Artists: Andy Holden (England), Wayne Warren (England), Bu Hua (China), Wang Zhiyuan (China), Gary Lee (Australia), James Newitt (Australia), Jason Wing (Australia), Jayne Dyer (Australia)
Curator: Reg Newitt (Australia)
Exhibition Duration: 22 November - 28 December 2014
Open Hours: 10.00 - 22.00
Venue: Kui Yuan Gallery, No.9, Xuguyuan Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
The exhibition will be an international cultural exchange involving eight artists with varying connections between China, England and Australia. All eight artists have established international reputations and currently exhibit in Europe, Asia, America and Australia.
The title of the exhibition adopts the duality of the ideal and the terrible or horrific – the exhibition does not use the artworks to portray instances of either one or the other situation – rather it uses irony to stimulate thought and dialogue.
Gallery audiences are encouraged and supported to read the meanings of the artworks as cultural, national and individual perceptions of issues that are relevant to all of us.
The artists in this exhibition address ecological, economic and social situations – the works question contemporary (social) values; they employ irony and humour without dismissing the issue; they subvert pontification or taking the high moral ground – they reveal aspects of dystopia while not presuming to present utopian ideals.
Readings and interpretations of situations are subject to individuals’ previous experience, their reasoning and their aspirations for the future. The works cover a range of media and reflect modes of practice, which may imply cultural and/or time period differences. The artists may be grouped according to two generations: four are pre-1960s, the other four are post 1970s. The art works will include a diversity of art forms including photo-media, moving image, stills, projection and digital prints, installation and fabricated object.
The gallery positions itself as a cultural hub in the local district of Guangzhou, which is open access to the public to engage with contemporary art.