Hong Kong, November 26, 2015 – January 9, 2016, http://www.gagosian.com
8th century Tang earthenware sculpture set (probably a grave decoration)
A group exhibition consisting of selected pieces from the Gagosian Hong Kong storage, together with some excellent Chinese antiques from the storages of collaborating Gisele Croes Art d’Extreme Orient. For the Gagosian part, it was a mash up of the gallery’s who is who, also a reminder of the exhibitions that took place earlier during the year: Some Giacometti, some Nam June Paik, etc. Of course a Baselitz, Gursky and Murakami could not be missing either. And all was rounded up by some Serra, Cai Guoqiang, Chu The-Chun, Liu Dan and Zao Wou-Ki.
The antique selection has been focused on excellence, with beautiful museum-grade works spanning the thousands of years of Chinese history. The juxtapositions bridging centuries had something inspiring to them, however the overall feeling of a Gagosian/Croes Christmas Sale kept seeping through. In the end it was the antiques that saved the show as a show and held it together with their unique aura.
The juxtaposition of a an 8th century early Buddhist sculpture of an Harihara (Vishnu+Shiva) from Cambodgia next to a semi abstract, but also slightly anthropomorphic late Richard Serra drawing (Transparency #22, 2012) especially caught my attention. Maybe it was because of a deja-vu relating to the exhibition of early Buddhist art at the National Museum of Korea earlier this year, or maybe it was the organic shapes of the Serra drawing, who I would usually associate with much more strict geometric shapes.
Limestone Harirara sculpture, 8.c, Cambodia + Richard Serra, Transparency #22, 2012
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