“Xu Zhen 徐震 (Produced by MadeIn Company): Jiang Shan 江山 (Land), 2011 (Collage on canvas)” / Galerie Nathalie Obadia / Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 / SML.20130523.6D.13986

This work by Chinese artist Xu Zhen 徐震 (b.1977, Shanghai) is titled “Jiang Shan 江山”. The English translation said that means “land” but there is much more to that word. 江 is the lake, 山 is mountains. On the surface it just says mountains + lakes, but it is in fact the word used by Chinese emperors to describe the kingdom which they own.

 

With that in mind it would be easier to understand why there is a warrior in seen with a horse in this collage which looks more like a sculpture (mostly because it is). Although the landscape resembles that of China, the warrior’s outfit is nothing that of Chinese origin, but appears more like that they originated from Europe. This reminded me of 八國聯軍 Eight-Nation Alliance [1], the joint alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, whose military forces invaded China in 1900.

 

Countless wars happened in the beginning of 1900s in China to take hold of the “Jiang Shan 江山” of China all in the name of “democracy”. The same wars are being fought in the Middle East where third parties intervene in the name of “good” but there is only evil as I see it.

 

I do not know what is intended by the artist. I would love to know his intention, but art as a form of communication is rarely linear and is somewhat magical that way.

 

Xu Zhen 徐震 (Produced by MadeIn Company)

Jiang Shan 江山 (Land), 2011

Collage on canvas

167 x 300 cm

65 3/4 x 118 1/8 inches

 

 

# Notes about the artist attribution

 

Almost all well known living artists no longer make art on their own, though most artists will try to hide this fact so it is interesting to see that Chinese artist provide credits to his team of minions for works produced this way.

 

Xu Zhen 徐震 is a Chinese artist born in 1977 in Shanghai. MadeIn Company 没顶公司 (沒頂公司) is an art production company created by him to produce artworks.

 

 

# Xu Zhen 徐震

b. 1977. Lives and works in Shanghai

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Zhen_(artist)

www.shanghartgallery.com/galleryarchive/artists/name/xuzhen

 

# Galerie Nathalie Obadia

www.galerie-obadia.com/

 

18, rue du Bourg-Tibourg

75004 Paris

France

 

8, rue Charles Decoster

1050 Brussels

Belgium

 

# Notes

1. Eight-Nation Alliance: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-Nation_Alliance

八國聯軍: zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/八國聯軍

 

# SML Data

+ Date: 2013-05-23T16:40:08+0800

+ Dimensions: 4887 x 2767

+ Exposure: 1/30 sec at f/8

+ Focal Length: 24 mm

+ ISO: 1250

+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D

+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM

+ GPS: 22°16'59" N 114°10'22" E

+ Location: 香港會議展覽中心 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)

+ Workflow: Lightroom 4

+ Serial: SML.20130523.6D.13986

+ Series: 新聞攝影 Photojournalism, SML Fine Art, Art Basel Hong Kong 2013

 

# Media Licensing

Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited

 

“Xu Zhen 徐震 (Produced by MadeIn Company): Jiang Shan 江山 (Land), 2011 (Collage on canvas)” / Galerie Nathalie Obadia / Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 / SML.20130523.6D.13986

/ #Photojournalism #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLFineArt #SMLProjects

/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #Art #FineArt #ArtBasel #ABHK #徐震 #XuZhen #GalerieNathalieObadia #Collage #Landscape #warrior #WTF

 

www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8932264849/

 

Done