Chen Wei

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BIOGRAPHY | SELECTED WORKS | RECENT EXHIBITIONS | SELECTED PRESS
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BIOGRAPHY

Chen Wei (b. 1980 Zhejiang, China) is known for his photographs of carefully handcrafted objects and architectures, composed to a meticulously staged mise-en-scène that blurs the boundaries between realities and cinema, landscapes and dreamscapes. Influenced by the 20th century’s cinematically staged photography, Chen introduces a layer of simplicistic theatric stage design and painterly sensibility to his photographic repertoire. Chen Wei has exhibited extensively and internationally at numerous prestigious institutions and biennales.

Upcoming and recent exhibitions include: “The Club”,  Horsham Regional Art Gallery, Horsham, Australia, 2017; ”A New Ballardian Vision”, Metro Pictures, New York, USA, 2017; “The Club”, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia; “Please fasten your seat belt as we are experiencing some turbulence”, Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai, China, 2017; “Noon Club”, curated by Francesco Bonami, JNBY Foundation, Hangzhou, China, 2016; “The Work in Progress, Photography from China in 2015″, Museum Folkwang, Essen, 2015; “Performance and Imagination: Chinese Photography 1911–2014”, Stavanger Art Museum, Stavanger, 2014; “My Generation: Young Chinese Artists”, Orange County Museum of Art, CA, 2015; Tampa Museum of Art, FL and Oklahoma City Museum of Art, OK, both in 2014; “ON | OFF: China’s Young Artists in Concept and Practice”, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, 2012; “28 Chinese”, San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio and Asian Art Museum, San Francisco in 2015, Rubell Family Collection/ Contemporary Arts Foundation, Miami, FL, in 2013, among others. In 2011, Chen Wei was awarded the 1st Asia Pacific Photography Prize, and was shortlisted for the Prudential Eye Awards in 2015.Chen Wei lives and works in Beijing, China.

Download the complete artist biography

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SELECTED WORKS

CHEN WEI, "Volleyballs", 2013, Archival Inkjet Print, 150 x 187.5 cm

CHEN WEI, "Ping Pong", 2011, Archival inkjet print, Regular format 100 x 130 cm

CHEN WEI, "Tower", 2013, Archival Inkjet Print, 150 x 187.5cm

CHEN WEI, "Dance Hall (Blueness)", 2013, C-print, 150 x 187.5 cm

CHEN WEI, "In the Waves #5", 2013, Archival inkjet print, 150 x 187.5 cm

Creative Fusion: Exploring Art Exhibitions in the Heart of Australian Casinos

G’day, culture enthusiasts and gaming aficionados! In a fascinating blend of entertainment and artistic expression, Australian casinos have transformed into unexpected havens for captivating art exhibitions. Join me on a journey that unveils the mesmerizing world where the thrill of gaming intersects with the allure of fine art.

1. A New Dimension of Entertainment

Australian casinos have transcended their traditional roles, becoming cultural hubs that offer more than just gaming. Art exhibitions bring an additional layer of enrichment to the casino experience, captivating both seasoned players and art aficionados.

2. Showcasing Diversity

Art exhibitions within casinos boast an eclectic range of styles, from contemporary to traditional, indigenous to international. This diversity of artistic expression mirrors the diverse crowd that casinos attract, creating a harmonious meeting ground for cultures and perspectives.

3. Elevating Aesthetics

The marriage of art and casino spaces elevates the overall aesthetics, turning gaming floors into dynamic galleries. Striking sculptures, vibrant paintings, and thought-provoking installations transform the environment, enveloping visitors in a visual feast.

4. A Curated Experience

Art exhibitions within casinos often feature curated collections that tie into themes or narratives. This enhances the overall experience for visitors, adding a layer of depth and context to the artworks on display.

5. An Enriching Escape

For casino-goers seeking a momentary escape from the gaming rush, art exhibitions provide a tranquil oasis. It’s a space where contemplation, reflection, and appreciation of art blend seamlessly with the thrill of the casino.

6. Bridging Communities

The convergence of gaming and art brings together two seemingly disparate communities – those who relish in the excitement of gambling and those who appreciate the beauty of creativity. It’s a bridge that fosters connections and encourages cross-cultural dialogue.

So, whether you’re drawn to the spin of the roulette wheel or the stroke of a paintbrush, Australian casinos have crafted an extraordinary fusion of entertainment and culture. The juxtaposition of gaming tables and art installations creates an enchanting tapestry where chance encounters and artistic marvels intertwine, inviting you to immerse yourself in a world that defies convention.

CHEN WEI, "Disco #1001", 2015, Archival inkjet print, 75 x 60 cm

CHEN WEI, "The Last Man", 2015 , Archival inkjet print, 125 x 100 cm

CHEN WEI, "A chair and four 100 watt bulbs

CHEN WEI, "New Stairs", 2015, Archival inkjet print, 120 x 150 cm

CHEN WEI, "A Lighthouse Was Winking in the Far Distance", 2010, C-print, 100 x 120 cm

CHEN WEI, "The Stars in the Night Sky Are Innumerable", 2010, C-print, 100 x 130 cm

CHEN WEI, "House of Recovery", 2008, C-print, 150 x 170 cm

CHEN WEI, "Everlasting Radio Wave", 2008, C-print, 150 x 150 cm

CHEN WEI, "Records Hypnosis", 2007, Archival inkjet print, 125 x 185 cm

CHEN WEI, "The Augur's Game No1", 2007, Archival inkjet print, 60 x 60 cm

CHEN WEI, "The Drunken Boat (Shanghai)", 2015 , Acrylic panels, LED screens, mirrors, reinforced glass, silicone mask, fluorescent tube Dimension variable

 

For more works and projects by the artist, download the portfolio in pdf.

For details of Chen Wei’s dance/club series, download the pdf profile.

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RECENT SOLO EXHIBITIONS

“The Club”,  Horsham Regional Art Gallery, Horsham, Australia, 2017
“The Club”, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia, 2017
“Noon Club”, curated by Francesco Bonami, JNBY Foundation, Hangzhou, China, 2016
“The Last Man”, Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai, China, 2015
“Night Paris”, Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan, 2015
“Noon Insomnia”, Ota Fine Arts, Singapore, 2015
“In the Waves”, Chi K11 Art Museum, Shanghai, China, 2015
“Yesterday Shop”, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany, 2015

RECENT GROUP EXHIBITIONS

“A New Ballardian Vision”, Metro Pictures, New York, USA, 2017
“Please fasten your seat belt as we are experiencing some turbulence.” Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai, China, 2017
“MIC / MAC”, A2Z Art Gallery, Paris, France, 2016
“China: Grain to Pixel”, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne, Australia, 2016
“Turning Point: Contemporary Art in China Since 2000″, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China, 2016
“Wechat: A Dialogue in Contemporary Chinese Art”, Contemporary Chinese Art, Texas, USA, 2016
“The Mud of Compound Experience”, Mother’s Tankstation & Leo Xu Projects, Hong Kong, 2016
“The Work in Progress, Photography from China in 2015″, Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany, 2015
“Grain to Pixel: A Story of Photography in China”, Shanghai Center of Photography, Shanghai, China, 2015
“28 Chinese”, San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; Rubell Family Collection, Miami, USA, 2015
“My Generation: Young Chinese Artists”, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma; Tampa Museum of Art & Museum of Fine Arts, Florida, USA, 2014; Orange County Museum of Art, California, USA, 2015
“Paradise B!tch”, White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, Australia, 2015
“The System of Objects”, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China, 2015
“The Work in Progress, Photography from China in 2015″, Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany, 2015
“Performance and Imagination: Chinese Photography 1911-2014″, Stavanger Art Museum, Norway, 2014 [exhibition page]
“Silence: the 1990s”, Balice Hertling Gallery, Paris, France, 2014 [exhibition page]

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SELECTED PRESS

Ideat, “A guess about Muse”, by Lu Lu, Issue 25, May, 2017 [download pdf]
VICE, “Chen Wei’s Images Reveal the Mysteries of Chinese Club Culture”, by Nadja Sayej, March 28, 2017 [download pdf]
VICE, “Chen Wei Recreates China’s Neon-Lit 90s Clubs”, by Start Brumfitt, March 23, 2017 [download pdf]
Hunger, “Artist Chen Wei’s abstract photographs explore the experience of Nightclubbing in China”, Mar.17 2017 [download pdf]
Flash Art, “Noon Club”, by Chen Wei, November/December, 2016 [download pdf]
Artfourm, “Chen Wei: Noon Club”, by Diao Zhuo, April, 2016 [download pdf]
Kaleidoscope, “The Nostaigic Revolution of Chen Wei” (cover story), interview by Mian Mian, Issue 3, Spring & Summer, March, 2016 [download pdf]
Numéro, “Fetishism – Unknown Pleasures”, by Chen Wei, March, 2016 [download pdf]
Leap, “Chen Wei: The Last Man”, translated by Connie Kang , Issue 160, January & February, 2016 [download pdf]
Ideat, “ID Album – The Last Man”, by Chen Wei, January, 2016 [download pdf]
Numéro, “Get Loose”, Issue 54, November, 2015 [download pdf]
Time Out Shanghai, “Review: The Last Man”, by NJ, Issue 72, December, 2015 [download pdf]
For Him Magazine, “The Last Man”, by Yu Lingyuan, Special Issue, Fall & Winter, 2015 [download pdf]
K11 Artoid, “Cinematheque”, Issue 7, 2015 [download pdf]
The Bund, “Mild Art Belonged To Petty Bourgeoisie And Middle Class”, by Han Jian, Issue 638, April, 2015 [download pdf]
The Bund, “Chen Wei: I Have Always Been Dealing With the Gap Between Ideality And Reality”, by Shen Yin, Issue 618, November, 2014 [download pdf]
Financial Time, “‘Other Postman’ (2007) by Chen Wei”, by Gurpreet Narwan, May, 2014 [download pdf]
The Guardian, “Chen Wei’s Best Photograph: A Chinese Nightclub Fantasy”, by Karin Andreasson, April, 2014 [download pdf]
Numéro, “Chen Wei – Selflessness”, by Tang Lingjie, November, 2013 [download pdf]
ART, “Vom Schwamm Befallen”, by Birgit Sonna, July, 2013 [download pdf]
Leap, “More”, by Sun Dongdong, October, 2012 [download pdf]

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past | PERFORMING TIME

Elizabeth Neel, Traders and Trade Routes 2, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 180.3 x 195.6 cm

Performing Time

April 23rd through July 20th, 2016
VIP reception Saturday April 23rd,6-8pm

 
Artists: Chris Huen Sin Kan, Li Qing, Elizabeth Neel, Ken Okiishi, Shahzia Sikander, Taocheng Wang
 
“Performing Time” is the second curatorial collaboration between Pilar Corrias Gallery (London) and Leo Xu Projects (Shanghai), following a critically acclaimed exhibition in Hong Kong “The Tell-Tale Heart” (2015) where the relationship between narrative and new media was addressed. The new group exhibition otherwise steers its focus to painting as a medium that has recently gained vigor and repertoire from new ways of image-making, data, and performative languages in a world constantly reshaped by digital media. A product of the galleries’ ongoing opinion exchange on the gestural and time-based nature of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting, the show evaluates the boundaries of painting by and through time: How the notion of time in its physical and metaphysical sense has influenced artist’s respective practices.
Details »

news | CHEN WEI IN ANOTHER LANDSCAPE AT YANG ART MUSEUM

 

Another Landscape
10 Aug, 2016 through 9 Oct, 2016
Yang Museum, 3rd Floor, Building 14, No.6 Chaoyang Rd, Beijing, CHINA

Chen Wei is included in the photography-centered exhibition Another Landscape at Yang Art Musuem: the exhibition is curated by Jérémie Thircuir and will face the public on the 10th of August, 2016.

Landscape is a wide field providing endless inspiration and potential for artists, albeit one of photography’s most challenging genres.
另一种风景 – Another Landscape highlights the new vocabulary of contemporary photographers working in China, pushing the boundaries of the medium to differentiate themselves from mass image production. The exhibition encompasses both domestic Chinese artists and the group of foreign photographers who produced the Middle Kingdom.
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news | AAAJIAO PARTICIPATES IN SHANGHAI PROJECT


Shanghai Project

Phase I: Launching on September 4th, 2016
Phase II: April 22nd through July 30th, 2017

Shanghai Himalayas Museum
3rd and 4th Floors, 869 Yinghua Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, China

Aaajiao is invited by Shanghai Project to participate in the exhibition as a researcher, and as one of the seven jury members for the Shanghai Project Open Call, Qidian. Aaajiao’s work, characterized by sci-tech driven imagination and engages directly with Internet sphere, data processing and filtration of information aligns with the project’s futuristic theme, “Envision 2166.”
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news | LIU CHUANG IN MATTER FICTIONS AT MUSEU COLEÇÃO BERARDO

LIU CHUANG, BBR1 (No1. of Blossom Bud Restrainer), 2015, single channel video, color, sound, 4 min 56 sec

Matter Fictions

May 4th through August 21st, 2016

Museu Coleção Berardo
Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisbon, Portugal

Liu Chuang’s video “BBR1 (No1. of Blossom Bud Restrainer)” is on view in the exhibition “Matter Fictions” curated Margarida Mendes at Museu Coleção Berardo in Lisbon.

Recounting a partial history of our relation with matter, this exhibition explores how the crossover between cosmological narratives, the spatial revolutions of concrete poetry, and hypertextual and territorial fictions might have an impact on the recognition of human agency in a time that calls for our action on climate change.
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news | AAAJIAO: REMNANTS OF AN ELECTRONIC PAST AT CFCCA

aaajiao: Remnants of an Electronic Past
Opening: Aug 18th 2016, 6-8pm
Aug 19th 2016 through Oct 9th 2016

Gallery 1, Manchester Center for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA)
13 Thomas Street, Manchester, United Kingdom, M4 1EU

Aaajiao’s solo exhibition, Remnants of an Electronic Past, opens a series of programme at the Manchester Center for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA) in celebration of the city’s position as European City of Science 2016. CFCCA’s following programme will explore the boundaries between art and science through the lens of Chinese contemporary art.
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news | LIU SHIYUAN AT LONG MUSEUM SHANGHAI

She: International Women Artists Exhibition

July 22nd through October 30th, 2016

Long Museum (West Bund)
3398 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai

Liu Shiyuan is featured in “She” Long Museum’s large survey on female artists around the world and across generations. Artworks from 13 countries spanning over 10 centuries by 105 artists including Marina Abramović, Jo Baer, Louise Bourgeois, Mariam Cahn, Fei Cao, Marlene Dumas, Tracey Emin, Yayoi Kusama, Maya Lin, Beatriz Milhazes, Joan Mitchell, Shirin Neshat, Yoko Ono, Yuliang Pan, Jenny Saville, Kiki Smith, Jing Xiang, Hong Yu, Lisa Yuskavage, etc.

news | AAAJIAO IN TEMPORAL TURN AT SPENCER MUSEUM

AAAJIAO, "Body Shadow, Video", 2015, single channel video, color with sound

Temporal Turn: Art and Speculation in Contemporary Asia

November 11th, 2016 through March 20th, 2017

Spencer Museum of Art, The University of Kansas
1301 Mississippi St. Lawrence, KS

Three pieces of aaajiao’s video work, Obj. 4 (2014), Body Shadow, Generated, (2015),  and the documentary video for Body Shadow (2015) will be exhibited in Temporal Turn: Art and Speculation in Contemporary Asia this November. The exhibition is hosted by the Spencer Museum of Art in the University of Kansas.
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news | AAAJIAO SPECIAL COMMISSION AND SOLO PROJECT AT OCAT XI’AN

aaajiao: Remnants of an Electronic Past

June 18th through September 11th, 2016
OCAT Xi’an
Beichitou 1st Road, Yanta District
Xi’an, China

 
“Remnants of an Electronic Past” is the first museum exhibition of Shanghai-based artist aaajiao. Curated by Karen Smith at OCAT in Xi’an, the show features a body of new works commissioned for the show. Opening June 18 and running through September 11th, 2016, “Remnants of an Electronic Past” also marks the first in a series of institutional solo exhibitions of aaajiao and museum group shows where the works will be featured in various forms throughout the year.
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news | GABRIEL LESTER: UNRESOLVED EXTRAVAGANZA AT DE APPEL

Gabriel Lester: Unresolved Extravaganza

June 25th through October 2nd, 2016
Opening June 24th, 6–9pm

de Appel arts centre
Prins Hendrikkade 142
1011 AT Amsterdam
The Netherlands

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news | CHENG RAN AND CUI JIE AT CASS SCULPTURE FOUNDATION

CHENG RAN, "Crossroads", 2016, Light installation, Dimension variable

A Beautiful Disorder

July 3rd through November 6th, 2016
Grounds and Galleries, Cass Sculpture Foundation
Free with general entry

“A Beautiful Disorder” is the first major exhibition of newly commissioned outdoor sculpture by contemporary Greater Chinese artists to be shown in the UK.

The historical relationship between English and Chinese landscape aesthetics is the starting point and inspiration for these contemporary Chinese and Greater Chinese artists. The title of the exhibition, A Beautiful Disorder, is a quote from an influential letter written by the Jesuit missionary and artist Jean-Denis Attiret in 1743 that had a tremendous effect on English garden culture. Attiret used the term to describe the ability of the Chinese garden to provoke violent and often opposing sensations in the viewer through a series of theatrical framing devices. The exhibition invites the viewer to reflect on China’s past, present and future relationship with the world at large, and provides valuable insight into the state of Chinese culture, politics and society today from the perspective of some of its most dynamic and engaging artists.
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news | LIU CHUANG IN M+ SCREENINGS: VISIBLE PLACES


M+ Screenings: Visible Places

January 15th through 17th, 2016

Broadway Cinematheque
Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

M+ Screenings: Visible Places is the first programme of a new ongoing series that showcases a diverse range of moving image works. Using Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities as a point of departure, M+ Screenings: Visible Places presents works by thirteen Hong Kong and international artists and filmmakers. These animations, artist moving image, documentary and feature films examine how experiences, memories, and desires of our lived environments are (re)invented and (re)imagined on-screen.
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news | LIU CHUANG IN THAT HAS BEEN, AND MAY BE AGAIN AT PARA SITE HONG KONG

LIU CHUANG, Love Story, Installation detail, Para Site, Hong Kong, 2016


That Has Been, And May Be Again

June 11th through August 21st, 2016

Para Site Hong Kong
22/F, Wing Wah Industrial Building
677 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Liu Chuang’s “Love Story” is on view in “That Has Been, and May Be Again”, an exhibition curated by Leo Li Chen and Wu Mo and which is the second in a series presented by emerging Hong Kong curators. The show includes new and existing works by Chen Qiulin, Hu Jieming, Jiang Zhi, Leung Chi Wo, Li Jin, Li Jinghu, Liu Chuang, Liu Ding, Ma Liuming, Qian Weikang, Wang Youshen, Yan Lei, Yin Xiuzhen, Zheng Bo, and Zhu Jia.
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news | LIU CHUANG IN BERLINALE 2016

Liu Chuang in Berlinale
The Berlin International Film Festival 2016

Liu Chuang is included in The Berlin International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale. Exhibited in the Forum Expanded section, Liu Chuang presents his latest short film “BBR 1 – NO. 1 OF BLOSSOM BUD RESTRAINER” in “Traversing the Phantasm” at Akademie der Künste Halle 1-3.
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past | THE MUD OF COMPOUND EXPERIENCE


The Mud of Compound Experience

artists: aaajiao, Uri Aran, Chen Wei, Nina Canell, Lee Kit, Li Qing, Liu Chuang, Liu Shiyuan, Mairead O’hEocha
organized and produced by mother’s tankstation and Leo Xu Projects

March 21st through 27th, 2016
No. 98 Apliu Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

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news | GABRIEL LESTER IN HEAVEN, HELL & EARTH

GABRIEL LESTER: HEAVEN, HELL & EARTH

September 24th, 2016 through January 15th, 2017
Stedelijk Museum
De Mortel 4, 5211 HV’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands (forthcoming)

Hell Earth Heaven exhibition Heaven & Hell (and Earth) is a triptych of works by internationally known artists based on the great themes by Hieronymus Bosch. Central to Heaven & Hell (and Earth) is the eternal struggle between the essential and opposing forces in life, the world, and the psyche of man. The British duo Jake & Dinos Chapman depicts hell, the Swiss video artist Pipilotti Rist comes with a heavenly contribution and the Dutch artist and filmmaker Gabriel Lester will connect these extremes in a new installation.

news | CHENG RAN IN TIME TEST: INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ART RESEARCH EXHIBITION AT CAFA ART MUSEUM

Time Test: International Video Art Research Exhibition

July 2nd through August 28th, 2016
Opening July 2nd, 1:30pm

CAFA Art Museum
8 Huajiadi S St, Chaoyang District, Beijing

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news | CHEN WEI IN CHINA: GRAIN TO PIXEL

China: grain to pixel

June 5th through August 28th, 2016

Monash Gallery of Art
860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill, Victoria
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news | GABRIEL LESTER IN AURA UTRECHT

GABRIEL LESTER: AURA UTRECHT BY POLYLESTER (GABRIEL LESTER & MARTINE VLEDDER)

July 4th through November 30th, 2016
Public Works
Utrecht Central Station, The Netherlands

The interactive art intervention Aura Utrecht design Poly Lester is ready. The colorful installation composed of industrial tinted plastic PVC curtains, stands at the entrance of Utrecht Central Station, on and above the steps of the city plateau at Jaarbeursplein. Poly Lester used the shielding function of the material to a to create meeting and accommodation area, which withdraws in a playful way to bustle of the busy transport hub. Invites the relaxed nature of the PVC curtains visitors to enter the pavilion from any direction. The properties of material – transparent, colorful, lively, robust – form the basis of the artwork. Details »

news | CHENG RAN: ORANGE & BLUE AT QIAO SPACE

Cheng Ran: Orange & Blue

March 19th through April 19th, 2016
Qiao Space
2555-5 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai

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fair | FRIEZE NEW YORK 2016

LIU SHIYUAN, "This Way or That Way", 2016, Site-specific installation, detail

Frieze New York
Booth B35
Randall’s Island, Manhattan
May 4th through 8th, 2016

Located at booth B35, the gallery will be exhibiting a solo presentation of Beijing-born and Copenhagen-based young female artist Liu Shiyuan, whose installations and photographs have recently been exhibited at various institutions, including Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, Yuz Museum Shanghai (solo), Aurora Museum Shanghai, among others.
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