意象·城—郎小杞個(gè)展

　　Image·town - Lang Xiaoqi Solo Exhibition

　　2008.12.07（Sun）～ 2009.01.11（Sun）

　　Opening cocktail: 3:00 pm, 7th December (Sun)

　　開(kāi)幕式：12月7日下午3：00

　　#8503, Dashanzi 798, No.4 Jiuxianqiao Rd, Chaoyang District, 100015 Beijing.

　　仁藝術(shù)空間? 北京朝陽(yáng)區(qū)酒仙橋路4號(hào)798藝術(shù)區(qū)

　　gallery@yanclub.com

　　www.yanclub.com

　　90年代以來(lái)，中國(guó)的城市化進(jìn)程加快，大小城市都給人以直觀上的明顯變化。其內(nèi)部同時(shí)存在著拆遷與興建，外部又在不斷擴(kuò)張。逐漸式微的小農(nóng)經(jīng)濟(jì)與物質(zhì)和文化較為發(fā)達(dá)的城市形成強(qiáng)烈反差，致使越來(lái)越多的農(nóng)村勞動(dòng)力脫離了農(nóng)業(yè)，向城市"移民"，形成了一個(gè)引人注目的打工群體——民工群。

　　他們大都居住在城市邊緣的"城鄉(xiāng)結(jié)合部"，思想觀念、生活條件、工作性質(zhì)以及收入等等的差別令他們難以融入賴以生存的城市。然而又是他們承擔(dān)著繁忙城市建設(shè)的全部體力勞動(dòng)。這就造成他們與城市之間既曖昧又緊張的矛盾關(guān)系。

　　藝術(shù)家郎小杞從2006年開(kāi)始，將視線聚焦于這個(gè)城市"邊緣"群體，運(yùn)用照相寫實(shí)手法、新聞報(bào)道式的客觀視角捕捉他們的生活場(chǎng)景于繪畫創(chuàng)作中。

　　在此系列創(chuàng)作中，藝術(shù)家沒(méi)有著力刻畫這個(gè)"邊緣"群體中個(gè)體的形象，大多為幾筆帶過(guò)，而是并置了一些造成強(qiáng)烈對(duì)比的物象元素，比如正在修建的高樓大廈與陰暗簡(jiǎn)陋的民工居所、城中廢墟與拾荒者、人群與宏大的建設(shè)場(chǎng)面、警察與肇事者甚至沖突事件的瞬間等，這些元素在當(dāng)代中國(guó)城市的迅速膨脹中極具標(biāo)志性。

　　與其他藝術(shù)家同類主題的創(chuàng)作相比，郎小杞摒棄了色彩，大膽運(yùn)用加雜著少許黑色與白色的灰色為畫面主色調(diào)，有意弱化了畫面的"色彩感"，這種弱化更加抽離了畫面中的"客觀物象"，讓觀眾產(chǎn)生一種時(shí)空的虛幻感——不由得被置于大歷史的景觀中。

　　從主動(dòng)的"革命"到被動(dòng)的"改革"，我們一直在努力重構(gòu)著現(xiàn)實(shí)。城市化進(jìn)程的今天，是城市化的泛濫、農(nóng)業(yè)經(jīng)濟(jì)的分崩離析與龐大土地勞動(dòng)力的"進(jìn)城"，我們不可遏制大時(shí)代的洪流，每個(gè)人都無(wú)法拒絕與之相關(guān)。

　　在偉大的宣言之下，我們的迷茫與創(chuàng)傷措手不及。

　　屆時(shí)敬請(qǐng)觀賞。

　　Since the 1990s, China has been involved in a process of high-speed urbanization which has been changing the appearance of both large and small cities. Cities have been characterized by continuous phases of destruction and construction, and they have been expanding. There exists a huge difference between the gradually-declining small-scale peasant economy and the material and cultural development of modern cities. This results in the fact that an increasing number of rural workers leave the countryside to move to the city, to migrate and thus become a topic of interest for many people, being migrant workers.

　　Most of them live on the fringes of society, in those places on the borderline between the countryside and the city. Because of their mindset, living conditions, and income, it is very hard for them to survive in the city. But paradoxically they are charged with the whole responsibility to build the new cityscape. This has given birth to a kind of ambiguous and contradictory "love and hate" relationship existing between migrant workers and the city.

　　In 2006, artist Lang Xiaoqi started to focus on fringe dwellers. Since then, she has been using a realistic technique and reportage-like style to capture their lives in her paintings. In this body of works, the artist doesn't portray the single individual part of this group of fringe dwellers. In most of the cases she creates strong juxtapositions, bringing together subjects in sharp contrast. For example, she combines images of high-rise buildings with images of the gloomy and rudimentary dormitories where the workers reside; images of architectural remains and scavengers, with massive and crowded buildings; she even portrays the moment a conflict between the police and some troublemakers sparkles. These elements are highly representative of contemporary Chinese cities in rapid expansion.

　　In comparison to the works of other artists focusing on the same topic, Lang Xiaoqi's works deliberately don't emphasize the color quality. Therefore her palette is mainly made of light grey, a colour which is intended to emphasize the objective aspect of what is portrayed. The viewers' perception of time and space become illusory. So, viewers cannot do but see these works from a broader perspective.

　　From the active notion of "revolution" to the passive concept of "reformation", people have been trying hard to remold reality. The process of urbanization today is overwhelming, and leading to the disintegration of agricultural economy and to the dispersion of the huge land labor force "entering the city." We cannot stop the coming of a new era which touches upon everyone.

　　Under these circumstances, we are caught unprepared with anxieties and despair.

　　Yan Club Arts Center is please to invite you to the opening of this exhibition next 7th of December 2008.