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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Published on December 24, 2011 5:06 am.

news | LIU CHUANG AT K11 ART VILLAGE WUHAN

Liu Chuang: Segmented Landscape

November 6th, 2015 through February 5th, 2016
K11 art village, Wuhan

The exhibition title, Segmented Landscape, is derived from an eponymous artwork by Liu Chuang, which lies at the core of the exhibition. The visual imagery of the artwork is based on the classical Chinese pattern “Fangsheng”, a common device that has been used as anti-burglary grilles on windows since 1980s. The motif has become ubiquitous among modern architecture, witnessing the evolving social history through the lens of its multilayered profile. First exhibited in the 10thShanghai Biennial under the invitation of Chief Curator Anselm Franke, Liu Chuang will show his most recent video works from that series in this solo presentation. A progression of installations and videos interrogating both the utilitarian aspect of “window” and the aesthetic will be on display, projecting the trajectory of China’s modernisation in last thirty years.
Details »

Published on November 15, 2015 6:20 pm.

fair | FRIEZE LONDON 2015

Frieze London 2015
Stand H20
October 14th through 17th, 2015
Preview: Tuesday, October 13th, 2-8:30pm

For our second year participation in Frieze London, the gallery presents a group show entitled “The Rural Poetics”, and curated by the Gland, an alternative space founded by Chengdu-born, Beijing-based young artist Guo Hongwei and located in Beijing’s far-off infamous Heiqiao Village, also known as Black Bridge Village beyond the city’s fifth ring road. The stand will includes new works by Chen Wenbo, Guo Hongwei, Han Wuzhou, Hu Qingtai, Li Binyuan, Li Jinghu, Li Shurui, Wang Guangxu, Yan Bing, Yang Guangnan, Yang Xinguan, etc.
Details »

Published on October 19, 2015 9:22 am.

news | CHENG RAN IN FIAC’S ARTIST’S FILM PROGRAM CINÉPHÉMÈRE 2015

CHENG RAN, "The Last Sentence", 2013, Single channel video with sound, 12 min 44 sec

Tuesday, October 20th through Sunday, October 25th, everyday 1pm-6pm
Tuileries garden, “carré des sangliers”, Concorde entrance.

Admission: at the Cinéphémère or directly at the Fondation d’entreprise Ricard:
info@fondation-entreprise-ricard.com / +33 (0)1 53 30 88 00
 
Cheng Ran participates in FIAC’s artist’s film program Cinéphémère 2015. Curated by Daniel Kurjakovic, the sixth edition of Cinéphémère will be presented by FIAC and the Fondation d’Entreprise Ricard in the Tuileries Garden. More than thirty short films by artists—for instance, Alain Fleischer, Charles Lim Yi Yong, Alex Prager, James Richards, Bojan Šarčević, Colin Snapp, Mario Garcia Torres—are screened every day from Tuesday, October 20th to Sunday, October 25th, in a 14-seat cinema.
Details »

Published on October 18, 2015 8:16 am.

news | GABRIEL LESTER IN LEKKER LICHT

GABRIEL LESTER: LEKKER LICHT

October 17th, 2015 through January 24th, 2016
Centraal Museum Utrecht
Agnietenstraat 1, 3512 XA Utrecht, The Netherlands

The exhibition
There is that moment when the eyes make the first light, the afterimages that you see when you look into the light and discover a rainbow in the sky. Examples of times when light turns our lives. Even when the sun goes down light plays a major role in our lives. Think of your nightlight or the neon lights of shops.

In Lekker Licht you experience through visual arts, fashion design, design and music videos on provocative manner what light. Several artists show their own way how they interpret light. The exhibition focuses on the essential, socio-cultural, religious and technological significance of light. Details »

Published on October 17, 2015 5:33 pm.

news | GABRIEL LESTER IN LUSTWARANDE 15: RAPTURE AND PAIN, INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

GABRIEL LESTER: LUSTWARANDE 15: RAPTURE AND PAIN, INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

August 29th through October 25th, 2015
Park De Oude Warande
Tilburg, The Netherlands

De Oude Warande was commissioned in 1712 by the German prince Wilhelm von Hessen-Kassel, lord of Tilburg and Goirle. He had De Oude Warande designed after the latest garden fashion, Baroque. The basis of the design is a star-shaped forest, with the paths in each of the four quadrants laid out in four different geometric forms, creating a maze. Pleasure gardens of this kind were usually adorned with sculptures of mythological figures, grottos, fountains and ponds. Details »

Published on September 29, 2015 3:29 pm.

news | AAAJIAO AT ZKM CENTER FOR ART AND MEDIA

aaajiao, "Gfwlist", 2010, Corian, thermal printer module, thermal paper, 76 x 30 x 280 cm

Globale: Global Control And Censorship
ZKM Center for Art and Media
Karlsruhe, Germany
October 3rd, 2015 through May 1st, 2016
 
Details »

Published on September 15, 2015 8:29 am.

past | LIU SHIYUAN: FROM HAPPINESS TO WHATEVER

LIU SHIYUAN, "From Happiness to Whatever", 2015, carpet, speaker, iPod player

September 7th through October 10th, 2015
Opening reception: Monday, September 7th, 5-8pm

“From ‘Happiness’ to ‘Whatever’” is the first solo exhibition in Shanghai of young Chinese female artist Liu Shiyuan who splits her time working and living between Beijing and Copenhagen. The exhibition brings together a body of photographs and installation representative of Liu Shiyuan’s practice and made within the past 3 years, and a series of commissioned new works created specifically for this exhibition and for the gallery space in a old Shanghai lane house.

“From ‘Happiness’ to ‘Whatever’” originates with the artist’s confusions, such as “what is a good life”, “how can one be balanced”, “what is the right value system”, “what kind of social system can provide the best for the progress of human’s wisdom”, among others. The exhibition is a process of questioning and answering with the artist’s engagement by way of visual production and performance, and a quest that begins at the question “what is happiness” that extends to the mentality of various individuals.
Details »

Published on September 1, 2015 11:56 am.

news | CHENG RAN AND GABRIEL LESTER IN ISTANBUL BIENNALE 2015

Published on August 30, 2015 4:43 pm.

news | CHEN WEI IN PARADISE BITCH AT WHITE RABBIT GALLERY

Paradise Bitch

September 10th, 2015 through January 31st, 2018

White Rabbit Gallery
30 Balfour Street, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia

Details »

Published on August 14, 2015 4:28 pm.

past | ZHENG BO: WEED PARTY

ZHENG BO, "Besiege (Shanghai Art Museum), 2015, inkjet print, 130.5 x 165 cm"

July 18th through August 23rd, 2015
Opening reception: Saturday, July 18th,  4-7pm

The first solo exhibition of Hong Kong-based artist Zheng Bo in Shanghai, “Weed Party” is the third project on plants and socio-politics of the artist, which follows the critically acclaimed presentations “Plants Living in Shanghai”—a found botanical garden of weeds and a series of online public lectures about plants and Shanghai—Zheng Bo produced for the first West Bund Architecture and Contemporary Art Biennale (curated by Gao Shiming of China Academy of Art, 2013) and “Plants Occupy Shenzhen”—an audio tour—for the 8th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale (curated by Marko Daniel, of Tate Modern, 2014).

Details »

Published on July 29, 2015 12:00 pm.

news | LEANDRO ERLICH AT ZKM

Leandro Erlich: Pulled by the Roots

June 19th through September 27th, 2015

Organized by Institution ZKM | Karlsruhe, Stadtmarketing Karlsruhe und
Karlsruher Schieneninfrasturktur-Gesellschaft
Venue:Market Place Karlsruhe

The key art work of “The City is the Star” presents the large-scale installation by Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich. A huge construction crane bearing an unusual payload is positioned directly on Karlsruhe Marktplatz: an entire house hovers in midair on steal ropes! Inspired by one of architect Friedrich Weinbrenner’s historical structures, the building, together with its massive root system, quite literally appears to be ripped out of a row of neighboring houses.

Details »

Published on July 1, 2015 5:07 pm.

news | MICHAEL LIN AT HIGH MUSEUM OF ART

MICHAEL LIN, Utah Sky 2065-40 (blue curve), 2015

MICHAEL LIN:
Utah Sky 2065-40 (blue curve)

High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Robinson Atrium
Ongoing project.

Published on June 1, 2015 4:59 pm.

fair | LIU CHUANG IN ART BASEL UNLIMITED 2015

Art Basel 2015
Unlimited, Stand U19
June 18th through June 21st, 2015

Presented by Salon 94 in collaboration with Leo Xu Projects, the solo project “Love Story” by Beijing-based Liu Chuang will showcase this critically acclaimed installation in full swing.

“Love Story” is composed of thousands of used pulp fiction novels rented or borrowed by young migrant workers in China’s boomtown Dongguan, where varieties of made-in-China commodities and knock-offs are manufactured. “The sappy cover illustrations, together with the printed and handwritten Chinese characters, telegraph a poignant sense of isolation and longing.” Roberta Smith once commented (New York Times, May 10th, 2013) on the occasion of “Love Story” New York debut in Frieze New York, 2013. Those anonymously scribbled notes fall into categories as such: confessional and family letters, personal diaries, poems, personal contacts and biographical info, daily memo, and doodles. They will be translated and hand-painted in form of enormous wall drawing as visual components of the site-specific installation. A mobile library of this specific literature and an offline facebook in the most classic and analog form, “Love Story” delivers a precise yet multifaceted portraiture of a young generation of Chinese.
 
Details »

Published on June 1, 2015 3:40 pm.

news | GABRIEL LESTER IN MOSCOW BIENNALE 2015

The Moscow Biennale takes place in Pavilion No.1 of VDNKh. Photo: Courtesy of 6th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art.

September 22nd through October 1st, 2015

Published on June 1, 2015 6:50 am.

news | CHEN WEI AT MUSEUM FOLKWANG

CHINA 8
THE WORK IN PROGRESS
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM CHINA IN 2015

Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany
May 15th through September 13th, 2015

A selection of Chen Wei’s new photographs are on view in the exhibition “Works in Progress” which provides a survey of the contemporary Chinese photography scene in real time. The show is part of the CHINA 8, the largest institutional exhibition program of contemporary art from China across 8 German cities, with 9 museums, involving 120 Chinese artists and 500 works.

Details »

Published on May 26, 2015 3:05 pm.

news | GUO HONGWEI IN JING SHEN AT PAC MILAN

JING SHEN
The act of painting in contemporary China

PAC Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea
July 10th through September 6th, 2015

Details »

Published on May 25, 2015 4:34 pm.

news | CHENG RAN AND GABRIEL LESTER IN WHEN I GIVE, I GIVE MYSELF AT VAN GOGH MUSEUM

WHEN I GIVE, I GIVE MYSELF
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
May 9th, 2015 through Jan 17th, 2016

Works by Cheng Ran and Gabriel Lester are included in “When I Give, I Give Myself”, a show that features 23 Dutch and international artists and writers to provide a contemporary trail through the permanent collection, placing Vincent van Gogh in a different light.

Details »

Published on May 10, 2015 3:19 pm.

news | CHENG RAN IN UTOPIAN DAYS – FAIRY TALES

Cheng Ran: Utopian Days – Fairy Tales

April 25th through June 14th, 2015
Museum of Contemporary Art
No. 39 Chang-an West Rd, Taipei, Taiwan

Fairy Tales is the third edition of the traveling exhibition Utopian Days, curated by Haily Grenet (France) and Martin Schulze (Germany).
Fairy Tales, organized by curatorial project Utopian Days, looks at the transmission of the tales from East to West, and vice versa, which often happened along the Silk Road, the most prominent and vital trade road that connects Europe and Asia. Today the Silk Road is as important as it has ever been and as recently as December 2014, China’s President Xi Jinping pledged US$40bln towards the Silk Road Fund, to strengthen exchanges and interconnections along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in a bid to strengthen links among the 3 billion people who live along the Silk Road today.
Details »

Published on April 25, 2015 5:52 pm.

fair | FRIEZE NEW YORK 2015

Frieze New York
Randall’s Island, Manhattan.

May 14th through 17th, 2015

The third year exhibiting in Frieze New York, the gallery will be presenting a solo project by Shanghai-based young media artist aaajiao (internet alias of Xu Wenkai). It employs a set of artist’s sophisticated algorithm to study the human body and its physical operation and movement, by following the paths of both Chinese philosophy (and medical science) and the present Fractal Theory.

Details »

Published on April 11, 2015 8:23 pm.

news | GABRIEL LESTER NEW YORK BOOK LAUNCH

The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts
Project Space
323 West 39th Street 2nd Floor NY NY 10018

Tuesday, May 12th, 2015, 6pm

On the occasion of the publication “Forced Perspective”, a book launch is organized to present Amsterdam-based artist Gabriel Lester’s presentation on his previous projects and a discussion with gallerist Leo Xu and critic Lee Ambrozy.

Details »

Published on April 11, 2015 8:22 pm.