Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: we live in an era of unprecedented globalization…
I know, right?
Globalization is so much a part of who we are that acknowledging its existence has become just another example of stating the obvious. Between international trade, treaties, monetary policy, migration, terrorism, and tourism, the impact and effects of globalization are impossible to ignore. Globalization is the ground we stand on and the air we breathe. So why mention it all?
In this case, it’s to remind ourselves that globalization doesn’t always manifest itself in ways that are large and international. That is to say, globalization is not the exclusive domain of multinational corporations and geopolitical actors. Counter-intuitively perhaps, globalization can present itself as something intimate and personal as well.
PULL LEFT, the current exhibition on view at The Ohio State University’s Urban Arts Space, proves this point in a most compelling way. The show features works by a emerging contemporary Chinese artists who are beginning to make their mark on the global stage. Perhaps, more importantly it is a show that offers viewers here in the United States the chance to experience the world from a wholly new perspective.
Art is often described as a dialog between the artist and the viewer. By that definition art represents a very personal exchange. Implicit in this exchange is our responsibility as viewers to comprehend the work the artist has created. We accomplish this in part by assuming the artist’s perspective. We ask ourselves what the artist may have been thinking or feeling as they worked. In short, we empathize. This is important, because it’s this little bit of mental magic that allows art to exist as something more than an exercise in consumption. It becomes an exercise in understanding. This understanding is of particular benefit when we’re engaging with perspectives and experiences beyond our own.
Exhibition organizer Sergio Soave (The Ohio State University Department of Art) suggests as much when he reminds visitors that the works in PULL LEFT are works that are uniquely Chinese. As such, his recommendation is that viewers put aside Western comparisons and focus instead on the idea of the works themselves and the intent behind them. This is a thrilling prospect, and perhaps a bit daunting. The fact is that setting aside cultural reference points (and biases) is easier said than done.
The effort is worth it though as the works themselves present a rich collection of diverse views and experiences. They serve as a reminder that while globalization has given all of us a set of shared experiences and touchstones, each culture, and perhaps more importantly, each individual, presents a perspective that is worth considering.
A highlight of the exhibition is Liu Xinyi’s installation Automatic Arms, a piece that’s as complex as the web of global connections that made it possible. The “arms” in Automatic Arms are actually the waving paws of the Lucky Cat, a welcoming statuette traditionally found in Japanese shops and restaurants. The fact is that today most Lucky Cats are manufactured in China. In Xinyi’s work this collection of arms and their eventual export (as art no less!) adds yet another layer of meaning to an already compelling piece.
Similarly thought provoking is Wang Yuyang’s installation, Breath – a group of waste bricks. What seems at first glance to be a sampling of unremarkable construction debris turns out to be something much more animated. The bricks breathe; and they do so in a most calming and regular cadence. The concept is a fascinating one, referencing both the Chinese construction boom as well as the Chinese idea of qi; the “life force” that permeates and connects all things. It’s worth noting that Yuyang’s larger installation Finance Department made quite a splash at Art Basel Miami in 2013. The opportunity to see this additional installment of his breathing series should not be missed.
Wang Sishun’s Uncertain Capital is arguably the most understated yet compelling piece in the exhibition. Created by first melting and fusing Chinese dollar coins into a single ingot, the artist then sold the ingot for more than the value of the coins. He took the money he received through the sale and melted that down into a second incarnation of Uncertain Capital. That work was sold as well, and the process promises to be repeated through subsequent sales and castings.
While it’s understandable to see Uncertain Capital as a metaphor for the growth of the Chinese economy, there’s also something disarmingly philosophical about it. It appears resolutely stable (What could be more stable than a solid slab of steel?) but is also very much in a state of change. We’re not seeing the final form of the work after all, but rather one step in a process. In this way it illustrates almost perfectly the cosmology of Taoism and the assertion that the universe (and everything in it) is in a constant state of re-creation.
The opportunities for exploration go on and on throughout PULL LEFT. Whether it’s Zhao Zhao’s ever-so-subtle transformation of Tiananmen Square or Yan Bing’s reflections on life in rural China, viewers are invited to consider a wide range of perspectives outside accustomed frames of reference. And while much of what we call globalization will continue to be reported on at the macro level, true understanding and the real connections will happen between individuals. PULL LEFT offers the chance to be part of that dialog. Don’t miss it.
PULL LEFT runs through Saturday September 6th at The Ohio State University’s Urban Art Space. Additional information on the exhibition and associated programs can be found here: uas.osu.edu/exhibitions/pull-left.
Images:
Gao Weigang
Superstition
Installation; marble
2012
Liu Xinyi
Automatic Arms
Installation; lucky cats, batteries,
2010
Wang Shisun
Uncertain Capital
coins
2009
Wang Yuyang
Breath – a group of waste bricks
Installation; silicone, electric motor
2011