PR: Unique Chinese-Norwegian Exhibition Collaboration
Ingrid Askeland and Ai Weiwei are among the artists participating in a joint Norwegian-Chinese exhibition of ceramic art that opens on 23 January 2015 at KODE – Art Museums of Bergen.
Beyond G(l)aze features works by eight Norwegian artists and eight Chinese artists. The exhibition shows ceramic works that represent both differences and similarities between two cultures that are often perceived as very different from each other. An equally important objective has been to create dialogue and collaboration between Norwegian and Chinese artists. The curatorial team’s ambition has been to explore how the artists choose to meet the challenges of their material, thus also revealing the importance of historical traditions. Wang Dong, one of the Chinese curators, outlines the exhibition’s aims:
This exhibition includes 16 artists that have all engaged in different artistic experiments and expressions regarding the medium itself and its cultural legacy. Their works offer a direct reference to this body of ceramic culture, and challenge the perception of ceramic culture as a historical relic through visual symbolism solidly grounded in contemporary art
Wang Dong and his compatriot Feng Boyi have joined together with Heidi Bjørgan and Bjørn Inge Follevaag from Norway to curate the show, which is initiated and produced by Norwegian Crafts.
Earlier in 2014, Beyond G(l)aze was seen by 40,000 visitors at Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum. Gjertrud Steinsvåg, Norwegian Crafts’ director of international projects, is proud to be able to present the exhibition to a wide audience:
Above all, Beyond G(l)aze presents powerful works made by an exciting selection of artists from both countries. The exhibition reflects the strong position that clay and ceramics have achieved in international contemporary art. As a collaborative project, the exhibition is the result of extensive and dynamic cooperation between the curators, the two museums and Norwegian Crafts.
KODE’s director, Karin Hindsbo, welcomes the Norwegian audience to KODE:
Chinese art and ceramics are central areas in our collection, and this exhibition enlightens us about what is going on within the Chinese field of contemporary ceramics – also how it can enter into dialogue with the Norwegian field. Beyond G(l)aze shows cultural interaction at its best, and we are very happy to provide our audience with the opportunity to experience that interaction.
The curators:
Heidi Bjørgan is a renowned ceramic artist and curator of contemporary crafts in Norway.
Feng Boyi is one of China’s most significant curators and art critics. Since the late 1980s, he has been involved with Chinese contemporary art, also as an editor, and has collaborated with Ai Weiwei on several occasions.
Bjørn Inge Follevaag is currently a freelance curator and art producer. He has worked with Chinese artists since 1988, and is one of Norway’s experts on Chinese contemporary art.
Wang Dong is a curator at He Xiangjing Art Museum in Shenzhen. He is dedicated to curating, criticism and research on Chinese contemporary art.
The sixteen participating artists are Ingrid Askeland, Lu Bin, Liu Danhua, Feng Feng, Huang Huanyi, Liu Jianhua, Steinar Haga Kristensen, Torbjørn Kvasbø, Nils Martin, Anne Helen Mydland, Irene Nordli, Linn Pedersen, Lu Pinchang, Corrina Thornton, Ai Weiwei and Chen Xiaodan.
The exhibition will be on show until 12 April 2015.
Contact:
Gjertrud Steinsvåg, Norwegian Crafts, gs@norwegiancrafts.no, (+47) 41 30 28 83
Ingvill Uhlen Liseth, KODE Maria.Tripodianos@kodebergen.no, (+47) 92 26 65 06
Photos: