Sight and Sound Around Town, Part IV

And the 6th Shanghai Biennale Art Exhibition continues…

Chinaware
Truly historically inventive to China, ceramic was later and still is inseparably equated to what is popularly known as Chinaware. Glazed, quite attractive in design, simple and pragmatic to use, the display is quite a draw for the museum crowd. The display is carefully composed or arranged; its disposition seems to continue stressing its lasting artistic significance. Back then, there were those royal kilns set up exclusively serving imperial consumption. When newly produced ceramics were ready for inspection, of course, only a selected few would be acceptable while the unqualified would be destroyed on the spot, leaving none trailing beyond the kiln site. Hence, the current day archaeological finds around those kilns show piles of fragmented remnants from those rejected pieces. This practice still survives to the present day. A recent documentary tells about some limited edition design, serving specific State purpose, when done, its cast was destroyed soon after the design was achieved. No doubt China has so many secret recipes!

Nude vs Dressed
In a series about some alluring women, one of its illuminating LCD displays shows a nude in her repetitive, unending walking motion. Quite timely, and standing nearby in still and pruned posture, a museum staff was in her uniform fully dressed. Momentarily seizing the chance, I took this shot to depict the dramatic contrast in setting.

Rio de Janeiro statue
Another museum staff was mopping the floor in front of the painting; her uniform matches the blue on the painting. This is another amusing contrast of moving reality and still graphic. The human scale is nearly as large as the painting; Jesus Christ depicted inside the painting seems diminished when compared to the moving cleaner. In close up, a tiny human scale is depicted standing at the tip of the spread eagle statue. With respect to the blue sky and positioned at the bottom right, the scale of the statue appears small in the entire painting composition. The iconoclastic, gigantic Rio de Janeiro statue is in reality overwhelming standing on top of a mountain.

Happy Halloween Day!

There is no camera trick but visual treat to all the above paintings.

Jeremy
Oct 31st 2006