After more than two years of organizing and planning, “State of Life: Polish Contemporary Art within a Global Circumstance”, which is jointly hosted by the National Art Museum of China, The Muzeum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz, and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland, is on show at the National Art Museum of China from May 11 to June 22, 2015. Monika Smalands, Polish Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Mr. Tadeusz Chomicki, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the People’s Republic of China, Jarosław Sukhan, Director of the Muzeum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz, Wu Weishan, Director of the National Art Museum of China, Vice Chairman of China Artists Association, Ma Shulin and An Yuanyuan, Deputy Directors of the National Art Museum of China attended the opening ceremony.

State of Life features more than 70 works of contemporary art created by Polish artists, covering paintings, installations, videos, etc., in order to show the observation and experience of life by Polish contemporary artists, the latest situation and achievement of Polish contemporary art and the characteristics of identity and value perspective of Polish contemporary art within global cultural circumstances. The Polish partner the Muzeum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz is an important place for the development of contemporary art in Europe, previously planning a lot of influential exhibitions and also known for the collection of Western modern art in the 20th century.

In consideration of the above, the exhibition is composed of five chapters: the first chapter entitled “Reality?” is the citation of the exhibition, to mainly discuss the exploration of reality in contemporary art, describing the special system for the identification of the national identity for Polish contemporary art. The second chapter is the “Living Environment” (room 2), mainly showcasing the art transformation of natural scenery, cultural landscapes and social lives by Polish contemporary artists and this transformation also affected people’s aesthetic standard and eventheir living habits.The third chapter is the “Sharable Part”, focusing on the discussion of the phenomenon with local characteristics that have participated in the global cultural exchange. The fourth chapter is“Ego Ecology”, showcasing how the individual personal identity and subjective concept constantly form and is maintained bya relationship with the external environment.The fifth chapter is the “Enjoyment of Globalization” showcasing that some personal demands, impulses or constraints are changed into the objects of art creation, in order to realize the liberation of the ego and for renovation. In the process, space and boundary is proposed forthe sublimation of the ego and unconsciousness, both of which are the globalized essences that are not restricted by any local environment at this stage.

As the most important international exchange program for the National Art Museum of China, on the one hand, the exhibition introduces the history and characteristics of the development of contemporary art in Poland to the audience from China, and on the other hand, it also offers a reference and enlightenment for the development of Chinese contemporary art. During the exhibition, the National Art Museum of China will also organize an art salon, where the artists and Chinese audiences can have an in-depth exchangeand dialogue.

The project is an exchange program between the National Art Museum of China and The Muzeum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz and the National Art Museum of China will organize and plan a contemporary art exhibition to showin Poland in 2016.

Text by the National Art Museum of China, Photo by Xu Fan/CAFA ART INFO

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO