Wandering-International Artist-in-residence Program Open Studio Exhibition

Wandering
International Artist-in-residence Program
The First Open Studio Exhibition 2010

Curator: He Libin
Artists：Nathalie Bissig（Switzerland）, Ly Tran Quynh Giang (Vietnam) , Hang Thuy Nguyen（Vietnam）, Alyshia Boddenberg（Australia）, Sun Zhou JiuYun（10-year-old）, Liu Lifen
Host by：Jin Ding 1919•Loft, Dong Xi Gallery,943 Studio
Opening：16：00—22：00, Saturday, 15 May, 2010
Duration：May 15-17, 2010
Address: Liu Lifen Studio, 3 Floor, Xi ba Road no.101, Kunming, China
Tel: 0871-4186068

Physical Migration and Wandering of Spirit
For the Open Studio Exhibition of 2010
International Artist-in-Residence Program
By He Libin

Yunnan is such a fantastic place for wandering, regardless whether for self-identification or to be comprehended by others. It provides the wanderers abundant spiritual resources and experiential atmosphere through the leisurely and slow pace of life, as well as the diverse geographical and cultural identities. Never-the-less, the spiritual wandering is more profound and valuable than the physical travel. It is this essential difference that separates an experienced wanderer and a tourist. This difference is reflected in the artists work in which there is a seeking and adventure in an unknown world, filled with infinite possibility.

Based on this awareness of the atmospheric place we inhabit, the international artist-in-residence program in 2010 has been created, a collaboration by 943 Studio, Jin Ding 1919 Loft and Dong Xi Gallery, Norway. The resident artists come from different parts of the world with different cultural background and life experiences. When they come to Kunming, Yunnan, China, such a strange place, they experience the contrast and excitement. Furthermore, they will delve deeply into local daily life, create new art works with fresh experience, communicate and interact with local artists, share a different culture and new experiences. These new experiences and exchanging of ideas are the attraction and charm of this international artist-in-residence program

Since March of 2010, Nathalie Bissig from Switzerland, Ly Tran Quynh Giang and Hang Thuy Nguyen from Vietnam, and Alyshia Boddenberg come to be resident artists at Jin Ding 1919 Loft. They are now living and working in Kunming and will exhibit their experiences with an open studio exhibition at the end of this period.

Nathalie Bissig is a spiritual wanderer. She once worked and lived in Africa such places as Malawi and Cairo. The diverse cultural experience enabled her to create the art works easily and freely. Her paintings are fantastical yet sparse, looking at time like some casual doodles by an aimless wanderer. However, it is filled with artistic wisdom and delicacy. Ly Tran Quynh Giang is very quiet. She is impressed by the peaceful and wordless but with a huge energy inside. Those lonely and sorrowful figures in her works are carved earnestly by the artist with a woodcut knife, containing a great deal of passion and strength. She has established a spiritual kingdom of her own with woodcut knifes. For artists, the language explanation is unnecessary in most of time. The artwork itself is sufficient to support the whole spiritual world of the artist. Hang Thuy Nguyen, another Vietnamese artist bridges the worlds of literature and of art. This contrast brings her different inspirations. Her work includes installations using a complete tree, melancholy and lonely little figures appear on the end of the branches. For this exhibition, her art work combines objects and paintings together to reveal her situation of overlapping of memory and reality. Alyshia Boddenberg combines colored thread with trivial items to create an amazing and strange world.

Apart from the artists above, Sun Zhou Jiu Yun, a 10-year-old girl form Kunming, and Liu Lifen also participate in the exhibition. Their painting works are graphic flowing pieces from wandering situations with a trend of imaginary narrative. It is their common desire to have the exhibition together after communicating on many occasions. The exhibition also involves four oil paintings accomplished through the collaboration between these 6 artists and other local Yunnan artists. We looking forward to share with you the pleasant surprise derived from the mutual impact and interaction of cultural diversity.

May 5, 2010.
In Yunyi Yuan, Kunming