OTHER FUTURE POSTER

A Solid and Real China

What China shows in the world arena is not always commonplace. It might be a dynamic world of political and economic significance, or the challenges in its social and environmental governance. The world is asking what the future holds for China? We could look away from the turbulent change or development, maybe look at people in their regular life do not always involve politics, wealth, art, discourse, power, or commerce. Perhaps one may find the vigor of the Chinese that remained unchanged despite all the vicissitudes of life, and their extraordinary works of creativity.

The Chinese Pavilion at the 56th la Biennale di Venezia looks into "Other Future". It discusses the following questions: Is art encompasses a larger ambit? And how does it respond to current events and future challenges? How independent could an artist cross-disciplinary practice? What are sources of vitality and originality for art works? All these questions point to civil future.

The term "civil" here is not a sociological concept. Rather, it involves the existence of every individual member of civil society who is unique and defies classification. Also, "civil" represents open minded and tolerant, and at the same time rather challenging stand in current China: spontaneous, non-mainstream pursuits and creativity and the enjoyment of freedom of creativity.

And "Future" is not something of invented Utopia; it stands more for the coexistence of and interaction between the old and new worlds, and for endless possibilities that are accumulated and created in different social dimensions.

"Other Future" is a sort of observation, a question, and something in progress. For the majority of artists with well-defined attitudes, their artistic visions and thoughts on society transcend time, space and culture, representing not merely the dreams of their countries, but also the future all the world moves towards.

Eminent Creativity of Artists at the China Pavilion

The Chinese Pavilion invites 3 artists and 2 art self-organizations: LIU Jiakun, LU Yang, TAN Dun, WEN Hui (Living Dance Studio), and WU Wenguang (CCD Workstation).
• Architect who has more interaction with the miscellaneous of society and who is good at innovation and introspection in dealing with actual problems;
• New media artist whose works are cutting edge that often attract controversy;
• World-renowned musician and artist who explore intangible cultural heritage and with a liking for "crossover" and diversity;
• Independent modern dance and documentary network workstation, and common people who participate in social and political reform by creating documentaries in a way that challenges the established definition of an artist. They are initiators of civil memories and historical images with the aid of creative effort in modern dance.
Each artist is an explorer outside the official system with challenging subjects and boundaries of creation. They draw inspiration from ordinary lives and traditions, seeking cross-disciplinary innovation with contemporary relevance. Their understanding of contemporary art and social reality is revealing dynamic energy of Chinese art communities, its ongoing diversity and the possibility of going beyond what is conventional.

Works of Tan Dun and Lu Yang draw inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and classics, such as Nu Shu culture (women's script, national non-matter cultural legacy), Buddhist art, Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Rivers) and deity sculptures. With the interaction of contemporary music, intangible cultural heritage and new media, the artists transcend cultural boundaries with their breathtakingly imaginative languages of art that engaging with audience. Liu Jiakun's art installations, CCD/Living Dance Studio's works (documentaries "China Village Documentary Project", "Chinese Civil Memory Documentary Project", modern dance projects) are created in interaction with ordinary people over the years, reveling a solid image of everyday life in China. Their ways of approaching reality, displaying tension in more audacious ways and their intervention in society, not only extend the boundary and definition of art, but also present a vivid picture of “other future” in China.

The works convey these artists' exceptional views and sentiments, representing their unique ways in which they respond to current issues: challenges, compassions, rights, equality, criticism, indignation, or more profound relationships with the past and present. They exploit the nature of things, taking root in reality, yet with their viewpoints and creativity.

Appendix:
la Biennale di Venezia, All the World’s Futures and the Chinese Pavilion

As President of Venice Biennale Paolo Baratta states, the biennial has existed at the confluence of many socio-political changes and radical historical ruptures across the fields of art, culture, politics, technology, and economics. Here, the world sees, through the eyes of artists, human desires for art and aesthetics, developments of art worldwide as well as situations in different countries and regions, and resonate with such. The title for the 56th Venice Biennale, All the World's Futures, was chosen in hopes of accurately capturing, understanding and looking at our concerns about the times by judging and discussing the change and development of the present world.

It is because of the theme’s insightful observation that China has had a great enthusiasm for participation. The Chinese Pavilion is dedicated to presenting diverse voices from the Chinese contemporary art community, serving as an important international platform for cultural understanding and interaction, and realizing cultural exchange from wider participation of Chinese society.

We are convinced that art provides enlightenment, brings people a dialog of emotions, and transcends the ordinary appearance of things as well as complex social landscapes. In 2015, the Chinese Pavilion will invite international audiences to see, to listen, to feel and to interact with us, to understand a vividly China as well as how China expresses its emotions, the country’s challenges and paths ahead.

Short Text

The China Pavilion at the la Biennale di Venezia looks into "Other Future".

It discusses the following questions: Is art encompasses a larger ambit? And how does it respond to current events and future challenges? How independent could an artist cross-disciplinary practice? What are sources of vitality and originality for art works? All these questions point to civil future.

The term "civil" here is not a sociological concept. Rather, it involves the existence of every individual member of civil society who is unique and defies classification. Also, "civil" represents open minded and tolerant, and at the same time rather challenging stand in current China: spontaneous, non-mainstream pursuits and creativity and the enjoyment of freedom of creativity.

And "Future" is not something of invented Utopia; it stands more for the coexistence of and interaction between the old and new worlds, and for endless possibilities that are accumulated and created in different social dimensions.

"Other Future" is a sort of observation, a question, and something in progress. For the majority of artists with well-defined attitudes, their artistic visions and thoughts on society transcend time, space and culture, representing not merely the dreams of their countries, but also the future all the world moves towards.