Memory goes as far as this morning
23 September – 8 November 2016
The Chengdu MOCA
-
- Gideon Rubin, 2014, ‘Untitled’, gouache on magazine, 26 x 19 cm.
-
- Gideon Rubin, 2016, ‘Untitled (Man Walking)’, oil on canvas, 200 x 150cm
Beginning September 23rd, 2016, Chengdu MOCA is pleased to present the exhibition Memory goes as far as this morning, with two established artists of different backgrounds: Gideon Rubin (Israel / UK) and Shu Qun (China).
The title of this exhibition, quoted from a poem by the noted Chinese poet Bei Dao, alludes to the disposable nature of ‘news’: The nation has lost its memory / Memory goes as far as this morning. Memory and history are universal themes, explored by artists throughout time. In this exhibition in Chengdu, both artists filter history and memories, each from his own unique perspective, while the audience is invited to revisit their own past experiences. The convergence of memory and history are of major interest and concern to Rubin, their nature and the thin line between the personal and the general constituting keys to his narrative.
The curatorial task in Memory goes as far as this morning has been to bring the two artists with their contrasting backgrounds into dialogue on this particular subject, prompting the audience to relate to themes like ‘taboo’, ‘erasure’ and ‘disappearance’, through the artists’ portraiture and their use of mass-media source material.
The works in this exhibition seem to drag the past into the present-time, securing imagery from memories and from history while reinterpreting and translating it. A maze of portraits and facial expressions in the case of Shu, and the erasure of facial features in the case of Rubin, make up a unique visual trove reflecting personal memories, identities and cultural histories. Off-base and in dialogue with Shu Qun who is working on home territory, the museum show in Chengdu presents for Rubin a unique opportunity to engage with a new audience in China, and this, particularly as both artists have shared common source material – using Hua Bao (a period Chinese picture magazine), in Rubin’s case in response to his exposure to Chinese culture and history during a two-month residency in Shenzhen in 2014.
Sharing common source material but confronting issues from different points of view, the resulting dialogue should prompt the audience to question not only its relationship to popular imagery, but also encourage them to revisit personal memories and histories, bringing up questions about the nature of memory, what are we actually looking back at, and how do memories affect our identity and consequently contemporary imagery.
As to Shu Qun’s, the exhibition will provide an opportunity for dialogue between his investigation into themes of utopia and the pitfalls of Chinese modernization (as in his Proletariat Series) and Rubin’s work characterized by vacant faces.
Shu Qun, 2009, ‘No 13, Proletariat Series’, acrylic on canvas, 120 x 120 cm.
Shu Qun, 2011, ‘No 5, Red Classics Series’, acrylic on canvas, 290 x 420 cm.
成都當代美術館榮幸地宣布“記憶成為早晨”將由2016年9月23日起對公眾開放。季迪恩·魯賓（倫敦/以色列）和舒群（中國）這兩位背景截然不同的知名藝術家，將於成都這座中國發展最快的城市展出自己的藝術作品。
展覽的題目取自著名諾貝爾文學獎提名詩人北島的“送報”暗喻人們對“新聞”過目即忘的詩作中的一句：“國家失去記憶，記憶成為早晨”。 “記憶”和“歷史”是從古至今藝術家不斷探索的話題。展覽中，兩位藝術家透過各自獨特的視角對歷史和記憶進行了篩濾，也期望引領觀眾地對自身過去的經歷進行回訪。記憶和歷史是魯賓最大的興趣及關注點，其本質及藝術家個人的參與性，成為他作品敘述中的至關重點。
“記憶成為早晨”的策展目的，是將這兩位背景全然不同的藝術家捲入這一特定對話，並使觀眾得以深入發掘禁忌、刪改和消失的主題，將其對肖像和大眾傳播媒體素材的運用融為一體。展覽將呈現兩位藝術家多方面、層次及不同時期的油畫作品。這些作品以某種方式將過去置於當下，將其與記憶和歷史隔離開來，並重新以熟悉的意向對其進行闡釋。舒群作品中以肖像及面部表情組成的謎題和魯賓作品中面部五官的缺失，構成了個人記憶、身份和文化歷史獨一無二的的存檔。
舒群與季迪恩·魯賓儘管有著共通的素材來源，但他們的創作卻上升至了不同的維度。兩者的創作媒介都是基於對舊時中國畫報的運用，但通過從不同角度切入話題，這場展覽不僅使觀眾開始審視自己與流行意象的關係，也對自身的記憶與歷史進行發問。記憶的本質是什麼？我們真正看到的是什麼？而記憶又是如何影響當代意象的呢？
對於魯賓的藝術實踐來說，由於中國與部分他所用的素材有直接的聯繫，相關的的藝術作品創作於2014年藝術家在深圳進行駐地計劃期間，作為他與中國文化和歷史為期兩個月相遇的產物，此次對這部份作品的呈現將魯賓有關身份、記憶和歷史的藝術創作帶入了新的領域，也是藝術家首次與美術館與中國觀眾的機會。
而對於舒群的藝術實踐而言，此次展覽推進了他對烏托邦及中國現代化的假像等主題的探索。藝術家令其“工農兵系列”中的細節與同一性與魯賓作品中所對應的缺失的面孔進行對話，並為自己對烏托邦及其文化遺產的理解翻開了新的篇章。
About the Artist
Gideon Rubin (b.1973) is an Israeli artist based in London. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and his MFA from Slade School of Art in London.
He has had numerous international solo exhibitions, the most recent include ‘Memory goes as far as this Morning’ at Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art Israel / SanJose ICA (2015/16), ‘Questions of Forgiveness’ at Galerie Karsten Greve, Paris (2016), ‘Delivering Newspapers’ at ROKEBY, London; ‘Blue House’ Alon Segev Gallery, Tel Aviv (2015), ‘On the Road’ at Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco (2014).
Selected group exhibitions include ‘Nourish’ at Napa Valley Museum, Yountville CA; ‘Disturbing Innocence’ at Flag Art Foundation, New York; ‘Daily Memories’ at Klosterhaus in Magdeburg, Germany (2014); ‘To Have a Voice’ at the Mackintosh Museum, Glasgow, Scotland; ‘Kunstlerkinder’ at Kunsthalle Emden, Germany (2012); ‘Lines Made By Walking’ at Haifa Museum of Art, Israel; ‘Facelook’ at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel (2011); Beijing Biennale at the National Art Museum, China (2009) and ‘Family Traces’ at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Gideon Rubin received the ‘Shifting Foundation’ grant in 2014 and Outset residency program, Tel Aviv (2013).He is represented by Galerie Karsten Greve Paris, Cologne, St Moritz; ROKEBY, London; Hosfelt Gallery, San Franscisco and Alon Segev Gallery, Tel Aviv.
Shu Qun (b.1958, Jilin Province) received his MFA from Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in 1982. Shu currently lives and works in Chengdu, Professor at the School of Architecture and Design, Southwest Jiao Tong University. He is director of The Contemporary Art Research Terminal, Southwest Jiao Tong University
Shu Qun is one of the key figures of China/Avant-Garde movement. In 1984,Shu Qun was one of the founders of the Northern Art Group, along with Wang Guangyi, Ren Jian and Liu Yan, among others. In 1989, he participated in the ‘China/Avant-Garde Exhibition’ at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.
Shu exhibits widely, including most recently in solo exhibitions: Image Dialectic:The Art of Shu Qun, OCAT, Shenzhen (2009); Portraits by Shu Qun: Culture for the Future more attainable than Utopia?, Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing (2010).
Selected group exhibitions include Myth/History: Yuz Collection of Contemporary Art, Yuz Museum, Shanghai (2014); History Lessons: Reflections on OCAT Publishing poster, OCAT, Shenzhen (2013); Face, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai (2012);Museum on Paper: 12 Chinese Artists, Iberia Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing(2011); Thirty Years of Chinese Contemporary Art- The Opening Show of Minsheng Art Museum, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai (2010);“85 New Wave” , The Birth of Chinese Contemporary Art, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing (2000).
About the Curator
Guo Xiaohui is a London-based curator and writer. Born in Xinjiang China. Guo Xiaohui has an MA in Art and Politics and a second MA in Culture Studies from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2013 and 2014. Guo has worked as an independent curator, art critic and she is currently a contributing writer for Sanlian Life Week (China).
As an independent curator, Xiaohui Guo has curated exhibitions and projects which include: Traces-International video collection of Isabelle and Jean-Conrad Lemaitre (2016, Beijing Mingsheng Art museum, China); Game of codes: Silia Ka Tung & Ma Li two person show (2016, Migrant Bird Space, Berlin, Germany); Place of Conflict: An art residency project (2016-2017, Israel, China); Cheng Ran: Traces of Traces (2017, Tel Aviv, Israel).
About the Chengdu MOCA
Chengdu MOCA is a leading, multi-functional, non-profitable art museum, built under the approval of Chengdu city administration, planned and initiated by Chengdu High-tech Zone Administration and financed by Chengdu HT Investment Group. The museum’s mission is to exhibit contemporary art from home and abroad and collecting Chinese art works of different periods; providing opportunities for scholars to deepen research of Chinese contemporary art and to provide a opportunity for local people to connect with and appreciate contemporary art and arts education. Chengdu MOCA strives to become an influential and academically renowned city-public art museum.
關於藝術家：
吉迪恩·魯賓
1973年出生於以色列，目前生活居住在英國倫敦。魯賓先後在紐約視覺學院獲得藝術學士學位，在倫敦大學斯萊德學院獲得藝術碩士學位。
吉迪恩·魯賓多次舉辦個展，如近期在以色列San Jose ICA 以及 Herzliya 當代藝術美術館展出的《當記憶成為早晨》（2015/2016）、在巴黎 Karsten Greve 畫廊展出的《寬恕之題》（2016）、在倫敦Rokbey 展出的《送報》（2015），在舊金山Hosfelt畫廊展出的《在路上》（2013）。
近期的群展包括在加州揚特維爾納帕谷美術館展出的《滋養》、紐約國旗藝術基金會展出的《不安的純真》、德國Klosterhaus美術館展出的《日常記憶》（2014）；英國格拉斯哥麥金托什美術館展出的《發聲》、德國埃姆登美術館展出的“ Kunstlerkinder” （2014）；以色列Haifa 美術館展出的《走出的線》以及特拉維夫美術館展出的《神情》（2011）；耶路撒冷以色列美術館展出的《家史》（2009）等。吉迪恩·魯賓的作品被全球範圍的美術館以及私人收藏。
舒群
1958年出生於吉林省洮南市，目前生活工作於四川成都。 1982年畢業於魯迅美術學院中國畫系，獲學士學位。先後任黑龍江省文聯《北方文學》雜誌社美術編輯、武漢大學建築系副教授；武漢大學建築系美術教研室主任；西南交通大學建築與設計學院教授；西南交通大學當代藝術研究中心主任。
舒群是中國85’ 美術運動的關鍵人物之一。 1984年舒群與王廣義，任戩和劉彥一起創建了北方藝術團的創始人。 1989年參加在北京中國國家美術館的“中國前衛藝術大展”。此外，舒群於80年代和90年代發表了眾多重要論述文章，包括1985年，於《中國美術報》第18期發表《北方藝術群體的精神》； 1986年於《美術》雜誌第七期發表“形式服從內容”； 1989年於《江蘇畫刊》第九期發表“理性繪畫的自白”等等。
近期個展包括：舒群的繪畫：一個輕於烏托邦的未來文化方案？，尤倫斯當代藝術中心，北京（2010年）；圖像的辯證法：舒群的藝術，何香凝美術館OCT當代藝術中心，深圳（2009年）。
重要群展包括：“時代的記憶——民生二十週年行慶藏品展”，北京民生現代美術館，北京（2016年）；北方藝術群體”，星藝術機構文獻展,香港（2015年）； “天人之際：余德耀藏當代藝術”， 余德耀美術館，上海（2014年）；“開今·借古”龍美術館西岸館開館展，龍美術館，上海（2014）；“開放的肖像”，民生現代美術館，上海（2012年），“紙上美術館：12位華人藝術家”，伊比利亞當代藝術中心，北京（2011年）；：中國當代藝術三十年1979-2009” ，民生現代美術館，上海（2010年）； “85新潮·中國第一次當代藝術運動”，尤倫斯當代藝術中心，北京（2008年）“追補的歷史——館藏中國當代藝術作品展” ，廣東美術館，廣州（2007年）； “創造歷史：中國20世紀80年代現代藝術紀念展”，何香凝美術館OCT當代藝術中心，深圳（2006年）等。舒群的作品被眾多美術館以及私人所收藏。
關於策展人
郭小暉
策展人，藝術批評家。出生在中國新疆，現生活居住在英國倫敦。
2013年獲得倫敦大學金史密斯學院藝術與政治碩士學位，2014年獲得同學院文化研究碩士學位。
2015年至今作為三聯生活周刊海外特約撰稿人，為雜誌每月定期撰寫藝術評論文章。
2015年至今策劃展覽及藝術項目包括：踪跡:勒梅特夫婦國際影像收藏展(北京民生現代美術館,2016)；記憶成為早晨(成都當代美術館, 2016)；解碼遊戲—Silia & Mali 雙人展(候鳥空間,柏林,2016)；程然:奇蹟追踪(當代藝術中心,特拉維夫,以色列)；衝突之地:藝術家駐留項目(中國, 以色列,2016-2017)
關於成都當代美術館
成都當代美術館
由成都市主管部門批准，成都高新技術產業開發區管理委員會策劃發起，由成都高新投資集團有限公司全資興建並投資運營，面向全社會開放的多功能非盈利美術館，是打造“人文高新”的重要組成部分。成都當代美術館坐落於成都市天府軟件園。美術館設恆溫恆濕典藏室、同聲傳譯學術報告廳、高清影音多功能放映廳、當代藝術圖書文獻中心等專項展示研究空間，以及貴賓室、MOCA商店、咖啡廳、地下停車場等配套設施。成都當代美術館的主要宗旨是：展示國內外當代藝術；持續收藏中國不同時期的當代藝術；為中外學者提供直接和深入研究中國當代藝術的機會和條件；為成都市民提供參觀當代藝術、接受藝術教育的空間；通過學術研究和高端展示推動成都地區當代藝術的繁榮與發展。
