Land, Devil & Night
Released on 15 September 2015
From 15 September to 15 December, JNBY and the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) along with artists He An, Lu Pingyuan, and Zhao Yu present “Land, Devil & Night,” the first in a series of collaborative art projects.
Titled seemingly in reference to the work of the three contributing artists, “Land, Devil & Night” reveals a series of theatrically interlocking metaphors. The three elements of drama—place, character, and time—are easily read through this title and form a framework for interactions between performance and the real world, action and fantasy.
“Representation” is in a state of crisis. Here the works take on various forms and truths, whether it be through the birds-eye-view carpeting, the cold images that cover the walls, or the flirtatious lights that cover the darkness of night. When walking into the store, the meaning of clothes as representations of people is strengthened. The internal and the external link between artworks and exhibition space is akin to clothing and the human body. These static and walking clothes compose this non-stop exhibition. Entering the store in the day allows for one to imagine the actions carried on at night—the devil, unseen, operating in the dark.
In an era of heightened commercialism, it is preferable to imagine people owning clothes rather than being dynamic mannequins for clothes. Clothes are not only functional products but also semiotic carriers of meaning. Those meanings reflect the complicated motives of consumers, who drive the gears of production for new clothes. This process is host to numerous stories of the devil walking on land at night. This project is curated by You Yang, Deputy Director of UCCA.
About the Artists
Zhao Yao (b. 1981, Sichuan province) received a BFA from the art and design department of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 2004. He is currently based in Beijing and has held five solo exhibitions and participated in nearly forty group exhibitions.
He An (b. 1971, Wuhan) received a BFA from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts and is now based in Beijing. He has been invited to submit work to many exhibitions at home and abroad.
Lu Pingyuan (b. 1984, Zhejiang province) is currently based in Shanghai. He received a BFA from China Academy of Art Shanghai Institute of Design in 2008.
About JNBY
JNBY (Hangzhou JNBY Finery Co. Ltd.) was established in 1994. As one of the pioneering designer-based enterprises in China, JNBY meas “Just Naturally Be Yourself” and naturally become its own brand through continuous innovation. In this fragmented and homogenized information age, most people, as individuals, lack curiosity about the future as well as the ability to explore. JNBY represents a passion for the unknown and a yearning for the new, exploring the very meaning of life through daily study and exercise. The products of JNBY embody this spirit from design to production to consumer.
About JNBY Group
Established in 1994, JNBY Group includes JNBY, Croquis, less, and jnby by JNBY, representing different brands for the wide variety of groups served by our designs. Over the past twenty years JNBY Group has sought to distill the latest in global trends of fashion, bringing Chinese consumers the best of what is new and becoming a platform for China’s best in design.
About the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
The Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) is an independent, not-for-profit art center serving a global Beijing public. Located at the heart of Beijing’s 798 Art District, it was founded by the Belgian collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens and opened in November 2007. Through a diverse array of exhibitions with artists Chinese and international, established and emerging, as well as a wide range of public programs, UCCA aims to promote the continued development of the Chinese art scene, foster international exchange, and showcase the latest in art and culture to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Related Programs
Performances
Soundscaping
2015.10.2 (Fri) 14:00-15:30
Place: JNBY, Taikoo Li Sanlitun, South S3-10
Performer: Yang2 (Artist)
Chinese only
Conversations
The Daily Life of Art: Guided Tour with Afternoon Tea
2015.10.9 (Fri) 14:00-15:30
Place: UCCA Salon
Guest: You Yang (Deputy Director, UCCA)
Chinese only
Workshop
Collage Your Style
2015.10.28 (Wed) 15:00-17:00
Place: JNBY, Taikoo Li Sanlitun, South S3-10
Speaker: Luna Jiang (Teacher, UCCA Creative Studio)
Chinese only
JNBY members only. (Reservations Required. For booking, please following the JNBY Wechat.)
