randian - “Alchemical Dissent: Silkworms, Mushrooms and Random Brush Strokes” | Liang Shaoji, Josef Ramaseder and Feng Lianghong

2016.09.21 Wed, by

“Alchemical Dissent: Silkworms, Mushrooms and Random Brush Strokes” | Liang Shaoji, Josef Ramaseder and Feng Lianghong

[Press release]

Times Art Museum
35-37 Floor, Jia 6 Central International Trade Center, Building D., Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing

2016.9.25-10.15

Opening: 2016.9.25, Sunday, 3PM

Different from the star cult in America and generally in western countries, does the Japanese or Chinese Master places himself behind his work. The personality of the artist should not be of any influence on his/her oeuvre. Time and the flow of things, which are not possible to be influenced by human beings, do play an important role in the mindset of traditional chinese artists. The intention to determine all details by technique and freedom of expression does not exist as it does in the West in the mentality of the Chinese/Japanese Master. This statement can provoke controversy, and especially in China, where the first generation of contemporary artists (in the 80s and early 90s) took strong influences from the West, the tendency to reconsider their own roots is visible in several artist’ positions.

The artistic practice of Liang Shaoji emphasizes the interaction between nature and human beings, the spatial-temporal changes in the process of art production and of biological meditation. His works are filled with a sense of meditation and philosophy while illustrating the inherent beauty of silk.

Being active and respected in today’s contemporary art scene, Liang Shaoji spans a bridge from the contemporary artist leading back to the traditional chinese master. He delivers the concept for the installations and then steps back and lets time and silkworms fulfill the artworks in a process which is only partly under the control of the artist.

Among the seemingly diverse oeuvre of Josef Ramaseder, the spore paintings of recent years un-derline the poetic nature of his working process. Paper or canvas are exposed to falling spore-dust from mushrooms the artists collects. Similar to the drifting of snow or sand (on a microscopical scale) the development of ghostly imaginery is left to the passing of time and to ever slight air movements during the process. By generating approximate set-ups Ramaseder promotes the mushroom to be the co-author alias ghost-painter of his works, taking a step back in the sense of THE classical master.

Feng Lianghong came out of a group of Shanghai born artists who worked in abstract painting since the early 80s. The making of his works, can be compared with a dialogue between the artist and the canvas. It is a spontaneous dialogue with questions and answers or a conversation which can be taking its flow in a serious way, with beautiful poetic elements: a conversation between po-ets. Similar to what Gerhard Richter said “my paintings are smarter than me”, Feng Lianghong is not considering himself superior towards his works. Their reaction and the result on the canvas is every time an experiment, sometimes a surprise for him.

Just as Liang Shaoji and Josef Ramaseder, Feng Lianghong delivers the material as a base for his works. The artist starts from a concept for the rough base of the work. The final result is related with time and influences from outside, which are out of control for the artist. The influence of the artist will only be effective when he considers the work to be completed.

The three artists from the exhibition in Times Art Museum do combine similar qualities of thought in a mysterious way. They focus on simple interplay between biological elements and on physical reactions. As alchemical dissent they are each one of them having his own approach, working to-tally different from each other.

While installation, objects and photography are relevant for Liang Shaoji, experimental develop-ment of the image corresponds for Josef Ramaseder. A dialogue with the canvas in abstract pain-ting until drying stages of oil and acrylic colours is the point of departure for Feng Lianghong.

Liang Shaoji 梁绍基, “Snow Cover No. 1″雪藏 No.1, 2013-14，silk, cocoons, paper cup, plastic cup, metal, board丝，茧，纸杯，塑料杯，金属，木板，17 x 122 x 244 cm

Liang Shaoji 梁绍基，”The Snow Butterfly” 雪蝶，2014，Epson Ultra Giclée on enhanced Matte爱普生艺术微喷，增强粗面美术纸，40 x 60 cm

Liang Shaoji 梁绍基，”Snowfield” 雪原，2014，Epson Ultra Giclée on enhanced Matte爱普生艺术微喷，增强粗面美术纸，40 x 60 cm

Liang Shaoji 梁绍基，”The Snow Memorial Archway” 雪坊, 2014，Epson Ultra Giclée on enhanced matte爱普生艺术微喷，增强粗面美术纸，40 x 60 cm

Liang Shaoji 梁绍基，”Chains: The Unbearable Lightness of Being/Nature Series No.79″链:生命中不能承受之轻/自然系列No.79, 2003-12，polyurethane colophony, iron powder, silk, cocoons,聚氨酯树脂, 铁粉, 蚕丝, 蚕茧, variable dimensions可变尺寸