Artists:
Chen Xiaoyun, Chen Yujun+Chen Yufan, He An, Jiang Zhi, Liu Wei, Lu Lei, Lu Yang, Polit-Sheer Form, Qiu Zhijie, Song Kun, Wang Yin, Wang Yuyang, Xu Qu
Exhibition period：27th Aug – 4th Oct, 2014
Organizer: The Art Center of Chulalongkorn University
Sponsor : Tang Contemporary Art
The concept of “the third world” in the international political system came into being during the Cold War period. It collapsed the binary division featuring capitalism and socialism, and produced an alternative idea of political sovereignty beyond the mentioned pattern. Almost at the same time, the concept of “World III” in philosophical system developed an independent sector of “objective knowledge” between the traditional divisions of material and consciousness, emphasizing the independence of cultural world.
Different from the postcolonial theory, the “third world” did not come from the self-criticism in western countries, but from the edge or outside of western world. It was originated from the political voice of the third world itself. Therefore, what the theory of “the third world” in the cultural domain brought was no longer a differential game of multiculturalism, but some possible construction of common culture instead.
In the practice of common culture under such a political consciousness, the cultural politics of contemporary art will break through the said scenario “political correctness,” and change the set relationship between art and politics through strengthening art as the independent “World III.” No matter “the third world” or “World III”, it all belong to non-determinism and constructive world view.
So for discussions over contemporary Chinese art, the “World III of the third world” as a concept, may derive into the following 3 topics: 1) How to understand the consciousness of cultural sovereignty in the international political relationship; 2) How to face the possibility of restructuring a blueprint for some international political practice in an increasingly de-politicalized diversified global cultural scenario; and 3) How to re-comprehend the political independence of art in the delayed “post-historical” and “post-artistic” period.
About The Art Center of Chulalongkorn University
The Art Center is non-profit art space that located in Chulalongkorn University, One of the top academic universities in Thailand. From the beginning until now, the exhibitions were shown in multiple of art forms, painting, video, installation, multimedia, performance art and documentary . Since The Art Center established on 1995, it was directed by internationally renowned curator Apinan Poshyananda. He’s not only eagerly pushed and promoted Thai contemporary art to international wide art stage, but also curated influential exhibitions with foreigner artists at The Art Center, such as Joan Miro, Nobuyoshi Araki, Yasumasa Morimura, Marina Abramovich etc. However, Chinese artists also be invited had art projects in The Art Center. As Chinese video art pioneer, Zhang Peili, had his solo show “Uncertain pleasure – self-examination” there, as early as on 1997. Yang Zhenzhong and Shen Shaoming were participated an international group exhibition in The Art Center and, so on.
About Tang Contemporary Art
Since 2000 Tang Contemporary Art has been promoting Chinese contemporary art to Chinese and international audiences. Acting as one of the most progressive and critically driven exhibition spaces in China, Tang Contemporary Art showcases some of the leading key figures in Chinese art such as Wang Du, Yang Jiechang, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Yan Lei, Lin Yilin, Liu Xiaodong, as well as collaborating with international renowned artists such as Rirkrit Tiravanija and Navin Rawanchaikul. The gallery strives to initiate dialogue between artists and institutions working both locally and internationally.
In the past decade, ground breaking exhibitions have earned Tang Contemporary Art significant recognition in China, and has established its status as a pioneer of the bourgeoning art scene in Asia. With three locations in Beijing, Bangkok, and Hong Kong, Tang Contemporary Art is fully committed to promoting local and international art, as well as encouraging the dynamic exchange between Chinese artists and those abroad.
