'Believe Your Eyes' by Wang Yigang by Communic'Art

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CROIRE SES YEUX BELIEVE YOUR EYES WANG YIGANG 29 SEPTEMBER - 14 NOVEMBER 2016 PRESS PREVIEW THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2016 FROM 6 PM

BELIEVE YOUR EYES BETWEEN A PRINCIPLE OF FAITH AND A USER GUIDE... p. 3 ABOUT WANG YIGANG ...................................................................................... p. 4 AMI BARAK, CURATOR OF THE EXHIBITION ........................................................ p. 5 ABOUT ADAO CHEN ....................................................................................... p. 5 QUESTIONS - ANSWERS ................................................................................ p. 6-7 IMAGES AVAILABLE FOR THE PRESS .............................................................. p. 8-9 CENTRE ARTASIA PARIS, A PLATFORM OF SUPPORT AND DIFFUSION FOR YOUNG CONTEMPORARY ASIAN CREATION IN EUROPE ................................... p. 10 PRATICAL INFORMATION ................................................................................. p. 11

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Abstract work H13 Oil on canvas 200x300 cm 2016

BELIEVE YOUR EYES, BETWEEN A PRINCIPLE OF FAITH AND A USER GUIDE

Centre Artasia Paris is proud to present the first solo show and retrospective exhibition in France of Chinese artist Wang Yigang.

“ In China, abstraction as practiced by the artist Wang Yigang is still a debatable topic ” Wang Yigang

Centre Artasia Paris, presents from 29 September the first monographic and retrospective exhibition in France of Chinese artist Wang Yigang, with his work from the beginning of the 1990s until his most recent works. Ami Barak, an independent curator and art critic directed the exhibition’s scenography. From the 1990s, China has known unparalleled development in all domains including cultural advances and Wing Yigang has positioned himself straightaway as one of the pioneers of this style assumed by modern expression. In China, abstraction as practiced by the artist Wang Yigang is still a debatable topic for while it maintains a proven link with certain Chinese traditions, it is evolving by releasing these bindings and by taking the experimental path of Western inspiration. Yet undeniably, the cultural horizon is that of a spirituality that is eminently local that makes his art just as worked, as it is changeable. Abstract temptation, as defended by the Chinese artist is that of freedom and it is for this reason that his art still takes on such an importance in history today. The title of the exhibition reclaims an injunction pronounced by the artist in an interview and that indicates a profession of faith as much as a user guide addressed to the viewer.

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ABOUT WANG YIGANG

Born in 1961 in Qiqiha’er City, Wang Yigang began his career in the early 1980s initially creating works influenced by his studies of Cubism and Futurism. Awarded at the National Youth Art Exhibition in 1985 with the encouraging young artist prize, Wang Yigang later went on to graduate the following year from the oil painting department at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang. Throughout his 25 year career so far, artist Wang Yigang has been pluralistic in his style, ranging from representational to Abstract Expressionism to Pop art. The artist has had his work exhibited across the world not just in Beijing, Shenyang and Shanghai but also in Japan, Singapore, Russia and the US. He has also showcased work in Europe including Spain and Germany.

Wang Yigang Portrait © Wang Yigang

Whilst continuing his creative endeavours as an artist and winning the academic prize at the China Oil Painting Biennial in 1993, he later obtained a position as associate professor in the Art Department at the Teachers’ Institute of Shenyang University. He now currently teaches at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts.

In the top left-hand corner Abstract work H°3 2016 Oil on canvas 145 x 195 cm In the top right-hand corner Abstract work N°58 2016 Oil on canvas 240 x 280 cm In the bottom left-hand corner Nous devons absolument libérer Taiwan N°4 2003 Synthetical material 90 x 70 cm In the bottom right-hand corner La coloration Giangjiang N°2 2009 Integrated canvas 200 x 260 cm

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AMI BARAK, CURATOR OF THE EXHIBITION Ami Barak is an independent curator and art critic based in Paris with vast and extensive experience in the field. Former director of the FRAC for Languedoc-Roussillon (French regional collection of contemporary art), as well as the president of the International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art from 2002-2005, Ami Barak has also previously taken on the role of head of the Visual Art Department at the Conseil de la Ville de Paris (Paris City Council) from 2003-2008. He was the artistic director and coordinator of Paris’s ‘Nuit Blanche’ festival in 2003 and 2004 and also initiated the public commissioning programme ‘L’Art Pour le Tram’ (Art for the Tram) across France’s regional capital. In Mai 2016, he was the artistic director of the 61st ‘Salon de Montrouge’.

Ami Barak Portrait © Ami Barak

Over the past twenty years Ami Barak has curated numerous international art exhibitions and projects including in the most recent years: Can Art Do More? (2008, Jerusalem), Re-construction, Young Artists Biennial 3 (2008, Bucharest), The Borrowed Garden (2010, Gardens of Palais Royal, Paris) and Communism Never Happened (2011, Charim Galerie, Vienna). Artistic director of the Paris art-fair ‘Asia Now’ in 2014 held at the Carrousel du Louvre, Ami Barak’s main goal was to open up and introduce the rich contemporary art scene of Asia to Europe. Alongside his curatorial work he currently lectures at the Paris Sorbonne University.

ADAO CHEN, FONDATEUR DU CENTRE ARTASIA Founder of Centre Artasia Paris Adao Chen, based in Paris since 2004, is a cultural figure invested and engaged in contemporary art. He has been passionate about contemporary art for many years and is himself an art collector. In 2014, he decided to transform his interest into action and open an art gallery in Paris. He rapidly became an emblematic figure through his gallery Chenaux Gallery, situated at the top of the Marais.

Adao Chen © Adao Chen

Enthused by all artistic encounters, which he has maintained throughout his entire professional career, Adao is still fascinated at the idea of discovering young talent and supporting innovative creators. His contribution to the ICART Prize – Artistik Rezo, whose laureate Manon Rougier will be able to benefit from its exhibition space for a solo exhibition at the end of November 2017, is one example. By creating this space at the art centre in the heart of Paris, Adao wishes to create a real link and cultural bridge for Asian and European artists.

DOSSIERdepresse

QUESTIONS-ANSWERS FOR WANG YIGANG What does the opportunity to present your work in France and especially in Paris mean for you?

“ For me painting is

This is my first solo retrospective exhibition in Paris that showcases to the public representative works of the different phases of my artistic creation. On the whole I hope that throughout this exhibition the Parisian and European public will discover more profoundly my work and my creative experience.

an expressive manner

Why did you choose the traditional medium of paint with a contemporary approach?

or technique that can

Painting is an expressive medium that I began to use at university and until this day I have never stopped exploring it. Of course, I’ve tried to express myself with other materials and other artistic techniques of expression but I think that it’s not a question of technique or material. The most important thing for me is to be able to express myself through the materials that I choose to use. For me painting is an expressive manner or technique that can directly depict my spiritual and personal emotions.

directly depict my spiritual and personal

emotions.

Wang Yigang

What are your artistic influences from Asian art? At the start I was strongly influenced by Western artists. But later I realised that my works are viscerally linked to traditional Chinese art. Chinese artists like Fan Kuan, MI Fu, Ba Da Shan Ren and Huang Binhong have all had a big impact and strong influence on me. These influences do not reflect themselves through the language used in the work; they appear more so under the form of a quest into freeing the mind. When I paint I see this experience of life at the heart of a work which has been created and I combine my state of mind at that exact moment. Being able to fully live the spirit of independence and freedom when I paint is my purpose in life.

FOR AMI BARAK How did you approach Wing Yigang’s work? Can you tell us about your role as the curator of this exhibition? The question of abstraction in Chinese contemporary art is one of the most interesting because in a political system that keeps an attentive eye on cultural developments, it chooses abstract painting as an area of expertise that is a patent way of affirming independence of the mind.

.../...

DOSSIERdepresse

“ I remain convinced that contemporary

For you what is the place and future of contemporary art today in Europe?

Asian art will occupy a prominent place in the future, at par with Western art and culture.

The work of Wang Yigang has ostensibly done this with a gesture and an energy that shines through on the canvas. In general the brush stroke can be understood as a metaphor for art and refers critically to the artist’s myth, the question of authorship and authenticity especially in the contemporary context. This exhibition tries to find answers to these questions and observes how the reception of pictorial gesture has evolved in the age of mechanical reproduction and the Internet.

ˮ Ami Barak

I remain convinced that contemporary Asian art will occupy a prominent place in the future, at par with Western art and culture.

Personally what do you think are the challenges and issues in the support and diffusion of works by contemporary Asian artists in France and in Europe? In a global world where Asia is the largest producer and supplier of material goods it is essential to understand, promote and disseminate facts and cultural gestures to better understand the challenges of globalization.

FOR ADAO CHEN How long have you been settled in Paris and why did you choose Paris to open Centre Artasia?

“ Nowadays there isn’t a difference between Eastern and Western contemporary art.

Adao Chen

I arrived in France in 2004. It’s been 12 years that I’ve lived in France, more specifically in Paris. I chose to open Centre Artasia in Paris because the capital city is the cultural centre of the world with a strong artistic feel. I already opened a gallery at the top end of the Marais called Chenaux Gallery. I had this feeling however that the gallery’s space and positioning wouldn’t be enough to create true artistic exchanges. I therefore needed a bigger space to construct a larger platform for the artists. Fortunately I was able to find this prestigious space at the heart of Paris, so I therefore decided to set up the centre here in Châtelet.

Why have you chosen to support Asian art in Europe and what are the possible connections like between East and West when it comes to contemporary art? There are lots of great artists in Asia. They are in need however of a direct professional platform to communicate and discuss their art with others. Nowadays there isn’t a difference between Eastern and Western contemporary art. European artists are going to Asia, to China for example because there is a new emerging market and therefore more opportunity.

Where do you see Centre Artasia in five years? Centre Artasia Paris in 5 years will become an established art centre that continues to promote contemporary Asian art, equally providing a well-equipped platform to welcome artists and act as a true cultural bridge. In the future there will be an art foundation that will support and handle the art centre’s operations.

DOSSIER de presse

IMAGES AVAILABLE FOR THE PRESS

Abstract work H7 Oil on canvas 240x160 cm 2016

Abstract work H14 Oil on canvas 145x195 cm 2016

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IMAGES AVAILABLE FOR THE PRESS

Abstract work H3 Oil on canvas 145x195 cm 2016

La coloration Gianjiang 2009’2 Integrated canvas 200x260 cm 2009

Abstract work H19 Oil on canvas 110x90 cm 2016

Landscape Revised N°21 Oil on canvas 116x157 cm 2014

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CENTRE ARTASIA PARIS, A PLATFORM OF SUPPORT AND DIFFUSION FOR YOUNG CONTEMPORARY ASIAN CREATION IN EUROPE

Founded in Autumn 2015 and situated in the heart of Paris at Quai de la Mégisserie facing the river Seine, Centre Artasia Paris is a contemporary art centre that has the objective to promote contemporary art and Asian culture in Europe. The spacious and luminous exhibition space, motivated professional team, close-knit contact with the artists, exhibition curators and art collectors are all major elements in the success of some of the centre’s innovative and avant-garde projects. Centre Artasia Paris wishes to develop the artistic and cultural changes between Asia and Europe through this contemporary art platform.

Constituted by a series of consecutives exhibitions, the rich programming of the centre aims to promote talented artists in a new way through interaction with the visitor. In 2016, Centre Artasia took up two artistic projects that enriched the Parisian contemporary art scene with its singular artistic perspectives. The cultural project and artist in residence programme “Erase&Start” that recently collaborated with artist Romain Froquet, warmly invites artists to create their own exhibition from start to finish in the centre’s space. The goal is to support young artists who are working in the contemporary art scene. Its other project, a type of “experimental encounter” called “Un plus Un” (One plus One), invites artists who have different artistic approaches, experiences and cultures to work together for a certain period of time. It is during this period of “co-creating” that new effects and new influences appear amongst the artists and in their works. The exhibition Rén 人/ L’HOMME, which occupies the art centre’s space until 22 September, is a Sino-Korean group exhibition presenting six Asian artists. Recognised artists from around the world like the performer/photographer Ll Wei, who will be showing for the first time his new photographic series, will be in dialogue with young talented artists such as the laureate of the Dauphine Prize 2015 - Korean artist Kang Kun and laureate of the London Chadwell Award 2016 - Hwang Sunyoung. In parallel with the art centre, the Chenaux Gallery situated at the top end of the Marais since 2014 equally proposes a quality programme for the rest of the year 2016. For the beginning of the new cultural season Chenaux Gallery is preparing a group exhibition of young contemporary English artists that will be starting mid-September. As a partner of the 8th edition of Prix Icart – Artistik Rezo, Chenaux Gallery will be welcoming the laureate Manon Rougier from mid-November for a solo-exhibition.

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BELIEVE YOUR EYES CROIRE SES YEUX WANG YIGANG 29 SEPTEMBER - 14 NOVEMBER 2016 PRESS PREVIEW THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2016 FROM 6 PM

PARTNERS

PRESS CONTACTS Lindsey Williams | lwilliams@communicart.fr | +33 (0)1 43 20 12 13 Lucy Pennock | lpennock@communicart.fr | +33 (0)1 42 20 12 22