Alexander Ochs curated this exhibition based on the idea of 'true places' and whether they should be discussed in the past or present tense. As can 'true places exist in a world of constant flux under a globalised market'? It is interesting to note that Ochs spends half his year in Berlin and the other half in Beijing, so he must do a lot of wandering between these two very different worlds. I found this exhibition quite exciting as all of the eight artists seemed to be dealing with existence and superficiality in their own individual quest for a 'true place', whether in culture, art, time, location etc., though the resulting work was incredibly varied.
I really liked Yang Maoyuan's response as he had created a line-up of Buddha heads, which were reminiscent of the heads of the Buddha-figures that are everywhere in Asia. Therefore the series seemed to comment on the use of serial technical fabrication, thought the mock-antique patina and a fragmented condition alluded to actual archaeological finds. By weathering the marble to such an extent, the sculptures were also deprived of any trace of individuality, which made the act of falsifying an imitation even more prominent.
However my favourite piece was a room length installation by Yin Xiuzhen. The piece, 'Collective Unconscious', not only had a strong visual presence but it also had an audible quality, as she had a Chinese pop-song, which apparently praised the city of Berlin, playing within the vehicle. The artist had utilised a mini-van, an old Chinese 'shared taxi', which she had cut into halves. The 'shared taxi' was used in the 80s and 90s, as an affordable means of transportation within the rapidly growing metropolis. However due to its cheap design and bad quality, the Chinese government withdrew it from circulation during the 90s. Therefore by extending the vehicle, using a long, rhythmical caterpillar like insertion made of clothes, the vehicle looses any pretence of stability and sturdiness. What I really enjoyed about this piece was how the viewer was allowed to climb into the work and sit on any of the multitude of seats inside. The clothes were also used to hint at the low cost but bad quality produce of China.
Andy, James and myself in the back of the mini van
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