Art Is Still Here: A Hypothetical Show for a Closed Museum
Here at M WOODS we recognize that the current health emergency in China has affected our communities and has forced many of our museums, institutions and galleries to close, leaving a space in which the arts can comment and reflect.
As a public museum, we ask how we then experience art during times of institutional closure: what are the forms that art and art museums must take when galleries become inaccessible to the public?
In light of this, M WOODS will present ‘Art Is Still Here: A Hypothetical Show for a Closed Museum’, an online exhibition of moments and happenings – contributions of artworks, videos, photographs, words, poems, instructions and thoughts – by artists and thinkers around the theme of ecology, nature, extinction, isolation and kinship, curated by our Artistic Director and Chief Curator Victor Wang.
Conceived as a long-term visual project that will virtually occupy both M WOODS museum locations (798 and Hutong), this experimental exhibition will unfold over a period of several weeks: different galleries of the museum will be open virtually, with accompanying artworks presented online through the museum’s online platforms – Weibo, WeChat, Instagram and Facebook – throughout the duration of the show.
In the context of Mainland China, social media has now become a very powerful tool in sharing information and connecting communities both locally and internationally during the quarantine period. With no end date set for this project, the timeframe is contingent on the opening of our museums and public institutions, and therefore artists will continuously be invited to participate.
Through this activity we hope to continue our mission of working with artists to provide art for the public, making it accessible at all times and in all circumstances.
[Opening February 13 – Continuous ]
With Contributions By:
aaajiao
Allora and Calzadilla
Annika Eriksson
Babi Badalov
Basim Magdy
Cerith Wyn Evans
Cheng Ran
Chulayarnnon Siriphol
Colectivo Los Ingrávidos
Daniel Steegmann Mangrané
Éléonore Saintagnan & Grégoire Motte
Fan Xi
Fang Di
Haroon Mirza
Hu Xiaoyuan
Huang Rui
Jonathas de Andrade
Katja Novitskova
Lawrence Abu Hamdan
Lawrence Lek
Li Binyuan
Lin Tianmiao
Li Tingwei
Liu Shiyuan
Lu Pingyuan
Lu Yang
Miao Ying
Michael Najjar
Nabuqi
Oscar Murillo
Patty Chang
Raqs Media Collective
Reynier Leyva Novo
Richard Tuttle
Robert Zhao Renhui
Solange Pessoa
Stephanie Comilang
Sun Xun
Tania Bruguera
Timur Si-Qin
Victoria Sin
Xiang Jing
Xie Nanxing
Yang Yuanyuan
Yang Zhenzhong
Yu Ji
Zadie Xa
Zhang Enli
Zhang Peili
Zhao Zhao
… AND more artists and contributions to be announced throughout the week!