East Contemporary

Category: Asia

MMCA “The Essential Duchamp” + “Vertiginous Data” + Harun Farocki ”What Ought To Be Done? Work And Life”

Seoul, December 22, 2018 – April 7, 2019 (Duchamp), March 23 – July 28, 2019 (Data), October 27, 2018 – April 7, 2019 (Farocki), http://www.mmca.go.kr Three shows were taking place at MMCA during my visit. The Essential Duchamp was what the title suggested: An overview of Marcel Duchamps oeuvre. At first I almost wanted to…

Arario: Hayoun Kwon “Si proche et pourtant si loin (English: So close yet so far)”

Shanghai, February 28 – May 5, 2019, http://www.arariogallery.com/ Arario Gallery had an installation by Hayoun Kwon. The topic was the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ). Different media were used to convey stories and impressions of the DMZ: Filming an architectural model, 3D animation with a narrated voiceover, a thermal-vision-like video loop showing guards walking around a…

Long Museum (West Bund): permanent collection + Yu Hong 喻红 “The World of Saha”

Shanghai, March 9 – May 9, 2019, http://thelongmuseum.org/en/ The first impression of the Long Museum on the West Bund (Puxi): It was cold. The large concrete halls above ground have a magnificent feel. But no heating. And in fact a large part of the exhibition halls is located underground. There it smelled like entering a…

Chronus Art Center “Machines Are Not Alone: A Machinic Trilogy”

Shanghai, July 21 – October 21, 2018, 新时线媒体(CAC)艺术中心, http://www.chronusartcenter.org/ Chronus Art Center (CAC) specializes in New Media Art. The exhibition was well designed and prepared. The artworks consisted of a mix of new media artworks, also with a mix of the typical issues that new media artworks have. Some were accessible and poetic, other were…

Rockbund Art Museum: Lin Tianmiao林天苗 “Systems“

Shanghai, June 26 – August 26, 2018, 上海外滩美术馆, http://www.rockbundartmuseum.org/en/ After some years, I visited the Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) again. The atmosphere was still very pleasant, as I remembered from my prior visits. The visitor experience, as well as the artworks, are shaped by the unique multi floor space where visitors ascend and see the…

Long Museum: “Ruyi To Be Found Everywhere In Life” + “L’étranger mélancolie” + more

Shanghai, Pudong, 2018, http://thelongmuseum.org/en/ My first visit to the Long Museum (龙美术馆) Pudong branch, about 5 years after it opened. The architecture is minimalist, and it stood still and calm. It was quite empty during my weekend visit. Shows ranged from ancient to modernist to communist. No contemporary.

Portikus: Arin Rungjang „Bengawan Solo“

Frankfurt am Main, June 30 – September 2, 2018, http://www.portikus.de/ The installation of Arim Rungjang, a Thai artist who made his first biennale appearances in the last few years, consisted of one large dark room with video projections on all walls except the entrance. The room was very dark, especially as one was entering straight…