Hong Kong, February 2, 2018—For the 2018 edition of Art Basel Hong Kong, Lehmann Maupin (1C21) will present a selection of works by Hernan Bas, Ashley Bickerton, McArthur Binion, Gilbert & George, Shirazeh Houshiary, Lee Bul, Liza Lou, Marilyn Minter, Mr., Angel Otero, OSGEMEOS, Tony Oursler, David Salle, Do Ho Suh, Juergen Teller, and Erwin Wurm. This curated selection reinforces Lehmann Maupin’s commitment to presenting its artists’ work in an international context.
Kabinett: Teresita Fernández (1C21) | #teresitafernandez
For this year’s Kabinett sector, Teresita Fernández will present her most recent body of work, Rise and Fall, comprised of graphite relief panels depicting the rise and fall of the tide and shifting horizon lines. Best known for her public installations and large-scale sculptures that evoke striking landscapes, Fernández’s work is characterized by an interest in perception and the psychology of looking. In Rise and Fall, the articulation of the landscape appears dipped in a metallic liquid, an effect of the unadulterated graphite that is reminiscent of artist Robert Smithson’s Pour works, in which he used viscous materials like glue or concrete to cascade over a landscape, treating the earth itself as a canvas. Rise and Fall can thus be read within this art historical context as both landscape painting and land art. Graphite has been elemental in her practice and Fernández has long questioned the traditional genre of landscape through abstracted interpretations of the land where history and mined materials are layered.
Encounters: Erwin Wurm (1E02) | #erwinwurm
Austrian artist Erwin Wurm’s One Minute Sculptures—comprised of everyday objects and furniture placed on a large, low pedestal—are inscribed with instructional drawings and texts indicating actions to be performed by the public. Wurm’s work is completely dependent on such participation and his instructions are meant as a proposal: the work is not ‘active’ until the instruction is carried out. The success of these ephemeral pieces is determined by the exactness with which the directions are executed. Though seemingly humorous, the works are about physical, psychological and philosophical engagement. Wurm’s One Minute Sculptures have influenced a generation of artists by redefining what a sculpture is and how the public engages with the medium.
In the Pedder Building: OSGEMEOS | #osgemeos | #dejavu
Opening on Monday, March 26 from 6—8 PM at Lehmann Maupin in the Pedder Building will be Déjà Vu, OSGEMEOS’ first solo exhibition in Hong Kong. The Brazilian artist duo, comprised of twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo, has developed an internationally recognized style born of influences across pop culture, music, folk art, and their vivid inner worlds. Déjà Vu presents new paintings and a sound installation from the highly influential artists, who are sought out for numerous high profile collaborations and commissions, transforming buildings and public spaces across Europe, South America, and the United States. Déjà Vu extends OSGEMEOS’ approach to their exhibitions as an immersive, multi-sensory experience, as exemplified in their many international institutional shows. Known internationally for a figurative style that typically features their signature yellow characters, thin dark red outlining, and intricately patterned designs, OSGEMEOS broke onto the art scene during the late 1980s as graffiti writers in their São Paulo neighborhood of Cambuci. Initially influenced by the graffiti movement coming out of New York, they were ultimately inspired by the ingenuity and resourcefulness evident in their working class neighborhood, and sought to make their art accessible to the community as a way to contribute a sense of optimism. Through their collaborative art, OSGEMEOS seek to empower their audience to consider their own subconscious. The exhibition will be on view through May 12, 2018.
Around Hong KongTony Oursler’s three-screen outdoor projection, f / • w (2017), is part of the Harbour Arts Sculpture Park at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, curated by Tim Marlow (Royal Academy of Art, London) and Fumio Nanjo (Hong Kong Arts Centre). Oursler's ongoing investigation into our day-to-day interaction with technology and his skepticism of artificial intelligence systems is depicted through free-floating projections of avatars or personifications of algorithmic systems meant to respond to and service our every need and desire. Oursler takes a humorous approach to human desires, which are often interestingly linked to artificial intelligence—self-help, new age, and motivational programs—as well as all manner of social media, shopping, and facial recognition. The characters, which are projected into the natural landscape, are rogue A.I. agents, which attempt to interact with the viewers, questioning the role artificial intelligence actually plays in helping humans achieve their goals. The projection will be on view every night from 7-11 PM until April 11, 2018.
Works by Ashley Bickerton will be included in the group show Emerald City at the K11 Art Foundation, opening March 28. Held across two locations in Hong Kong, Emerald City sees geometry as a universal language across historical and geographical borders, presenting a cross-section of the geometric approaches to art making in Greater China, Asia, and the West, and suggesting a renewal of our geometry vocabulary for a better understanding of human existence in today’s globalized world. Emerald City will be on view through April 20, 2018.
On Thursday, March 29, Shirazeh Houshiary will be one of four artists honored at the Asia Society’s Asia Arts Game Changer Awards Hong Kong who are recognized as having made significant contributions to the field of contemporary art. Launched by the Asia Society in 2014, the Asia Game Changer Awards are designed to fill a vital gap, identifying and honoring true leaders who are making a positive contribution to the future of Asia. These awards are bestowed annually to individuals, organizations, and movements that have inspired, enlightened, and shown true leadership in areas that reflect Asia Society’s core pillars of policy and business, arts and culture, and education. Houshiary will also participate in a panel discussion moderated by Michelle Yun, Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Asia Society, as part of the Awards at the Art Central fair on March 30, starting at 11:30 AM. Houshiary will discuss the concept of deep memory in her work, which transcends name, nationality, and cultural identity, as well as the desire to connect to the underlying principles of those generative forces that infuse the whole of existence.
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