This exhibition presents Li Shuang’s ongoing project “Art labor at large” since September 2015. At the same time of the show, it takes a part in the “Overwhelming – Imagination”conference, organized by i: Project Space and Open Ground Blog at Sishang Museum (July 4 and July 5).
*“What the name of…”directly refers to the drama ART written by Yasmina Reza.
You might think it is a naïve, immature, or even a common project. But we’d rather say that’s an experimental project: as an experience, it can’t be a completion. Its forms and contains show us its process. The result is not precisely defined but just a way to revive questioning.
How does an artist consider the “workers” of art?
How does an artist work with them?
What kind of relationship can emerge from this working situation?
Can an artist make art in the same way a worker uses his labor? Can a worker demand his labors the same way an artist creates a piece of artwork?
This project is a sensitive reaction from a young artist to the art world in China. It reveals a questioning about who makes art,how do they make it and what relationship do they have with art and the Artworld (artists, galleries, institutions, collectors, curators, etc.).
After ten months of working, discussing, waiting, Li Shuang converts her role from a dominant position (The creator of theproject) into a passive and somewhat weaker situation.
The idea is not complicated: Li Shuang asks some art workers to create art pieces. And it is rather attractive: as feedback, Li Shuang has to work for the labors by helping them to create a website for their company. In this project, a basic discipline has been designed up. Zmart (theworkers group) can do everything they want, everything they thought could be showed as “art.”
During all the project process, we wondered how to define the role of every participant (What is the role of Li Shuang? What isthe role of Zmart? At last, who is the artist? or all of them are artists?). By this way, when we see the works showing in the space, who has the authority to define the works ART or not?
Source: artlinkart.com
