An interactive installment involving a thematic exhibition about life and nature turned heads last month for its innovation and unique qualities, expressing the human reflection on their way of life. “Press the button when you sit in a huge transparent installment, a tornado would suddenly blast you on the verge of death,” a participant in the exhibition said. The exhibition was held at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing from July 7 to Aug 8.
As part of the exhibition, visitors saw petunias in which DNA from humans and plants were integrated, and a simulated tornado created by particles of plastic foam blasted from five air blowers in a transparent installment. Besides, a mirror about the body height attracted many interested guests. When visitors approach, the mirror would crack and finally break into pieces when the cracking sound of the mirror was mocked by two voice boxes.
New media art is a new art form based on digital technique and displayed with optical and electronic media. Electricity serves as the power source to move and operate the installments. With the new media, artists can extend the concept of life which includes different forms coexisting in the same world.
“The new media art is characterized as new not only for its updating of new media and technique, but for the reflection of art in the hi-tech times,” said Fan Di’an, Curator of the National Art Museum of China.
Fan decided on the two themes of the exhibition -- life and ecology - by concentrating on the areas when life begins and transforms. The importance of environmental protection and the possibility of various ways to achieve it were central to the themes as well.
Confronted with environmental and ecological problems, artists examine the relationship between human and nature from a unique philosophical perspective, calling the public’s awareness to participate in environmental protection work.
The 53 works and installments from nearly 80 artists from 25 countries including China, South Korea, Japan and America were arranged vertically in the five-storey museum, indicating the sublimation of human knowledge.
The National Art Museum of China and Goethe Institute jointly initiated a series of lectures between July 22 and 27. During the lectures, artists Zhang Ga, Mike Stubbs and Oron Catts examined the themes of the exhibition with participating artists from all over the world, offering audiences prior knowledge about the exhibition. German artists Ursula Damm and Julius Pop also participated in the exhibition.
Fan said the National Art Museum of China will establish an effective mechanism of holding an international art exhibition of new media art triennially and develop a platform for displaying and exchanging international new media art.
Translated by Wang Zhen
Editor: Dong Lin
Print
Save