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Biennale explores ways to decode SZ identity

Writer:   | Editor: Lily A  | From:  | Updated: 2018-05-22

Themed “Open Source,” the first Shenzhen Biennale is in full swing at Luohu Art Museum, showcasing 20 large indoor and outdoor installations from 21 contemporary artists from home and abroad.

Displayed in the public art museum, most of these avant-garde and contemporary works were specially created for the biennale and are open for public interaction. Its aim is to introduce contemporary art into the daily life of ordinary citizens.

“As a modern city famous for reform and opening up, openness is always one of the most significant urban spirits of Shenzhen. The biennale is devoted to making art and public life more closely linked so that every citizen has an opportunity to participate in the cultural construction of the city,” said He Jing, producer of the biennale and founder of Art-Tweet Arts Center.

Tang Huize and Janet Fong, curators of the biennale, believe that the computer software term “open source” is most appropriate for understanding Shenzhen’s identity. “We write the ‘source code’ of the exhibition and open it to the public, so it can be freely interpreted, adapted and recreated by visitors.”

Localness is an important feature of this exhibition. For instance, local artist Shen Piji uses oyster shells in his works, which not only represent the history of Shenzhen as a fishing village but also its openness as a migrant city.

German artist Arnd Christian Muller has collected different types of hammers from workers at construction sites and factories and turned the hammers into exquisite wind chimes that produce a special laborer’s song.

In addition, outdoor installations are also a highlight of the exhibition. Artist Zhong Fei and lighting expert Yan Yonghong have cooperated to launch an immersive and interactive installation combining lighting technology and images. Artist Huang Yulong has translated the warmth of the moon into magnified luminous geometries, which symbolize the abstract form of the city’s high-rises.

With Luohu Art Museum as the main venue, the biennale opened May 11 and will run until July 29.