Chen Jiagang

Might art be a weapon too?

When the global financial crisis hit, people realized that art, which had been seen as a weapon , was not selling anymore. In truth, so called Chinese contemporary art was too heavily burdened, having the responsibility to represent resistance to ideology, and to criticize the myriad of changes in consumer society. Meanwhile, it also had to prop up a sufficient amount of financial legends. It couldn t take it anymore, and that s what prompted my departure, my path to the Silk Road. I entered those disappeared memories that had existed for 1500 years. By attaining a certain distance from the crisis and from the court of fame...

Crossroads is a journey from East to West, from past to present, represented by two series of monumental works depicting the vast landscapes of Xinjiang Province, Silk Road and Temptation .

In Silk Road, Chen Jiagang s phenomenal black and white photographs retrace the ancient path of civilization that established contact between East and West, bearing the coexistence of diverse cultures. For two months, he voyaged through the area of the legendary caravan trail in Xinjiang Province of Central Asia. Carrying special permits for access to the most remote regions, he captured the immensity of the unique scenery using 20x24 inches black & white negative, one of the largest format cameras in common usage. From desert to ruins to snow-covered hills, we follow his steps into the void where seasons pass yet time has no impact and men are insignificant.

In his color Temptation series, Chen Jiagang encourages the rethinking of romance. China has experienced drastic changes since the establishment of People s Republic, and so has the country s women. From the seductive undercover female spies employed by the Kuomintang; to the modest politically erect women of Cultural Revolution; to women as possessions under the rapid economic development, an issue that has resurfaced in a society feeding on material pursuits. Through the rise and fall of women s social position, the notion of romance is inevitably tainted with that of politics, money and power. Taking inspiration from souvenir photos, Chen Jiagang has transformed the quotidian snapshots of travel and leisure into exquisite artworks with a contemplative connotation.

In the two series, the extra-large format envelops the timelessness of the breathtaking landscapes, enhanced by the sensuality of beautiful women. From their melancholy expressions to the delicate silk fabric of the Qipao (traditional Chinese dress), every detail evokes a sense of nostalgia nostalgia of the past, of youth, of lust, of romance.

Chen Jiagang is an important figure of Chinese contemporary art. He founded the first private Museum in China, the Upriver, in the nineties, where he exhibited works of distinguished Chinese artists.

Award-winning architect and former real estate promoter, Chen Jiagang has an innate understanding of space and form. He brings this knowledge to the extraordinary landscapes putting them to the ground glass of a field camera, creating colossal large-scale pictures that are of his signature. This makes the photographs of Chen Jiagang unique in the world.

His series The Great Third Font and The Third Front are world acclaimed and exhibited in several countries (China, USA, Korea, Italy, Hong Kong, France).

PARIS-BEIJING GALLERY

The 798 Art District, Dashanzi, No.4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, 100015 Beijing, China.

Opening hours: Everyday, from 10am to 6 pm

Tel: +86 (010) 5978 9262

Fax: +86 (010) 5978 9262

E-mail: [email protected]