Modern Chinese Art: A New Generation curated by Johnson Tsong Zung

14th May 2008

Traditional Chinese fine art has never been comfortably presented in modern art galleries (the White Cube). Today ink painters and calligraphers feel pressured to adapt their art if they are to be included in contemporary exhibitions. Johnson Chang will talk about a series of experiments (the Yellow Box) that he is conducting on visual display. On the one hand he seeks to accommodate ink painting and calligraphy in the White Cube. On the other hand he wants to show how traditional exhibition practice can be an inspiration for contemporary artists. The Yellow Box refers to a sentence from the I Ching, (The Book of Changes) which states that heaven is black and earth is yellow.

Johnson Chang has been involved in the Chinese art world for over two decades as a writer, curator and gallerist. He has curated many international exhibitions of Chinese contemporary art including exhibitions in the Venice and Sao Paulo Biennales. He is currently on the curatorial team of the Guangzhou Triennial 2008.