Belgian artist Mikael Boijmans' solo exhibition "Promise" opened on April 9 at PRADA Rong Residence in Shanghai. One of the most prestigious painters of his generation, Boijmans created an ambiguous tension between his refined pictorial language and the subjects he depicted in order to depict the human condition.
In the United States, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has announced the appointment of Kim Conati as chief curator. In Shanghai, three female artists, Hua Yu, Tu Juan, and Kaka, presented "Shakespeare's Dreamland" on canvas at the Dahu United Art Space. Not long ago, the 81-year-old photographer from Taiwan, China, and winner of the Golden Horse Award Lifetime Achievement Award, passed away.
Shanghai|Belgian artist Boimans
The solo exhibition "Promise" was held in Rongzhai
Portrait of Boimans, photographer Alex Salinas
ON APRIL 9, ARTIST MICHAËL BORREMANS (B. 1963, BELGIUM) OPENED HIS SOLO EXHIBITION "PROMISE" AT PRADA RONG HOUSE IN SHANGHAI. One of the most prestigious painters of his generation, Boijmans created an ambiguous tension between his refined pictorial language and the subjects he depicted in order to depict the human condition. In his paintings, figures and everyday objects are isolated in their respective worlds, immersed in an atmosphere of absurdity, indescribable, or dreamlike. One can feel subtle or direct allusions to current socio-political events or art history in his works.
Boijmans, A2, 2004, oil on canvas, 40 x 35 cm, courtesy of the artist himself and David Zwirner
Boymans, Five Cones, 2020, oil on board, 21 x 29.3 cm © Michaël Borremans, courtesy of the artist himself and David Zwirner. Photographer: Peter Cox
"The Promise" features 23 paintings and a video by Boimans, which are displayed on the two main floors of the building. The building's own family-like historic space reinforces the sense of anachronism conveyed by Boimans's work. Entering the foyer, the public is immersed in a comfortable and intimate space with bespoke furnishings that showcase the artist's aesthetic. On the first floor of the building, the artist's work is confronted through a series of paintings depicting strange objects, as well as the short film The Storm (2006). The film depicts three still figures, the only elements of change being the light and its angles, resulting in a powerful visual narrative of gestures and symbols. The exhibits on the second floor of the Rong Mansion depict nameless people in an ambiguous, psychologically suggestive atmosphere. Through the different exhibition spaces, visitors can experience the multiple connections between history and the contemporary in the artist's work, as well as the contrast to the unique setting of this early twentieth-century villa.
As art historian and curator Jeffrey Grove writes: "Boymans deftly elicits these historical analogies, but does not fall into the clichés of homage or parody, but instead infuses his paintings with a critical contemporary consciousness." "There is always a sense of tension and anxiety permeating his work, and beneath the seemingly familiar and intimate surface of the scenes depicted, there is often a sense of imminent horror. The exhibition will run until June 9. (Yellow pine)
Kim Conati
Appointed Chief Curator of the Whitney Art Museum
Kim Kornatty
According to ArtForum Chinese, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York recently announced the appointment of Kim Conaty as chief curator, effective April 8. Since 2017, Conati has been working as a curator of painting and printmaking at the institution. Last fall, former chief curator Scott Rothkopf replaced the outgoing Adam Weinberg as curator, and Connate filled the vacancy he had left behind. In his new role, Conati will be responsible for the museum's permanent collection and acquisitions, as well as exhibitions and restoration.
Speaking to The New York Times about Conati's appointment, Rothkopf was candid: "In appointing Kim, it was important to take into account her interpersonal acumen and intellectual complexity to help us better face this era." These are key qualities for a museum like Whitney dedicated to contemporary art and ideas. ”
During his time at Whitney, Conati has curated the critically acclaimed exhibition Edward Hopper's New York (2022), major solo exhibitions by Ruth Asawa and Mary Corse, and the group exhibition Nothing Is So Humble: Prints from Everyday Objects. She also co-led the development of a strategic plan for the museum's collections. Prior to coming to Whitney, Conati was a curator at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University and previously an assistant curator of paintings and prints at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In addition, she served as coordinator of the 2008 Whitney Biennial and worked as an intern curator and researcher at the institution. She holds a master's degree from Williams College and a Ph.D. from New York University's School of the Arts. (Wan Town)
Shanghai|Hua, Tu Juan, Kaka
"Shakespeare's Dreamland" by a female artist
"Prologue: Shakespeare's Dreams" three-person exhibition of female artists, opened on April 6 at Shanghai United Art Space, showcasing the creations of Hua Yu, Tu Juan, and Kaka, who span all ages, but all use their own artistic language to integrate Eastern and Western cultures, constantly challenge themselves, and paint artistic chapters.
Opening scene of Dahu United Art Space, Hua 々 (4th from left), Tu Juan (3rd from left), Kaka (2nd from left)
Huahua, as an amateur painter, uses his brush to paint his love for life and his vision for the future. Her work is an interweaving of reality and fantasy, creating a surreal world that is both busy and tranquil, which she calls "appropriation of art history", and aims to provide the viewer with unlimited space for imagination.
Flower Flower Works
Tu Juan, a Shanghai-based ceramic/glass artist, creates magnificent artworks with a mastery of materials and a foundation in sculpture. Her "Mountains Series" captures the magnificence of natural landscapes through glass, while "Wormhole Series" explores the concepts of time and space, constructing an imaginative microcosm.
Tu Juan's works
As an integrated media visual artist, Kaka gives new life to his works through his in-depth exploration of paper materials and the technique of burning paper with a soldering iron. Her art is characterized by the exploration of the plasticity of paper and the philosophical reflection on fragility.
Kaka works
Curator Zhu Yuhong said that the three artists used their own unique materials as the pen and the depths of their hearts as the paper, and jointly painted an artistic dialogue about dreams, nature and emotions. Their works show an infinite love for art and a deep understanding of life. This encounter of artistic power is not accidental, but the call of fate, which takes place in the Dahu Fanhua Art Space. The theme of the exhibition, "Prologue", is taken from Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", "All the past is a prologue". The original text is "what's past is prologue". For the three poetic female artists, today is not only a prologue, but also the beginning of infinite possibilities in the future.
The academic director of this exhibition is Jiang Qigu, a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition will run until April 21. (Wan Town)
Photographer Zhang Zhaotang, Taiwan, China
He passed away in Taiwan at the age of 81 and won the Golden Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement
Zhang Zhaotang (1943-2024) Photo: Lin Zhendong
Taiwanese photographic artist Chang Chiu-tang passed away on April 2, 2024, at the age of 81. He has been awarded the Taiwan Literature and Art Award, the Golden Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival Award for Outstanding Contribution.
Chang Chiu-tang was born in 1943 in Banqiao, Taipei, and graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering of National Taiwan University. In 1965, he held a "Modern Photography Duo Exhibition" with Zheng Sangxi, and his works with a different visual style were different from the mainstream salon tradition. Since then, he has participated in the "Modern Poetry Exhibition" (1966), the experimental short film exhibition organized by the Theater Quarterly in 1967, and the "Amorphous" exhibition (1967), continuing to pursue avant-garde artistic expression.
Since 1968, Zhang Zhaotang has been working as a photojournalist at China Television and has participated in the production of many popular TV documentary feature films. Among them, the works "Ancient House" and "The Festival of the King Boat" won the Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary and the Golden Bell Award for Best Cinematography and Editing respectively. In addition to documentary filmmaking, Cheung Chiu-tang has also worked as a cinematographer for feature films, including Goodbye China (directed by Tang Shuxuan) in 1973, and Murdered Husband (directed by Zeng Zhuangxiang), Tang Dynasty Qi Li Nan (directed by Qiu Gangjian) and The Last Train in Tamsui (directed by Ke Yizheng) in 1984.
At the same time, he continues to engage in still photography, and participates in editing, publishing and exhibition planning. He has co-authored and edited publications such as The Pursuit of Images: The Realistic Landscape of Taiwanese Photographers (1988) and the Portrait of Taiwanese Photographers (1989). His major video works include Landscape of Time (2010), Patterns of Time (2010), Years and Years (2013) and Time Freeze Frame - Zhang Zhaotang (2017).
Since 1997, Zhang Zhaotang has been teaching at the Institute of Audiovisual Recording of Tainan University of the Arts, and has served as the director of the Audiovisual Media Center and the dean of the School of Audiovisual Arts. He has also served as a part-time faculty member at the Institute of Journalism at National Taiwan University and the School of Communication at National Chengchi University, teaching courses related to documentary and photography creation, and is one of the promoters of the Taiwan International Documentary Biennial.