An Introduction to the Recent Developments in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is considered one of the major art hubs in China, in line with Beijing and Shanghai. A large part of this is the result of the work of institutions such as Vitamin Creative Space and the Guangzhou Triennial, the latter of which continues to be viewed as one of the most academically rigourous international events in China. The influence of major art world players like Cao Fei and Zheng Guogu, who beginning in early 2000 were working out of Guangzhou, showing their work there, and developing exhibitions has also helped to establish Guangzhou as one of the major centres of artistic activity in China.

During the last few years, however, the community of artists and other cultural producers in Guangzhou has begun to reshape itself on many levels, and this has led to the development of new strategies originating from the younger generation.

With attention shifting mainly towards Beijing in recent years, many artists have decided to leave Guangzhou and move there in the hope of bringing increased attention to their work and making their endeavours more fruitful. For example, artist Cao Fei has created a new base in Beijing for her activities, while Zheng Guogu remains in Yang Jiang (just a few hours from Guangzhou), continuing to build his “empire”—that is, his life’s work, or his Art Bank, as Zheng Guogu refers to it, which he sees as essentially a microcosm of Chinese society.

Also, many of the art spaces in Guangzhou have expanded their activities and are reaching out towards Beijing. Vitamin Creative Space began its activities in Guangzhou, where it still maintains a venue. More recently, it opened The Shop at Soho in Beijing, which is a project/gallery space next to Cao Fei’s RMB City office, a long-term project similar to the empire of Zheng Guogu but existing in virtual space. As a curatorial-driven practice, the gallery at Vitamin Creative Space works very closely with artists who are exploring the importance of everyday life through their studio/gallery practices, as well as the practices of the artists they often collaborate with.

Not as well known for its exhibition or curatorial work is Chen Tong’s Libreria Borges Institute for Contemporary Art, one of the non-profit venues in town that has gained a reputation for its work in literary arts, publishing, and translations of Western philosophy and novelists from the post-war era, concentrating mainly on French writers. Libreria Borges maintains that it is a non-profit venue that doesn’t represent artists, but it does provide them assistance on an ongoing basis such as exhibiting foreign artists, or helping local artists to apply for exhibitions and residencies abroad. Recently it also established a space in commemoration of the late Liang Juhui, where the artist’s archive is made accessible to researchers.

image (top): Liu Yin, You boring guys, 2007, pen, and oil on canvas board, 30.5 x 25 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

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