WUZHEN, China, May 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wuzhen International Contemporary Art Exhibition (Art Wuzhen), is taking place from March 28 to June 26, 2016 in the ancient Chinese water town of Wuzhen.
The first contemporary art exhibition in the town, this year's theme is "Utopias and Heterotopias", and aims to discuss how contemporary culture can run counter to urbanization.
Organized by Culture Wuzhen Co., Ltd., about 130 works from 40 artists and groups from 15 countries are on display, including paintings, sculptures, installments and videos from famous names such as Choe U-Ram, Ann Hamilton, Florentijn Hofam, John Koormeling, Olafur Eliasson and Martin Parr.
One of the most notable pieces is Hamilton's Again Still Yet, a large loom made from the seats and stage of Wuzhen's iconic Guole traditional Chinese Theatre, which inspires the re-understanding of the relationship between seats, stage and theatre and the re-imagining of the structural value of work in life.
"Utopia is directly related but also contrary to social reality," explained Feng Boyi, the exhibition's curator. "Heterotopia is a representation of varied phenomena and results on a real level in the process of imagining, pursuing and practicing utopia.
"While China is the place that most embodies some characteristics of heterotopia, Wuzhen, a 1,000 year-old water town, is a good example of China's urbanization and its progress of social transformation. And while preserving traditional cultural resources is imperative, it is equally important that their redevelopment be adapted to fit the special environment of China and to satisfy people's living conditions and needs for a modern life."
Art Wuzhen is held in the West Scenic District, the part of Wuzhen that perhaps best typifies a Southeastern Chinese water town, and the North Silk Factory, a renovation of an abandoned 1970s factory. The two sites embody Wuzhen's traditional rural and industrial past as well as its creative present.
Besides the exhibitions, more than 20 additional events, including artist lectures and workshops, have also been set up to help bring visitors deeper into the contemporary art world.
For more information, visit:
Website: http://en.artwuzhen.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artwuzhen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artwuzhen
About Wuzhen
Wuzhen is an ancient traditional Chinese water town located a one-hour drive from Shanghai. It combines more than 10 cultural landscapes including folk museums and celebrity residences with contemporary art elements and modern resort facilities to offer visitors an unparalleled leisure experience.
