FUZHOU.- To what extent and how could art, education, research, and collaboration through new technologies help human beings find solutions and alternatives that enable ecological development? British playwriter and writer Howard Barker once explained in a lecture that artists can't save the world. In his presentation, he compared the artist to two people in a barge, waving at the Titanic and screaming, "Change your path!". Neither artists nor art provides solutions. They, however, open up questions, develop our critical thinking, and create awareness. It is then up to us to listen to it or not.
Our curatorial challenge was to create an exhibition that delves into the broad topics of new technologies and the sea without resorting to superficial, illustrative, or binary representations. We aimed to produce a narrative that avoids a thematic exhibition that only touches on these two subjects while maintaining a critical approach. We also sought to create cohesion through artworks, two cultures and artistic heritages.
Terrestrial Waves aims to initiate a multifaceted conversation between new technologies (central to the organisation's NetDragon project) and the sea (an equally important aspect due to the art centre's proximity to the sea and the region's history, culture, and economy). By incorporating various approaches, forms, subjects, and generations of artists, the exhibition fosters discussions among different art productions while challenging ideas surrounding identity, culture, geography, politics, ecology, know-how and technology.
The exhibition explores present and future connections, reality and imagination, various geographical locations and economic constraints, and individual live. It explores a broad and intricate space where diverse influences converge, impact, and transform each other. The sea is portrayed as a centre of trade, international networks, culture, and history and a wellspring of mystery.
Although the exhibition covers many topics, its main theme is the intersection of human progress and technology with ecological concerns. Rather than presenting a dystopic view of the future, it offers a mix of melancholy, poetry, humour, realism, and creativity. It serves as a constant reminder of the challenges we, as inhabitants of this planet, are confronting, such as global warming, rising sea levels, and pollution.
Out of the nineteen artists selected for Terrestrial Waves, seventeen are currently studying or have studied at ENSAPC. They all have a multi and transdisciplinary artistic practice, which is a defining characteristic of this art school. The exhibition features a diverse range of art forms including painting, sculpture, photography, video, sound, installation, and site-specific artworks. The curatorial proposition, which is a collaboration between French and Chinese artists, aims to provide the viewer with a multi-layered narrative that reflects the complexity of the world we live in and offers new perspectives on life.
An exhibition featuring: Kenza Belghiti Alaoui, Morgane Baffier, Chao Cheng, Corentin Darré, Sarah-Anaïs Desbenoit, Alina Izmailova, Elouan Le Bars, Shumeng Li, Gaëtane Martinot, Ouazzani & Carrier, Alexandre Parizet, Malone Perrotey, Louis Vabres, Capucine Vever, Hanieh Yekta, Charlotte Yonga, and Ziyue Zhou.
Exhibition curators: Elsa Zhang Fang and Guillaume Breton.
