Guan Wei Online Catalogue 2011

PLAY ON THE BEACH

PLAY ON THE BEACH 11 October – 6 November 2011

MARTIN BROWNE CONTEMPORARY 15-21 HAMPDEN STREET PADDINGTON NSW 2021 TEL: 02 9331 7997 FAX: 02 9331 7050 info@martinbrownecontemporary.com www.martinbrownecontemporary.com GALLERY HOURS: TUESDAY - SUNDAY 11AM - 6PM

Guan Wei would like to thank Liu Pin, Mimi, Xifa Yang, Wu Jian and Mingyue Zhou © Martin Browne Contemporary © All images copyright the artist This catalogue is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

COMPILERS: Martin Browne and Electra Foley PHOTOGRAPHY: Jenni Carter GUAN WEI PHOTOGRAPH: OCT Contemporary Art Terminal of He Xiangning Art Museum COLOUR SEPARATIONS: Spitting Image, Sydney PRINTING: Southern Colour, Sydney Cover Image: Play on the Beach No. 1, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

LIST OF WORKS Play on the Beach No. 6, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

Water View No. 9, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 2, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 12, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 3, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 10, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 1, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 11, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 4, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 4, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

Play on the Beach No. 7, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 50 cm

Water View No. 16, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 8, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 50 cm

Water View No. 15, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 2, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

Water View No. 13, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 8, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 14, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 7, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 12, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 162 cm

Water View No. 5, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 5, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

Water View No. 6, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 17, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 9, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 50 cm

Water View No. 18, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 10, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 50 cm

Water View No. 19, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 11, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 162 cm

Water View No. 20, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 3, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

Play on the Beach No. 1, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 106 cm

沙滩上的游戏 今年是9.11恐怖袭击事件10周年，在这十年中，我们一直在恐怖、焦虑和不安中度过，加之战争，金融危 机，环境污染等问题，整个世界也在动荡。 2008年我在北京设立工作室，开始在北京的工作与生活，四年中经历许多事情。中国高经济增长的国策，城 市发展非常迅速，但同时也造成各种问题，如环境污染、交通拥堵、城市移民和物质主义等，导致社会比较 浮躁。 由于城市扩展占地，我建好的工作室两度被拆。特别是第二次也就是今年5月，当通知必须搬家时，只给我两 天时间。试想要在两天内把一个近600平米的工作室彻底清空，难度可想而知。我是一边自己搬，一边被别 人拆，真是非常紧张。两次事件不仅使我在经济上蒙受不小损失，关键更是在我内心上造成巨大冲击。 相比之下，我非常怀念澳大利亚的平静生活，阳光、白云、大海、沙滩。自89年我来到遥远而平静的塔斯马 尼亚，那海岛的蓝和生命之源的水在我的作品中就不容置疑地反复出现。高远的白云与湛蓝的海水，道就在 于自然的一呼一吸之中，这些在我心灵深处唤起非常强烈要加以表现的欲望。我从去年开始构思这组作品， 今年7月回到悉尼后，在一种非常安静和放松的状态下创作了“沙滩上的游戏”（Play on the Beach）。 佛教净土宗正在推动一个运动，叫做“建设人间净土”，希望让佛国的净土在人间出现。这要从人心的清净 开始，然后是行为的清净。当自己身心清静后，也能影响周围的人，使佛国的净土在人间出现。这里提出的 就是让人们解脱烦恼之苦，追求身心清净之乐。明亮的阳光，飘逸的白云，透明的海水，迷人的沙滩，还有 在沙滩上游戏和嬉戏的男人、女人、小孩，以及动物如马、狗、猫、鸟、蝴蝶等，组成了一幅人与自然和 谐，轻松欢乐的画卷。 我把艺术创作当成是一种修行。当我在悉尼工作室创作这组作品时，身心得到了彻底地放松，没有烦恼与忧 伤，只有平静与愉悦。这种体验非常独特，这在我30多年的创作生涯中还从来没有过。这可能是经历了动 荡、焦虑、不安之后，再回到澳大利亚这块人间净土，我心有所悟，心灵得到了提升，达到了清静。我希望 借这套作品把清静、欢乐传递给大家，使我们在当今纷乱动荡的世界之中能保有一颗平常心。 关伟 2011年9月

PLAY ON THE BEACH This year is the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. During the past 10 years, we have been through shockwaves of horror, anxiety and uneasiness, surrounded by a world in turbulence, troubled by war, economic recession and environmental pollution.

When, in 2008, I returned to China and set up my Beijing studio, I started my life and work there with no idea that the subsequent four years would prove to be so eventful. Due to China’s national policy of pursuing rapid economic growth, Chinese urbanization has been progressing with immense speed. Alongside the undoubted successes, there have emerged challenging social problems, including environmental pollution, traffic jams, large-scale urban migration and materialism. As a result, the whole of Chinese society has become very volatile.

As a direct victim of this expanding urbanization, my studio has twice been subject to compulsory local government removal. This was especially traumatic for me the second time, which was in May this year, when I was given only two days notice before the relocation deadline. Try to imagine the incredible task of evacuating a 600 square metre studio in just 2 days. While I was busily packing and moving the contents of my studio, local government officials were at the same time dismantling the building it was in, which they had adjudged to be an “unapproved construction”. It was very hectic. These two incidents not only led to significant economic loss to me, but also had a large impact on my heart.

Reflecting on my situation, I missed the peaceful life in Australia, with its sunshine, white clouds, sea and beaches.

Since 1989, when I first came to remote and peaceful Tasmania, elements such as the blue island and water – life’s origin – have emerged in my work and reoccurred continuously since then. Between the floating clouds and deepblue sea, I felt that the real Truth is within the inhale and exhale of my breath. These images deep inside my heart burned to be expressed. I conceived “Play on the Beach” last year. And after coming back to Sydney this June, in a very peaceful and relaxed state of mind, I started working on these paintings.

Pure Land Buddhism is promoting a “Building a Pure Land on Earth” Campaign, with the hope of seeing the “Buddhist Pure Land emerging in human society”. It starts from an individual’s achievement of a pure heart and then extends to pure behaviour. From an individual’s purification, it spreads by dissemination amongst people around him or her. This pass-on effect continues until the Buddhist Pure Land is realized on earth. My art echoes the same idea – the eradication of sadness and worries in pursuit of happiness is originated from a pure heart and body. Bright sunshine, floating clouds, transparent seawater, the enchantment of the beach, all combine together to reveal a picture of nature and harmony, lightness and joy.

I consider art-making as an internal journey through physical labour. When I was making these works in my Sydney studio, my mind and body felt totally relaxed. Sadness and worries seemed to have left me, and only peace and joy remained. This experience was unique, and has never before occurred to me during my previous 30 years of art practice. As I reflected on this, it seemed to me that it was because, after the turbulence, anxiety and uneasiness which I had recently experienced, when I came back to Australia – this pure land in my heart – I suddenly came to some deeper understanding. My heart was elevated to a peaceful realm. I hope through my work I am able to pass on what I have experienced to you.

Guan Wei, September 2011

Play on the Beach No. 6, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

Water View No. 2, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 3, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 1, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 4, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 7, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 8, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 2, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

Water View No. 8, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 7, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 5, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 6, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 9, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 10, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 11, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 162 cm (triptych)

Play on the Beach No. 3, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

Water View No. 9, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 12, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 10, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 11, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 4, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

Water View No. 16, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 15, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 13, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 14, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 12, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 162 cm (triptych)

Play on the Beach No. 5, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

Water View No. 17, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 18, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 19, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Water View No. 20, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Play on the Beach No. 1, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 130 x 106 cm (diptych)

关伟 1957年生于中国北京。 1986年毕业于首都师范大学美术系。1989年至1993年先后被澳大利亚塔斯马尼亚大学艺术学院，堪培拉国立大学艺 术学院和悉尼现代艺术中心邀请为客座艺术家。在这之后关伟多次获得澳大利亚政府艺术基金, 约工作室和2007年巴黎工作室.

其中包括2003年纽

2008-2010年度澳大利亚政府颁发的最高荣誉艺术基金。从2008年开始关伟在北京

建立了工作室。现在，他生活、工作于北京和悉尼。 关伟的作品具有学识渊博，不可置疑的讥讽和道意的尺度。在他复杂的象征性的绘画符号中，他的主题有影响力的 体现了当今社会，环境的两重性。他的作品是他丰富的文化储备，对社会、政治的高度关注，以及他对艺术史的广 博知识的产物。 关伟曾在世界各地举办了超过45届个人展览，其中包括：何香凝美术馆OCT当代艺术中心“魔咒

-

关伟2011”

；2010年北京798水木当代艺术空间的“云在青天，水在瓶”；2007年他在悉尼动力博物馆的主题展”另一种历 史—关伟的现代预言”; 2006年在阿德雷得南澳大利亚现代艺术中心举办的“遥远的土地”,已及2000年新加坡拉萨 尔艺术学院格鲁美术馆的”寻找归途” ; 1999年悉尼现代艺术馆的澳洲十年回顾展“窝的艺术”等等. 同时关伟还应邀参加了许多重要的当代国际艺术展：包括2010年上海双年展；2009年第十届哈瓦那双年展; 2008年 的阿德雷得双年展; 2003年德国柏林汉堡美术馆举办的澳大利亚当代艺术展; 2001年日本大阪当代艺术空间的大阪三 年展，2000年韩国光洲双年展; 1999年澳大利亚昆士兰美术馆亚太地区三年展；等等。 2006年澳大利亚托夫曼艺术家出版社编辑出版了关伟的画册.

关伟曾多次赢得在澳大利亚和国际上的现代艺术比赛

的大奖，其中包括澳大利亚新南维尔士州立美术馆举办的索门全国创作大奖, 馆，大学, 基金会和个人收藏。

等等.

同时许多作品被博物馆，美术

GUAN WEI BIOGRAPHY Born 1957, Beijing, China. In 1989, three years after graduating from the Department of Fine Arts at Beijing Capital University, Guan Wei came to Australia to take up an artist-in-residence at the Tasmanian School of Art. He was invited to undertake two further residencies: one at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney (1992), the other at the Canberra School of Art, Australian National University (1993). Since then he has obtained many grants and residencies, including the Australia Council’s Greene St, New York studio in 2003, Cite International des Art Paris in 2007 & Australia Council Fellowship in 2008-2009. In 2008 he set up a studio in Beijing. Now he lives and works in both Beijing and Sydney.

Guan Wei’s work has a profoundly felt, if implicitly ironic, moral dimension. In their complex symbolic form, his subjects potently embody current social and environmental dilemmas. They are equally the product of his rich cultural repertory of symbols and his informed socio-political awareness and art-historical knowledge.

Guan Wei has held 45 solo exhibitions, including, most recently, ‘Spellbound’ Guan Wei 2011 at He Xiang Ning OCT Contemporary Art Centre Shenzhen; ‘Cloud in the sky, Water in the bottle’ Shumu Art Space, Beijing 2010; ‘Other Histories: Guan Wei’s Fable for a Contemporary World’ at Powerhouse Museum, Sydney 2006-2007; ‘A Distant Land’ at Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Adelaide in 2006; ‘Looking for home’, Earllu Gallery, Singapore in 2000; also, ‘Nesting, or Art of Idleness’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney in 1999.

He has been included in numerous important contemporary exhibitions internationally, including the 2010 Shanghai Biennial; The 10th Havana Biennial in 2009; ‘Handle with Care’ - Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, 2008; ‘Face Up: Contemporary Art from Australia’, Hamburger Bahnhof Museum, Berlin 2003; Osaka Triennial Contemporary Art Space, Osaka, 2001. ‘Man and Space’, Kwangju Biennale 2000 and Third Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane 1999.

Craftsman House has published Guan Wei’s monograph in 2006. Guan Wei has won several awards, including the 2002 Sir John Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia. His work is held in major public collections and numerous university, corporate and private collections internationally.

关伟 1957 1986

生于北京 毕业于北京师范学院美术系 现居北京和悉尼， 职业艺术家。

主要个展 2011 2011-2010 2010 2009 2009 2008 2007-2006 2006 2006 1999

“魔咒 - 关伟2011 OCAT个展”，何香凝美术馆OCT当代艺术中心 “云在天边，水在瓶”，北京798水木当代艺术空间 “云”，澳大利亚，墨尔本弧一 画廊 “残片”，澳大利亚，悉尼卡里门画廊 “养生术”，香港瑟利巷10号画廊 “天宫图”，澳大利亚佩斯特纳画廊 “另一种历史 - 关伟的现代寓言”，主题展，澳大利亚悉尼动力博物馆 “遥远的土地”，澳大利亚阿德莱德南澳当代艺术中心 “回声”，澳大利亚悉尼雪门画廊 “筑巢 - 关伟澳大利亚十年回顾展”，澳大利亚悉尼当代艺术馆

主要联展 2010 2009 2008 2003 2003 2001 2000 1999

第八届上海双年展，中国上海美术馆 第10届哈瓦那双年展，古巴哈瓦那古堡 阿德莱德双年展 澳大利亚南澳洲立美术馆 澳大利亚—柏林，柏林汉堡火车站国家美术馆 科学幻想，新加坡国家美术馆 大阪三年展，日本大阪当代艺术空间 第三届光州双年展：人+空间，南韩 第三届亚太当代艺术三年展，澳大利亚昆士兰州立美术馆

SELECTED CV 1957 1986

Born in Beijing Graduated from the department of Fine Arts of Beijing Capital University Currently lives and works in Beijing & Sydney, professional artist

Selected Solo Exhibitions 2011 2011

2011-2010 2010 2009 2009 2008 2007-2006

2006 2006 1999

Play on the Beach, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, Australia Spellbound - Guan Wei 2011 Solo Exhibition, OCT Contemporary Art Terminal of He Xiangning Art Museum Cloud in the sky, Water in the bottle, Shumu Art Space, Beijing Cloud, ARC One Gallery, Melbourne, Australia Fragments of History, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney, Australia Longevity for Beginners, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong Zodiac, Turner Galleries, Perth, Australia Other Histories: Guan Wei’s Fable for a Contemporary World, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia A Distant Land, Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia Echo, Sherman Galleries, Sydney, Australia Nesting, or Art of Idleness, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia

Selected Group Exhibitions 2010 2009 2008 2004-2003 2003 2001 2000 1999

8th Shanghai Biennial, Shanghai Museum, China 10th Havana Biennial, Cuba Handle with Care, Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia Australia – Berlin, Hamburger Bahnhof Museum Berlin Science Fiction, National Art Gallery Singapore Osaka Triennial 2001, Contemporary Art Space, Osaka, Japan 3rd Kwangju Biennale, South Korea Third Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery Australia

MARTIN BROWNE CONTEMPORARY 15-21 HAMPDEN STREET PADDINGTON NSW 2021 TEL: 02 9331 7997 FAX: 02 9331 7050 info@martinbrownecontemporary.com www.martinbrownecontemporary.com GALLERY HOURS: TUESDAY - SUNDAY 11AM - 6PM