China Obscura 2010

STOCK ROOM: CHINA OBSCURA

MiFA 27 September – 12 November 2010

0

JIAO JIAN RODNEY EVANS QUENTIN SHIH PIA JOHNSON CHEN NONG YANG YONGLIANG DU CHONGGANG

STOCK ROOM: CHINA OBSCURA

1

2

Produced in association with the exhibition:

Stock Room: China Obscura

September 27 – 12 November

Melbourne International Fine Art (MiFA) Level 1, 278 Collins St, Melbourne, 3000 Victoria, Australia www.mifa.com.au +61 3 9663 3304

Editing: Bryan Collie, Mikala Tai, Louise Joel, Claire Watson

© MiFA 2010 © All images and text copyright of the artist and authors This catalogue is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

3

INTRODUCTION

BY MIKALA TAI AND BRYAN COLLIE

5

ARTISTS AND PLATES JIAO JIAN (CHINA) RODNEY EVANS (AUSTRALIA) QUENTIN SHIH (CHINA) PIA JOHNSON (AUSTRALIA) CHEN NONG (CHINA) YANG YONGLIANG (CHINA) DU CHONGGANG (CHINA/AUSTRALIA)

PRICE LIST

6 11 13 14 16 23 27

29

4

INTRODUCTION

Our first stockroom exhibition China Obscura allows MiFA the opportunity to showcase emerging Chinese and Chinese Australian digital artists. As you wander the gallery, or flick through the following pages, the fresh styles of these artists will delight you. From the craftsmanship of Chen Nong who stages his photographs, hand develops the images and

then painstakingly paints the prints to the super sleek chic imagery of Quentin Shih, the distinct range of styles attests to the diversity of contemporary Chinese art.

This small snapshot of the current trends in contemporary Chinese digital art allows us an

insight into the contemporary experience of being both Chinese and Chinese Australian today. The intimate video and accompanying photograph Stamp by Chonggang Du is a beautiful exploration of Du’s son’s experience of being Chinese Australian. With imagery flashing on to his face from the intricate paintings of Chinese folklore to Ash Keating’s graffiti around Melbourne Stamp succinctly and beautifully reflects on the hybrid experience of being a Chinese Australian. Such a work is counteracted by Jiao Jian’s exploration of the fast paced destruction and refigurement of the urban landscape in the series Fill the Void. These shots evoke pangs of sadness laced with humour as the artist physically inserts himself into the slowly changing world that surrounds him.

We hope you enjoy this online catalogue and look forward to welcoming you to the gallery soon.

Bryan Collie and Mikala Tai

5

JIAO JIAN CHINA Born 1962

1 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 x 50 cm

6

2 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 50 cm

3 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 x 50 cm

7

4 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatins Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 50 cm

5 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 x 50 cm

8

6 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 50 cm

7 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

9

60 x 50 cm

8 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper 60 x 50 cm

10

RODNEY EVANS AUSTRALIA Born 1972

9 Splash, Happy Valley, Beijing, 2009 C-print, Edition of 6 75 x 75 cm

11

10 Urumqi Pool I, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 2009 C-print, Edition of 6 100 x 103 cm

11 Urumqi Pool II, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 2009 C-print, Edition of 6

12

100 x 103 cm

QUENTIN SHIH (SHI XIAOFAN) CHINA Born 1975

12 Citizen of the State I 2009 Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Archival Paper 110 x 110 cm

13

PIA JOHNSON AUSTRALA Born 1983

13 Threads VII, 2009 C-print, Edition of 10

14

110 x 103 cm

14 Threads VI, 2009

C-print, Edition of 10 110 x 103 cm

15

CHENG NONG CHINA Born 1966

15 Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

16

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

17

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

18

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

19

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10 100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

20

100 x 960 cm

16 Waterlily. 02, 2006-2007 Hand Pigmentatin on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10 50 x 60 cm

21 Â

Â

17 Waterlily. 03, 2006-2007 Hand Pigmentatin on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10 50 x 60 cm

18 Waterlily. 04, 2006 – 2007 Ed. 3/10, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10

22

50 x 60 cm

YANG YONGLIANG CHINA Born 1980

19 Snow City – Quaternity I 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 97 x 25 cm

20 Snow City – Quaternity II 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 97 x 25 cm

23

21 Snow City – Quaternity III 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 97 x 25 cm

22 Snow City – Quaternity IV 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 97 x 25 cm

24

23 Snow City, Pages I 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 44 x 44 cm

24 Snow City, Pages II 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

25

44 x 44 cm

25 Viridescence, Pages II 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper 44 x 44 cm

26

DU CHONGGANG CHINA Born 1963

26 Stamp I, 2009 C-print, Edition 1/10 118.9 x 84.1 cm

27

27 Stamp, 2009

Video, 6’ 45”, Edition of 5

28

PRICE LIST JIAO JIAN 1. Fill The Void, 01 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

2. Fill The Void, 02 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

3. Fill The Void, 03 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

4. Fill The Void, 04 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

5. Fill The Void, 05 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

6. Fill The Void, 06 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

7. Fill The Void, 12 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

8. Fill The Void, 13 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5

$1,800

RODNEY EVANS 9. Splash, Happy Valley, Beijing 2009, 75 x 75cm, C-print, Edition of 6

$2,000

10. Urumqi Pool I, Urumqi, Xinjiang 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 6

$2,000

11. Urumqi Pool II, Urumqi, Xinjiang 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print Edition of 6

$2,000

QUENTIN SHIH (SHI XIAOFAN) 12. Citizen of the State 1

$3,500

29

2009, Hahnemuhle Archival Paper, Inkjet Print, 110 x 100 cm, Edition of 8

PIA JOHNSON 13. Threads VII, 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 10

$900

14. Threads VI, 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 10

$900

CHEN NONG 15. Dragon Bridge 2010, 100 x 960 cm, 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver FiberPaper, Edition 1/10

$20,000

16. Waterlily, 02 $3,500 2006- 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10 17. Waterlily, 03

$3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10 18. Waterlily, 04

$3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10

Waterlily, 04 YANG 18.

YONGLIANG

$3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10

$3,200

20. Snow City, Quaternity II 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

$3,200

21. Snow City, Quaternity III 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

$3,200

30

19. Snow City, Quaternity I

2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

22. Snow City, Quaternity IV 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper , Edition of 15

$3,200

23. Snow City, Pages 1 2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

$2,200

24. Snow City, Pages 2 2009, 44 x 44cm, Edition of 15

$2,200

25. Viridescence, Pages 2

$2,200

2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

DU CHONGGANG

26. Stamp I 25. Viridescence, Pages 2 Edition 1/10 2009, 118.9 x 84.1, 2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

$3,500 $2,200

27.

Stamp

2009, Video, 6’ 45”, Edition of 5

$5,000

31