May 25th from 6pm. Art reception June 6th 2007.
The 18 participating artists are: Alexander Brandt,Chen Jiao, Chen Qiang, David Cotterrell, Christophe Demaitre, Thomas Fuesser, Gong Yan, Susanne Junker, Rolf A. Kluenter, Steve Messam, Nik Nowak, Pu Jie, Oliver Ross, Paul Schwer, Zhang Hao, Thomas Charveriat, Zhou Shau Shu and Yang Longhai
German artist Susanne Junker too is concerned with the discrepancy of reality and appearance. Her striking works analyze the illusion of beauty and perfection and the suggestive power of mass media. In her staged photographs the artist uses her own body as prop and appropriates the tools of fashion and advertising industry as her own, when she assumes different roles based on female stereotypes. Exaggerated, brutal and relentless, she confronts us with her interpretation of female role models and male fantasies, which challenges traditional modes of representation in advertising media, cinema and classical painting. Starting point for the series Figures for the Base of a Crucifixion for the artist was the examination of the role of women in catholic religion, which developed into a general protest against degradation of women in different religious, cultural and social contexts, where women today still commonly become victims of suppression and violence of various kinds.
Text: Andrea Neidhoefer,