
Four female Chinese artists will have work shown at the upcoming Venice
Biennale, the 100-year-old carnival of contemporary art held in the Italian
city.
The work will feature "Everyday Miracles," one of the themes of the June 6 to
November 21 festival, and go on show in the event's Chinese Pavilion, according
to organizers yesterday.
It is the second time Chinese contemporary artists have been on show at the
renowned art event since the Chinese national pavilion was set up at the last
biennale.
China Arts and Entertainment Group, which is in charge of China's
participation along with new partner Fudan University's Shanghai Institute of
Visual Art, said it has full confidence in the institute.
"The Shanghai Institute of Visual Art is one of the few Chinese art schools
to enjoy direct access to the world's most avant-garde art. We believe the great
creativity of the school can provide us with good support to live up to the
theme of the carnival that always calls for the spirit of innovation in art,"
said Zhang Yu, General Manager of CAEG.
Gong Yan, dean of the institute, said the involvement of the school in the
art event shows the improvement of China's progress in cultural development and
communication.
"It's rare for an art institute to have the chance to get involved in the
participation of a contemporary art event so important and authoritative as the
Venice Biennale. It to some extent proves the success of our institute's belief
and practice in a 'fenceless' art education," the dean said.
Hou Hanru, a well-known contemporary Chinese artist and curator of the
Chinese Pavilion, said he believed the four artists would "exemplify in
particular ways the evolution of the engaging relationship between female
artists and the Chinese art scene, and speak to the claims of women in the
rapidly changing Chinese society of the last two decades."
Hou added to provide the world with a view into the thoughts and attitudes of
Chinese contemporary artists is "no less important" than having China involved
in important art events on a global stage.
Kan Xuan, one of the four artists, said she believed her work was chosen for
the national pavilion because the theme of her work matches the concept of
everyday miracles and she "would not make any particular change to her style
just to match the occasion."