Redefining Immersive Experience
Ways of Seeing is a showcase, a manifesto of sort, of an art that focuses on the human condition. After more than one year of preparation, CHAO Art Center 2019 Annual Art Exhibition “The Way of Seeing” has successfully opened on August 16th.
Ways of Seeing title is borrowed from the British author and critic John Berger’s groundbreaking television series broadcasted on the BBC in 1972 and published as a book the following year, as an hommage and a reminder that” the relation between what we see and what we know is never settled”. This exhibition will be presented from a variety of angles besides the text of the work. To build a deeper visual context, Ways of Seeing puts into question some normative values in contemporary art like monumentality, recency and uniqueness. From which to explore the Way of Seeing of contemporary Art.
The exhibition gathers 17 acclaimed individuals/groups of both Chinese and foreign contemporary artists, Together, arm in arm, they stand like a choir of different voices stimulating us to think, learn and understand in other ways, what contemporary art actually can be. It learns us to distinguish an art that speaks with poetry about existence, from an art that does not. Articulating a hope of sincerity and courage, of something genuine, something which at times lacks in our smartphone life of smiles and likes.
CHAO Art Center Founder Mr. Li Ming said that “CHAO brings inspirations to audience, but at the same time we want to become a pioneer in art and culture development. Since CHAO Art Center was founded, we are dedicated to breaking boundaries, providing year-around modern and vanward artistic activities, especially our annual exhibition. Every year, CHAO Art Center works with famous artists from home and abroad, bring together influential art works and provide an all-embracing art experience for audience.”
In addition, curator of this exhibition Mr. Jonas Stampe, and co-curator Ms. Xiao Ge shared that “We have always wanted to plan an exhibition here, at CHAO, since the first time we get to learn about CHAO’s concept in late 2017. CHAO’s interesting spatial structure makes the exhibition more interesting and attractive, audience explore in space as well as art. Also, CHAO attracts audiences from various backgrounds and fields, they are not just pure art lovers, which makes the encounter more fortuitous. Having different groups of audience will bring us different perspectives of art, which makes this exhibition more meaningful.”
Ms. Xiao Ge also expressed that good art generate more thoughts in the industry, market and society. “We want to do this kind of art. We hope viewers can immerse into thoughts when they are looking at these art works, not just taking photos, this is how we define ‘immersive art exhibition’.”
Ways of Seeing is not a walk-through exhibition but intended to honor the critical, the intuitive, the unexpected and the mind-blowing. It is an exhibition which you need to give time, during as well as in the thoughtful afterglow of your visit. For the theoretically inclined Ways of Seeing gives a lot to think about. For the public at large it tells some astounding stories, visualizing unforgettable images, triggering the imagination of the possible.
CHAO is a platform to connect the good life. CHAO believes that diverse cultural and artistic experiences are origins of inspirations. The CHAO Art Center is a comprehensive art institution with the concept of “Unbounded Art Space” and dedicated to build a cultural exchange platform. With like-minded people, we redefine “night life” and art, together we share, explore and bring limitless possibilities for “new modern city culture”.
