„The Scene and the Roles“ - a conference on Avantgarde in China

The works of numerous Chinese artists are consistently engaged in existential questions, which primarily assimilate the enormous reforms, and innovations of the country, looking for a new positioning within the cultural traditional threads – and with respect of the globalised world. The analysis is different, and ranges from the imagination to straight confrontation.

A kind of self-reflection has started, and the examination of the perceptions dissatisfied, self-critical – to separate the wheat from the chaff within the art scene. Finally the issue is, which could be the artists´ answers to the global questions. Today these artists are part of this discussion, much more than over the period of the first democratic movements following the cultural revolution, the so called movement of the »stars« (Xing Xing) in 1979. In spring 1989, shortly before »June 4th«, the exhibition »No Return« in Beijing has still been rather introversive.

„Looking back to future“
The »Avantgarde-conference« ought to come up with the traceability of the delevopment of the Chinese Avant-Garde since 1979. This must be necessarily seen in the context of the social events in China, as the Chinese arts have always to be considered as political arts.

„The scene and the roles“
The influence of the art market is most evident. Therefore the different roles in the art scene and the instrumentalisation of the art by the market will be subjects of the conference, in particular the influence by foreign collectors, and gallery owners, exerted from the beginning.

„Serve the people“
The third issue will be a critical reflection on the actual position of artists and their relevance and influence on the current social dynamics in China.

Schedule

Samstag, 10.10.2009
Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Vortragssaal, Schaumainkai 17, Frankfurt

12:00 h
reception desk open for participants

14:00 h
Opening speeches:
Prof. Dr. Schneider (director of Museum für Angewandte Kunst)
Peter Schneckmann (Chairman of „Drachenbrücke“)
Böll Stiftung

Part 1 „Looking back to future“

14:30 h
Moderation & introduction: Dr. Stephan von der Schulenburg (Frankfurt)

14.45 h
key-note “Looking back to future”: ZHANG Shuo (Beijing) & Peter Schneckmann (Frankfurt)

15:30 h
public discussion

17:00 h
“look at“ No. 1”: exhibtion „Sit in China“ | Museum für Angewandte Kunst (Dr. Schulenburg)

18:30 h
bus transfer to Karben (near Frankfurt)

19:00 h
“look at” No. 2: Opening of the exhibition „Double Happiness“ / Leonhardi Kulturstiftung e.V.

Sonntag, 11.10.2009
Staatl. Hochschule für Bildende Künste – Städelschule, Dürerstraße 10, Frankfurt

10:00 h
Opening speech: Prof. Dr. Daniel Birnbaum (director Städelschule)

Part 2 „The Scene & the Roles“

10:10 h
Moderation & introduction: ZHANG Shuo (journalist, Beijing)

10:30 h
key-note 1: Alexander Ochs (gallery owner, Berlin, Beijing)

10.50 h
key-note 2: ZHU Luming (director “vis-a-vis art lab”, Xiamen, Beijing)

11.10 h
key-note 3: XIAO Ge (artist, co-worker “ShContemporary09”, Beijing)

11.20 h
key-note 4: ZHOU Tao (artist, participant of exhibition “Double Happiness”)

11.30 h
break

12:00 h
public discussion

Part 3 “Serve the People”

14:00 h
„look at“ No. 3: “Art for the Millions – 100 sculptures from the Mao era” | Schirn Kunsthalle

15:30 h
Moderation & introduction: Robert Adanto (film director, Los Angeles)

15:40 h
Screening of „The rising tide“ (film by Robert Adanto)

17:10 h
break

17:30 h
Input of YANG Lian (writer, board member P.E.N.- international, Great Britain)

18:00 h
Panel discussion with YANG Lian / ZHU Luming / XIAO Ge / ZHANG Shuo / HU Fang (artistic director of Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou, Beijing)