2015.06.03 Wed, by Translated by: Fei Wu
Wanlin Museum Lands in Wuhan University

Situated on Wuhan University campus, Wanlin Museum (link in Chinese) opened on May 9. The museum was built with the support of university alum Chen Dongsheng, Chairman of Taikang Life Insurance and Founder of China Guardian Auctions. In addition to the 120 million RMB he invested in the museum’s construction, Chen also donated his private art collection valued at 30 million RMB, which will be held as part of the museum’s permanent collection. This donated collection includes works by famous Chinese painters including Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian, as well as works by renowned contemporary artists including He Duoling and Ye Yongqing.

Named after Chen’s father, Chen Wanlin, this museum has been in the works for two years, and was successfully completed during Wuhan University’s 120th anniversary this year. The museum is based on architect Zhu Pei’s design; the postmodern structure has a total area of over 8,000 square meters. From the outside, it looks like a massive boulder, “affixed” to the ground by a single fulcrum. The surface of the building is covered in aluminum panels designed to imitate the morphology of natural stone, creating an effect that is just as striking as the 48 meter high overhang at the front of the building. Overall, the museum’s design contrasts sharply with the relatively conservative, traditional style buildings that dot the Wuhan University campus. The building’s structure has also brought significant challenges for setting up exhibitions. For example, nearly every wall within the building is slanted, which makes them unsuitable for exhibiting works; the majority of planar works on show are currently being affixed to temporary walls.

As Wanlin Museum’s debut exhibition, “Fusion” brings together over 70 pieces (or sets) of art work from Taikang Life Insurance’s collection. Works on show cover a time period spanning the 1930s to the present, including pieces by Liang Jingshan (1930s) and Lin Fengmian (1940s). Also included are works by Zeng Fanzhi (1990s) and works by Hu Xiangqian and Zhao Zhao from recent years. This exhibition differs thematically from Taikang Insurance’s previous show, “Image.History.Existence—Taikang Life Art Collection 15th Anniversary Exhibition”. Although many classic pieces do appear, the current show’s theme is “Chinese Modern and Contemporary Art Since 1930s” (National Museum of China, 2011); it sorts through the contexts of art and history in each period based on temporal clues.

Though this curatorial theme may in fact pose no challenge to audiences familiar with contemporary Chinese art, audiences from a non-arts related, comprehensive institutions like Wuhan University may find themselves a bit puzzled. Why would two such visually different pieces—like Jin Shangyi’s “thematic” likeness of Mao (“Full Portrait of Chairman Mao”, 1960s) and Zhao Zhao’s pane of bullet shattered glass (“Constellation”, post-2010)—both fit under the rubric “Modern and Contemporary Art”? Thus, it would be helpful to consider adding more documentation or educational programs to the exhibition, in order to explicate the legacy, transformation, rupture, and impact of modern and contemporary Chinese art since the 1930s through this collection.

Of course, art education for general audiences is a long-term undertaking, and events featuring literature, screenings, and seminars have to be developed and nurtured over time. This is not something which can be accomplished by a single exhibition, but it is one of the responsibilities a university art museum should undertake. The development of the CAFA Art Museum in recent years is an example of this paradigm at work. Furthermore, if Wanlin Museum is to be one of the top art museums in China, as Wuhan University President Li Xiaohong envisions it becoming, the museum must set up a professional management and planning team with a definite presence in Wuhan. Currently, the Taikang exhibitions are mainly being led by the relatively small team under Tang Xin, who is the Head of Art Collection at Taikang Life Insurance, and Art director and Curator of Taikang Space. However, this team’s responsibilities mainly revolve around operations at Taikang Space in Beijing’s Caochangdi area; it is difficult to imagine them shouldering a burden as massive as Wanlin Museum. If the museum decides to look to the University for Operational Support, there should be doubts as to whether a Chinese university can provide the kind of professional art team that it would require. Based on the current climate, most comprehensive universities in China take a conservative approach to contemporary art, rarely providing related courses or educational programs. Fortunately, Wanlin Museum’s home city of Wuhan does not lack for art resources or atmosphere. For example, since the 1970s, the Hubei Academy of Fine Arts has had remarkable accomplishments both within and without the official system: it has swept the bronze, silver, and gold medals at the National Art Exhibition, and produced famous contemporary artists like Zeng Fanzhi and He An. In short, Wanlin Museum’s priority should be to build a professional team capable of cross-system and cross-regional collaboration.

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

吴作人,《战地黄花分外香》,布面油画,118 × 175.5 cm,1977

吴作人,《战地黄花分外香》,布面油画,118 × 175.5 cm,1977

曾梵志,《无题》,布面油画,150 × 130 cm,1993

曾梵志,《无题》,布面油画,150 × 130 cm,1993

郎静山,《狮子》,银盐纸基,20.6 × 31.5 cm,1930年代

郎静山,《狮子》,银盐纸基,20.6 × 31.5 cm,1930年代

赵赵,《碎片》,装置,300 x 200 x 2 cm,2014

赵赵,《碎片》,装置,300 x 200 x 2 cm,2014

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景

武汉大学万林艺术博物馆实景