Exhibitions

The Abstract Show You Should Be Looking At For A Very Long Time

Exhibtion Dates:
November 9 - December 7/2019

Opening Event: November 9th/19
LU CAFÉ @ 4:30 pm
SE ARTSPACE @ 6:30pm

Where:
华侨城创意园僑城旅友國際青年旅舍一层大堂, 深圳
LU CAFÉ, LOFT YHA, OCT-LOFT, NANSHAN DISTRICT, SHENZHEN

深圳南山区华侨城创意文化园北区A2栋101
SE ARTSPACE, 101 - BUILDING A2, OCT-LOFT, NANSHAN DISTRICT, SHENZHEN

Curated by: Catarina Braga & Brittan Aebischer

Produced by: ISZAF & AEBRAGA

Sponsored by: FOTOSHOP, LU CAFÉ & SE ARTSPACE

Press Links: TBA

 

Intro

Why? Why look at another contemporary art show of the abstract?
Why do we need to look at something for a very long time?

You don’t. You don’t have to do anything. But we think it is important that you, the viewer, stop and think about it and bother to read, because you are curious.

As humans, we are all curious. Though we see the real world in front of us, we don’t really trust it… either we want something more or we are scared of what we are seeing.

前言

为什么?为什么要再看一场当代抽象艺术展?
为什么需要静观他物许久?

不必。你什么都不必做。然而我们认为,你驻足、思考、潜心读阅尤为重要,因为你是饱含好奇心的观者。

世人皆有好奇心,尽管我们目睹现实世界摆在眼前,其实我们并不真正相信它…… 我们要么想拥有更多,要么我们害怕所见。

Defining Abstract Art

Abstract Art, in the contemporary sense, can just be about anything. If one were to follow the logic of “abstraction”, that logic would include everything but the actual object or subject in which the work of art takes form. It’s through representation and meaningful symbolism that we can use the language of abstraction to make visible what is often hidden.

For this conversation, we are defining abstract work which can be generally stated as work of art that depicts or represents a state of being, environment, presence or object that detaches itself from the reality of the known “real” world. Which then can manifest itself onto other undefinable states or non-concreteness.
Even this definition can be broad, but that is the point; the abstract is often so open that the lines between concrete and abstract begin to blur and make us question what is it that we’re trying to communicate in the first place.

Abstraction has nothing to do with the physical object or the image in and of itself; it is about what is beyond the surface. That is why the curators chose these two mediums — Painting and Photography to question our relationship with images through this context.

定义抽象艺术

在当代的概念中,抽象艺术几乎关乎一切。如要遵循“抽象”的逻辑,这个逻辑就包含除了艺术作品所表现的主体或客体之外的所有一切内容。通过再现与有意义的象征主义,我们可以用抽象的语言将那些经常隐藏不见的内容再现于世。

这次对话,我们正在定义抽象作品,这些抽象作品通常可被视为一种描绘再现与已知“真实”世界自我剥离存在状态与环境的艺术品。如此以来彰显其自身,成为其他无法定义或者非具象的存在。

即使这个定义同样可泛化,但这才是重点。抽象是如此的开放敞亮,以至于具象和抽象间的界线逐渐变得模糊,我们不禁开始疑惑到底我们最初想要表达什么。

抽象与实体或其本身的影像及表象无关;而是关乎表面以外隐藏的冰山一角。这是为何策展人会选用 — 绘画与摄影这两种媒介,通过使用这种语境对我们与影像的关系来刨根问底。

Abstraction is Human Nature

Humans possess one of the most unique and powerful tools known to our biological selves: the ability to conceptualize and see what is not there. Even if we don’t know the science behind how we do this, everyday we use our imagination to visualize things that are far from us, and to think of things that do not have a visual appearance. Even the space beyond the infinite can appear tangible to us through abstraction.

We are wired to “fill in the gap” of our everyday lives and give meaning to what is undefinable and indescribable. We are accustomed to build metaphors, make jokes, analogies, graphs, charts and maps and so on — all representative of higher thought and logic. Even though hidden, abstraction is as ongoing as thinking.

It is within this context that “The Abstract Show You Should Be Looking At For A Very Long Time” positions itself. This exhibition is also being made visible to create a space in time for us to look at our own abstractions for a very long time; and so that we can constructively think about them and what other visual abstractions’ mean.

Featuring work from 19 foreign and Chinese artists, “The Abstract Show….” brings together a selection of diverse artworks that present each of the artists distinct uses of abstraction.
To present abstract visual representations as pure art objects to the viewer would leave the work emanating only half of its intended meaning. Therefore, in “The Abstract Show…”, the work is being presented with the artists’ definition of abstraction as a way for us to delve deeper into their own meaning.

抽象是人的天性

人类拥有已知生物自我最独特且强大的一种工具:一种能够看见不存在的事物并将其概念的能力。即使我们还不了解其中的科学奥秘,每天我们仍会利用想象力将那些距离我们遥远的事物可视化,还能脑补那些没有可见外形的东西。我们甚至可以通过抽象看到超越无穷尽的时空。

我们致力于“填补”日常生活中的“空白”,将那些无法界定和难以描述的事物赋予意义。我们习惯于建构隐喻、开玩笑、做类比、制图做表、画地图等等,这些都代表了较高级的思维和逻辑。抽象即使身处隐蔽,也如同思考一般无时无处不在。
正因此(1)《驻足久观 - 抽象展》(简称《抽象展》)彰显于世,这场可视化的展览及时地为我们创造了一个公共空间,让我们可以持久地观察自身的抽象,为此我们能建设性地思考这些及其视觉抽象的意义。

《抽象展》汇聚了二十位中外艺术家各类别精彩纷呈的艺术作品,每位艺术家的作品展示了他们对于抽象的独特的艺术演绎。若将抽象视觉表现为纯艺术品呈现给观众,则只能达到作品一半的预期。因此在《抽象展》中, 艺术作品将以艺术家对抽象的定义为切点而呈现,为了能更深入挖掘其中的内涵和意义。

So, why look at abstract art? …

That is up to you.
We have told you what to do in this exhibition, now it’s your turn to choose what to do with it.
Together with the curators, the artists, their work and you, the dialogue of abstraction can be made present, real and tangible in hopes to make the intangible more concrete.

因此,为什么要观看抽象艺术?

这取决于你。
我们已经告诉你在这个展览上应该怎么做了,现在轮到你来选择做什么。
策展人、艺术家和他们的艺术作品将与您比肩同行,这场抽象艺术对话将可呈现当下、真实与有形,以期让无形变得更坚不可摧。


Meet The Artists

Andriy Bludov

Born on March 17, 1962, Andriy Bludov graduated from the Graphic Institute of the National Art Institute of Kyiv, in 1990. He is a member of the Ukrainian Artists Union and an Art professor at the National Academy of Art and Architecture.

Andriy's solo exhibitions include: "Atelier Karas" Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine; "Art Felchlin Art" Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland; "Appia" Gallery, Grenoble, France; «Inter art Gallery Reich» Gallery, Cologne , Germany; Tuset Gallery, Barcelona, Spain; «Cecilia Wameling» Gallery, Baden, Switzerland; «Pavlovsky Arts & Crafts» Gallery, Utrecht, Netherlands.

This project adopted a unique post-modern architectural design with all buildings presented in a translucent and transparent structure which creates an imaginary city. It is full of energy flow, vibration, and the proportion of all elements, suggesting a causal relationship between all elements and their interdependence.

Architect

Anonymous.
There are rumors among adherents of encrypted canvases that codes take its' headwaters from Masonic and Illuminati lodge, or, secret service that is run by some curator. Whoever stands behind the curtains, they call him an Architect. Genuine structure and mission of the organization are still unknown. Those who entered the quest are on their way to find it out.

Barbara Grotowska

Barbara Grotowska is a Polish artist and educator living and working in Shenzhen, China. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow with an MFA in Visual Arts majoring in Printmaking. In 2011 she came to Guanlan Printmaking Base as an artist-in-residence and decided then to move to Shenzhen permanently. She has been exhibiting her work in Poland, Portugal, UK, USA and China.

 

周圆 Butter Zhou

Graduated from London University of the Arts and from Chelsea College of Art with a Master of Arts degree. Since 2016 he’s been living and working in Shenzhen, where he founded the Banana Jam Art Space.

After working in interior design for more than 10 years, the reason why Butter chose Art as his pursuit was from watching his children grow up with the influence of free doodle and love for painting; secondly,only art can express the inexpressible parts of language, and thus remains a reverent and diligent exploration. Butter's works try many directions like painting, sculpture, installation, and performance.

陈封 Chen Feng

Chen Feng graduated from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and is currently a professional artist living in Guangzhou. He spent fifteen years exploring art creation and his everyday life, and has carried out various forms of art projects and exhibitions throughout China. Over the years, he has received several recognitions from local and abroad art collectors.

It was not until he was looking at the pure colors of the canvas at every moment, that he confirmed that painting has always been a special practice of meditation for him. In his words: “I spent five years carrying out the Blue series, and the theme of the future [Blue Language] will become the most beautiful and harmonious Sanskrit song I ever wrote on earth. Under beneath the blue sky and pure clouds, the touch of life and the moment of being touched create a picture, and became the enlightenment of life, where every breath it takes and all eyesight follows, all happens in a most touching and sensational way.”

海嵐 Hailan

Art passionate. Self-taught. Hailan embarked on a creative adventure in 2017 after receiving the acrylic color set left by a deceased artist friend. She made her first public solo exhibition in January 2019 and received positive feedback from the local art community and art professionals.

Prior to diving deep into art creation, she had many years of experience as a contemporary art curator and gallerist.
She is also an active member of the international education community in Shenzhen, contributing in bringing dialogues among cultures and promoting innovation in education. She believes action in art is the one way of making things happen.

The main media she has adopted since then is acrylic painting, 3D, digital, and combined media.

www.ghostlove.studio

Henry Lawrence

Henry Lawrence is a British Painter, ceramist and sculptor based in Shanghai. He mainly focuses on sentimental and colour driven work. He graduated from the University of Brighton in 2008 with a BA in Interior Architecture, following this in 2017 he completed his MA at the Camberwell College of Arts, on the Designer Maker program focusing primarily on Bronze casting. All these experiences have accumulated in his current work. 
胡威威 Hu Wei Wei

Born in 1981, Hu Wei Wei is a freelance photographer mainly engaged in art photography, portrait photography, and documentary photography.

After graduating with a Major in English in college, he worked in graphic design for several years. He started to work in Photography in 2007, and opened his first solo photography exhibition in 2019.

Joán Llabata

Joán Llabata is a filmmaker, photographer, and multimedia artist born in Valencia, Spain, in 1976.

After living in China for more than ten years, Joán has witnessed the changes the country has been through in the last decade and has developed a deep relationship with the Shanghai city environment, resulting in his first book "Shanghai Twenty Four Seven" (2019), a body of work that reflects on the concept of the individual versus the environment, urban decay, and on those affected by development.

With "No Man's Land" Joán takes on a new photographic approach, moving away from realism to explore abstraction from a landscape point of view.

Jon Poblador

Jon Poblador is a Filipino-American artist and art teacher currently based in Guangzhou, China. He received a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and has been a professional artist for the past twenty years. He is currently represented by Larry Becker Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, PA; Gebert Contemporary in Scottsdale, AZ; and Galerie Koo in Hong Kong. The two artworks presented are part of series of small works made during an art residency in France in the summer of 2018.

Kevin Jano

Kevin Jano was born in NYC. He holds a B.F.A from The Ohio State University and an M.F.A from The University of California at Los Angeles. He has a graphic, often minimal, style and feels going out into the world with a camera is akin to panning for gold in a river of time, light, shadow and color.
Magical images are his treasure. He has had his photographs exhibited in Shenzhen in the “Transient in Motion” show and the “Borders” show in 2018.

KRÜTZ SīVÆL

KRÜTZ SīVÆL is a self taught abstract and figurative painter focusing on cubist expressionism. He uses highly expressive interlocking lines made with a single stroke to convey the various emotions and characteristics of his subjects. He is inspired by the beauty of decay and rejuvenation found in city walls and is visible in the many layers and textures found throughout his work. He considers this cycle of wear and rebuilding as an allegory to our own personal growth. The goal of his art is to give the viewer what he calls a “holy moment” where they are able to forget their everyday struggles and feel a communion with the transcendent.

Lena Kilina

Lena Kilina is a visual researcher, sinologist and performing artist. Being a native Siberian and has a strong background in music & Asian studies having majored in Chinese culture and history. Lena is constantly traveling around the world and for the last decade she was living in China, Sweden, Spain and Japan. Currently working on doctoral research in social science, urban studies & visual anthropology about public spaces of Sao Paulo and Shanghai in Brazil. In addition, Lena serves as an ambassador in World Music School Shanghai/ Helsinki NGO. She is also member of the Shanghai-based co-creative artistic collective “Illumin8tors”.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24600087@N08/albums
https://kilbilina.tumblr.com/

Maja Zoric

Maja was born in 1991, in the small town of Cacak in central Serbia. After showing great drawing and painting skills she was admitted to Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where she became both Bachelor and Master’s degree holder in 2015.

She was granted a full scholarship in Salzburg Summer Academy in 2015 where she had opportunity to work with German Artists and exhibit her works. Her enthusiasm for traveling and exploring cultures lead her to China in March 2018 where she decided to stay and work as an art teacher.

Matt Franklin

Matt is a Shenzhen resident and keen photographer, particularly interested in Black and White and Street Photography. He rediscovered photography under the tutelage of the Shenzhen-based, Venezuelan photographer, Jesus Salazar and is an active member of the vibrant Shenzhen Photography group, and he enjoys working with both digital and film photography.

His recent work was featured in the group show exhibited at Besamé Mucho in 2018, and on That’s PRD online website.

Michele Lancia

Michele Lancia is a Research Assistant Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen. His research moves from Earth Science to Environmental Engineer also via satellite image and aerial photo analysis. Michele is keen on urban and architecture photography; in 2019, he received two merit awards from Eye Shenzhen and Shenzhen Daily for the “Expat Eye” Contest and from Bureau Public Works of Shenzhen for “Welcome to the Architectural Dream” (你好,筑梦者) Contest.

Savo Vujičić

Savo is a Serbian artist, graduated as a painter from the Fine and Applied Arts college in Belgrade, and is currently an Art teacher based in Shenzhen. His main mediums are Painting, Photography, Sculpture and Digital Illustration.

“The Abstract Show” is his second exhibition in Shenzhen, the first one being “The Treasure Show", also organized by ISZAF this year.
His work over the past few years has always been an exploration of the border between the Abstract and the Figurative; being on one or the other side, for him, art is a language through which we can express and understand our deepest thoughts and highest emotional and spiritual states.

Tyler Jackson

Tyler Jackson is a film photographer known for his powerful cultural ceremony and fine art studio images. The work on display at the Abstract Show is part of his ‘Figure and Form’ series that premiered earlier this year and focuses on conveying the strength and beauty of the human body by presenting it in unconventional ways. This allows the viewer to skip over their initial perceptions of what a body should be and reconstruct the idea from the very beginning.

Yvette Stride

Yvette Stride is an Australian artist and educator, drawing inspiration from her surroundings and spiritual connections. Especially in her homes of Hungry Head Beach (Australia), Baishizhou (China) and her underwater home (Scuba diving in the ocean). Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art (Queensland University of Technology), and a Masters of Education (Arts) from Southern Cross University, she has directed collaborative murals in Australia and Malaysia and co- created many sketchbooks as part of the Brooklyn Library’s Sketchbook Project (New York). Earlier this year, she completed an artist residency at Guanlan Printmaking Base in China (2019) and has been showing work locally through ISZAF in Shenzhen.

蔡倚希 YiXi Cai

Yixi Cai is a painter and a textile designer that earned her MA degree at Chelsea College of Art and Design. She is particularly interested in geometric shapes and lines and loves to work from 3D to 2D, deconstructing and reconstructing again as it helps her develop her work. The reason for this approach is her love for playing with cubes and puzzles since she was a kid. Coloring has also been one of her favorite things to do.