An exhibit titled “Glass Factory—Art in the New Financial Era” opened at the Iberia Center for Contemporary Art in the 798 Art Zone on April 15. It attempts to analyze some social phenomena after China’s reform and opening-up.  

An audience walks past an exhibit.

The introduction says that China’s social development made great achievements after 30 years of reform and opening-up, and many aspects need to be summarized. In the meantime, some complicated social “phenomena” have come about during this period, and sometimes go beyond any interpretation in words while people review the past, leaving their minds blank due to the unexpected visual “shock”. But still, people are trying to find answers.  

An audience watchs an exhibit.

For some artists, they think about and reflect on the past by virtue of the glass concept. The exhibits here represent some complicated phenomena in current society, some of which make people's minds blank because of the visual shock, which is similar to the effect of glass on people. “Glass” usually reminds people of the existence of “watching”, whereas its transparency could lead us to nowhere. Despite that, artists are trying to find an approach that may unveil the nature of “glass”.    

The exhibition will last until May 7.

By Dong Lin