A Yellow Box in Qingpu: Contemporary Art and Architecture in a Chinese Space

“Yellow Box” is a project initiated by the Visual Culture Research Centre of China Academy of Art. Its purpose is to investigate issues about contemporary art, creativity and culture of connoisseurship in response to the modern “white cube”. This project intends to investigate issues of connoisseurship and display that are embedded in Chinese traditional spaces; meanwhile it also intends to reinterpret traditional literati spirit in light of contemporary art. In 2005, the first exhibition of “Yellow Box” subtitled “Contemporary Calligraphy and Painting in Taiwan” was held at the Taipei Fine Art Museum. That exhibition experimented with solutions for displaying the subtlety of literati art within the sterile “white cube” by either building mediating structures or setting up viewing procedures. Based on that exhibition’s experiment, the present “Yellow Box” project continues the research in exhibition practice by studying contemporary art and architecture.
Xiao Ximen (Minor West Gate) is a project of a newly constructed traditional vernacular architecture built under the auspices of the Qingpu District Government. It is a remarkable example of efforts to revive traditional/vernacular culture and the creative industry. The project was spearheaded by the local government, and is the result of 3 years’ intensive creative labour directed by artist Hu, Xiangcheng.  In celebration of the realisation of this architectural dream, the China Academy of Art, in cooperation with the Time+Architecture Magazine, will present this exhibition and forum with support of the Qingpu District Government.
Over 40 artists and architects have been invited to create and display works of different media including architectural models, paintings, photography, video, installation and experimental mix media productions. The artists have been invited to interpret and respond to this quarter of wood-frame vernacular space that is laden with cultural definitions.
Xiaofeng Zhu from Scenic Architecture Office made a work “four scroll of four sceneries” particularly for a cute room in Xiao Ximen with 4 windows.  The 4 scrolls, made of translucent mylar, were carefully hung in front of 4 opennings of the room to provide a reversible reading between the “live” painting and the real scenery.
CURATORS Gao Shiming (Director of Visual Culture Research Centre, China Academy of Art)
Chang Tsong-zung (Curator and Critic, Guest Professor of China Academy of Art)
 Hu Xiangcheng (Artist and architect of Xiao Ximen)
ARTISTS  Alan Xie(USA), Gao Shiqiang(China), Intravision Group ( Norway), Leung Chi Wo (China, Hongkong), Liao Wenfeng(China), Liu Dahong(China), Liu Wei (China), Lou Shenghua(China), Ni Keyun(China), Pak Sheung Chuen (China, Hongkong), Qiu Anxiong(China), Qiu Zhijie (China), Ye Fang (China), Sun Xun (China), Total Art Group (China), Wang Dongling (China), Wu Junyong (China), Wu Shanzhuan (China)Xue Jun (China), Yondonjunain Dalkh-Ochir(Mongolia), Yu Peng(Taiwan,China), Zhanghui (China), Zheng Duanxiang (China), Jian Group, Zheng Wenxin(China), Zheng Zaidong (Taiwan,China), Zhu Xi (China)etc.
ARCHITECTS  Arata Isozaki(Japan), Atelier Deshaus (China), Benjamin Wood(USA), CA-Group(China), David Chipperfield(UK), Kensyo, J.C(Japan), Li Kaisheng(China), Liu Jiakun (China), Ma Qingyun (China), Sancho Madridejos(Spain), Tong Ming(China), Wang Jiahao (China), Zhang Bin (China), Zhang Lei (China), Zhang Yonghe (China), Zheng Xiangzhu(China), Zhu Xiaofeng(China), and a Chinese folk Architect etc.