Chinese artists at the Louis Vuitton Foundation - Part II
7:43 p.m.
03/04/16 - Right in the middle of the room on the second floor of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, Xu Zhen (Shanghai, 1977) presents a totemic image made with two emblematic figures: Buddha and the Victory of Samothrace. Xu Zhen is also a curator and a gallery owner. He became popular in 1990 for his videos and installations questioning religion and consumerism.
In 2009 he created Madeln, a company through which an anonymous group of artists, assistants and technicians reproduce his artworks in big quantities.
At the Louis Vuitton Foundation he exhibits New and Eternity-Tianlongshan Grottoes Bodhisattva, Winged Victory of Samothrace.
The first one was done in 2014 and represents Guan Yi, one of the most venerated goddesses in Chinese Buddhism. The figure is extremely big in comparison to the small porcelain goddess found in the Forbidden City. The colors used have nothing to do with the traditional white of purity. Transformed by the artist into a ready-made, the sculpture looks like a Pop symbol of faith in contemporary society.
New, by Xu Zhen (2014)
Material: painted stainless steel / Measures: 130 x 110x 402 cm
Producción Madeln Company
Since 2013, Xu Zhen has been developing the series Eternity, where he merges pieces of Human History in a syncretism that reflects globalization. In this case, a replica of the winged Victory of Samotrace holds a Buddha in weak equilibrium. With this combination, the artist reflects on the power of images and the way the media uses them, far from its artistic and spiritual aura.
Eternity-Tianlongshan Grottoes Bodhisattva, Winged Victory of Samothrace, by Xu Zhen (2013)
Materials: fiberglass, steel and cement / Measures: 626 x 460 x 230 cm
Producción Madeln Company
The artists Haung Yong Ping, Zhang Haun and Xu Zhen are just an example of all those taking part in this exhibition. Although they are not enough to represent the complete Chinese artistic scene, it enlightens us on the most recent productions, a production subjected to extremely fast changes with no place for individualities. The works are done impeccably and the open space surrounding them makes it easy to enjoy each one.
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