A+ Contemporary is pleased to announce the opening of artist He Xun’s first solo exhibition“Rural Rhapsody”in Shanghai on 12th March, 2016. Since ancient times, China’s agricultural landscape and resources have nourished distinct literature (folk songs) and religious rituals, providing the artist with rich references to re-enact sensual experience and abstract feelings through art. In this exhibition, He Xun combines natural agricultural sceneries with nostalgic symbols to create bizarre imageries that are rustic yet emotionally profound. It is a journey of artist’s self-discovery as he walks through a hallucinating show about the people, religions, lands and languages. The exhibition will last until 7th May.
In this highly-developed information age where new technologies are essential to keep up with the world, He Xun’s artistic inspiration comes from his interest in low-technology and obsession with supernatural practices, which is a reminder of human’s long history when moving toward the infinite future. Through ritual behaviors, He discovers a mystical relationship that gives “time” a poetic nature that is both beautiful yet alienated. In this exhibition, installation works “A Broken Mirror in the Middle of Autumn” and “Water in the Center of Water” were originally poems written by the artist, which he then attempted to show as paintings but unable to measure up to his satisfaction. After many years, the works developed their harmonious form of completion with addition of ready-made objects founded in the streets. He Xun’s work at first sight seems paradoxical and odd, but a closer look one may find some intricate relationships between the subject and the object that make the statement fulfilling and clear. Poetry and painting are different art forms supported by logical thinking. Being a poet and artist himself, He’s literary and artistic talent are not restricted by conventional representation, but appropriation of both: the art of rhyming in painting and succinct combination of visual words. He Xun manages to create in his work a lyrical flow of ambiguity, marking his unique narrative style in the subject of fine art.
The composition in He Xun’s painting reflects his common idealism (equality and understanding of self) where ordinary imageries and rural landscape are replaced by manifesto. For He, agriculture, manufacturing industry and trading all carry their equally significant culture and history. In fact, the rapid urbanization in China has resulted in an interesting development of rural-urban fringe area, where the border between urban and village diminishes and gives way to “villages in urban”. The habitants’ occupation spans from businessman, farmer, freelancer, to contemporary artists who are not defined by a single category. Growing up as a villager in the city, He Xun is aware of his complex background and has consciously distanced himself by prickling such social stratification; his painting features juxtaposition between local manufactured low technology and wild fantasy, these contradicting elements clash to become his own “Rual Rhapsody”.
About the exhibition
Date: Mar 12, 2016 - May 1, 2016
Opening: Mar 12, 2016, 15:00, Saturday
Venue: A+ Contemporary
Courtesy of the artist and A+ Contemporary.
