Press Release
WANG GUOFENG FIRST SOLO SHOW IN HONG KONG – “NEWS”
HONG KONG. – de Sarthe Gallery proudly presents “News”, a solo exhibition showcasing a new series by Wang Guofeng, curated by renowned curator Huang Du. The artworks are founded on familiar media images of critical global events, that have become synonymous with historical periods or political milestones. Extensively disseminated by the international media, the images have been widely accepted to be true representations of the moment. Wang superimposes bold English and Chinese text on the blurred large-scale black and white photographs to interrogate the conventions of the international media and the manipulative power of imagery.
Wang Guofeng, “WHO IS HE?,” 2012, Edition of 5, Photograph printed on Canson paper (Etching rag), 310 gsm, Signed and dated on reverse, 140 x 171 cm,55 x 67 1/4 inches
Concurrently new video and neon artworks will be shown. The exhibition will show at de Sarthe Gallery, Hong Kong and run from 21 November – 21 December 2013.
Celebrated for his large-scale panoramic photographs of exquisite detail, Wang conceived of the News series after his tenure as official photographer to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. A country where the flow of information is tightly controlled and media outlets state operated – where the photographic images posses heightened emotional and expressive powers. Wang’s unique experience, coupled with his in-depth understanding of media and art in the context of Socialist China, propagated an inquiry on the ability of images to convey the authentic. The artist’s critique is not, however, restricted to Communist states, but denotes a global trend. From the United States of America where the rolling 24-hour news is consumed alongside entertainment to Wang’s native China where the internet has provided for unprecedented broadcasting of images. Although blurred the photographic images feature recognizable faces and places, such as Barack Obama in the Situation Room, Edward Snowden, Mao Zedong with Stalin, and Kim Jong Il.
Wang Guofeng, “WHO ARE THEY? WHAT DO THEY SEE?,” 2011, Edition of 5, Photograph printed on Canson paper (Etching rag), 310 gsm, Signed and dated on reverse, 140 x 203 cm,55 x 80 inches
On his News series, Wang states “I intend to give doubt on the authenticity or correctness that the images convey, after being deliberately chosen by the discourse power of media. My point is: what we see may not be true, what is true may not be seen.” The large scale images confront the audience and highlight the lack of media literacy in contemporary society, Wang’s practice seeks to explore the resulting collective (sub)consciousness and the superficial awareness of current affairs that we are led to believe. In the global information age, where images cross borders in nano-seconds and reach ever increasing audiences – Wang invites us to reflect upon our modes of information absorption and reminds us that it is pertinent to selectively access, analyze, and evaluate media messages.
Showcasing contemporary black and white photography with previously unseen works, the exhibition marks a departure for de Sarthe Gallery, and complements the programme of the yet-to-be opened space in Beijing. The future direction of the Beijing space will strengthen the Modern art that de Sarthe Gallery has become renowned for, and will leap into the realm of contemporary Chinese art.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
“News” – A Solo Exhibition of Wang Guofeng
DATE: 21 November – 21 December 2013
TIME: 11:00am – 7:00pm
VENUE: 8/F, Club Lusitano Building, 16 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
INTERVIEWS WITH WANG GUOFENG and HUANG DU AVAILABLE BY REQUEST
About Wang Guofeng
Wang Guofeng was born in Liaoning, China in 1967. He attended the Inner Mongolia Normal University and Central Academy of Fine Arts. Solo exhibitions have been held at the 604 Art Museum, Busan South Korea (2010) and Russian Academy of Arts, Moscow, Russia (2007). Recent selected group exhibitions include “Aura and Post Aura”, 1st Beijing Photo Biennial, The China Millennium Monument, Beijing, China; “Mind Beating” 55th Internationnal Art Exhibition Collateral event, Venice, Italy (2013); Specially Curated Exhibition of Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Korea The Spanish International Photography Festival 2012, Madrid, Spain; “LATITUDE/ATTITUDE” Schoeni Art Gallery’s 20th Anniversary, Hong Kong (2012) and “Recalling and Shifting”, TimesArt Museum, Beijing, China (2011).
About de Sarthe Gallery
de Sarthe Gallery is a family-owned gallery founded by Pascal and Sylvie de Sarthe in Paris in 1977. In 1981, de Sarthe Gallery moved to America and specialized in 19th and 20th century master paintings and sculptures. In 2011, Pascal and Sylvie de Sarthe opened a gallery in Hong Kong and have been joined in the business by their son Vincent who is based in Beijing. de Sarthe Gallery has access to an international art market ranging from Impressionism, to Modern, to Post-War and Contemporary Masters.
