Today's Yesterday
October 1, 2017–January 10, 2018
The 1st Anren Biennale will take place from October 1, 2017 till January 10, 2018 in the well preserved historical city of Anren, Chengdu. Seen the rich history of the region, as well as its future development planning, the topic of this edition will explore how to establish a dialogue between history, the present and possible future. Anren Biennale aims to create a meeting point in West-South China in the field of visual arts between artists of diverse cultures and generations, creating an international professional network for the exchange of ideas. The Biennale wants to enhance a sustainable cultural landscape, hoping to leave a long lasting impact on Anren.
Under the general title Today’s Yesterday, with the artistic direction of art historian Lu Peng, the Anren Biennale brings together four different exhibition projects by Chinese and international curators. Today’s Yesterday aims to be a strongly reflective topic about the question of What present actually means? What is the Art of Today? The biennale wants to inquire, how the art of the contingent present may be historicized, how it becomes a geopolitical legacy, questioning the historical narrative of international art.
Four curatorial teams will present four different major scale sections:
Crossroads (curated by Liu Ding/Carol Lu Yinghua)
The Szechwan Tale: Theatre and History (curated by Marco Scotini)
The Rthetoric of Family Tree (curated by Lan Qingwei/ Du Xiyun)
A Future that Never Returns (curated by Liu Jie, Lu Jing(Rain)).
The 1st Anren Biennale will also include a series of parallel events in different venues in order to foster the relationship between the biennale and the local community.
Works on display by more than 100 invited artists from over 20 countries, will present a multitude of artistic expressions, from painting to theatre. A complete list of artists and detailed concepts of each section will follow. Anren’s Ning Liang renovated ex-industrial site will become the main venue of the biennale. Press and professional pre-view will take place on September 29 and 30 and exhibition will open its doors to public on October 1.
Lu Peng is the President of L-artuniversity, Professor of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts. His curatorial achievements include Pure Views: New Painting from China at Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Japan, 2013), Asia Art Museum (San Francisco, 2011), Chengdu Biennale (2011), A Gift to Marco Polo (Venice Biennale, 2009). He published A History of Art in Twentieth-Century China (2008).
Liu Ding is a Beijing-based artist and curator. He participated in international biennials such as 2015 Istanbul Biennial, 2014 Shanghai Biennial, 2012 Taipei Biennial, Chinese Pavilion 2009 at Venice Biennial, and 2005 Guangzhou Triennial. Carol Lu Yinghua is a PhD candidate in art history at the University of Melbourne and director of Beijing Inside-Out Art Museum. She is a contributing editor of Frieze magazine and was the co-artistic director of the 2012 Gwangju Biennale.
Marco Scotini is Artistic Director of the FM Center for Contemporary Art and Head of the Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies Department at NABA, both in Milan. He is also Head of exhibitions at PAV, Turin. He is the curator of 2nd Yinchuan Biennale.
Lan Qingwei is an Art critic and Curator. He is executive director of Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and Chair Professor of Sichuan Institute of Fine Art. He has founded the project “One Square Reading Public Library”. Du Xiyun is the Curator, Deputy director of HOW Art Museum. He focused on evaluating Chinese contemporary art in the context of global vision and modern civilization, as well as defining culture in the framework of political economy.
Liu Jie is the founder and director of A Thousand Plateaus Art Space in Chengdu. He has planned many art projects over last ten years. Lu Jing (Rain) is the founder and director of L-Art Gallery in Chengdu. She has curated numerous shows and public events.
