 ver since Marcel Duchamp brought the concept of “ready-made” to modern art, the historical book of western art has been turned to a brand new page – concepts once held about traditional art being completely abandoned. The nomination and function of art has broken loose from the limitations of cultivation, registration, and even esthetics, and became the medium of conceptual expression. Consequently, the concept and the suitable forms of its expression are now considered the most imminent issues to be addressed by contemporary art. The artist of this solo show, Zhang Qikai, is providing his opinions on these issues through his works of art - on display in this exhibition.
Apparently, for a normal installation, video, or performance artwork, it seems that there is little choice but to decorate them with puzzles and traps for the expression and explanation of their hidden meanings – and in this way bringing the audience into the space of contemplation. Yet this is not the case with Zhang Qikai - all his works are based upon, extracted from, and realized by his personal and  direct experience of the world. “The images in his works are so perfect, sometimes with symbolism behind them which does not necessarily make the work heavier”, said by Diego Esposito, the well-known Italian artist and professor of the National Art Academy of Milan. With his subtle, innate perception of materials, and via his rich achievement in art, Zhang Qikai has created many developmental works of art. His installation work “Celestial Forest” won the first prize of the Biennale of Asian Art at the Art Museum of Genoa, “Garden Zen” won the Honorable Mention of the First Prague Biennale, and his video installation “Transport” and the action artwork “Chess”, have all received high praise from those both inside and outside of the art world, in the different venues in which the works were exhibited. Regardless of the forms of expression, whether painting, installation, video or calligraphy, Zhang Qikai is always able to apply them appropriately in his creations and endue in them a new and accurate connotation.
As the only artist who is invited to the Asian Art Biennale (Genoa Italy) every year, Zhang Qikai ingeniously integrates western and eastern cultures with an outstanding ability to direct his artistic language. With over ten years of overseas experience, his work is filled with both the eastern style of introspective spirit and the western style of scientific thought. According to Diego Esposito, “Through an extraordinary means of expression, Zhang Qikai filters the dual elements of eastern and western expression, puts them into a single container, and produces a profound and original result unveiled by this percolation”. This is exactly how his artwork surpasses the borders of cultures and nationalities, and deeply touches an audience of varied backgrounds and levels.
In this solo show, “Double Image”, organized by Dialogue Space, Zhang Qikai applies different forms of expression, including installations and  paintings, and puts on display his attitudes and ideas concerning culture, politics, life and religion. “Midday Midnight” creates an illusion of time running backwards in a mirror’s reflection, questioning the eternal subject of “time” itself. In the work “Bubble” the confrontation between Eastern and Western religions is externalized. And the most important piece of this show, “Classics”, with “Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung”, “Bible”, “Das Capital”, and “Mahaparinirvana - sutra” - four masterpieces with which we are all familiar, each possessing their unique cultural branding, and each, now under the new illumination of Zhang Qikai, taking on the important responsibility of inspiring the “readers” once again.
The Emperor Tangtai Zhong once said, “When we use a bronze mirror, it helps us fix our way of dressing, when we consider history as a mirror, we begin to understand the changes in the world around us, when we consider a person as a mirror, we begin to understand the achievements and failures of life.” Today, Zhang Qikai, considers many things as if in a mirror - all providing food for thought – and for finding redemption of ourselves and peace within our spirit.
Editorial Note: Zhang Qikai, who was born in Beijing in 1967, acquired his bachelor degree of Fine Arts in the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan. His solo exhibition:"Double Image" is on view from April. 11 to May. 31, 2009 in Dialogue Space, Beijing. For more information, please visit:www.dialoguespace.com
Below are part of the works by the artist and pictures from the exhibition:
《Closter No.1》Mixed Medias on paper, 97×77cm, 2009
《Closter No.2》Mixed Medias on paper, 97×77cm, 2009
《Mirage No.2》Mixed Medias, 93×53×14cm, 2009
《Classics》Mirror, iron, wood, cloth, paper(video), 193×165×130cm×4, 2008-2009
《Tomorrow is more beautiful No.1》Mixed Medias, 76×50×14cm, 2009
Press Release Scene
Zhang Qikai with his installation work
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