DOHA.- Qatar Museums presents What About the Art? Contemporary Art from China, a major exhibition of 15 contemporary Chinese artists curated by Cai Guo-Qiang. The exhibition runs from March 14 to July 16, 2016 at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq, Doha.

Following the success of his 2011 solo exhibition Cai Guo-Qiang: Saraab, the artist has returned to Qatar, this time as a curator, to present a large scale exhibition featuring contemporary Chinese artists and collectives born in Mainland China working in a variety of media: Jenova Chen, Hu Xiangqian, Hu Zhijun, Huang Yong Ping, Li Liao, Lian Shaoji, LIU Wei, Liu Xiaodong, Jennifer Wen Ma, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Wang Jianwei, Xu Bing, Xu Zhen, Yang Fudong and Zhou Chunya.

Cai Guo-Qiang devoted three years to the curatorial research and development of the exhibition. Artworks exemplifying each artist’s unique voice and methodology are displayed in individual galleries, further highlighting the distinctive creative pursuit of each participant. Their diverse bodies of works cross the media of painting, sculpture, installation, video, performance, and interactive video game design. Highlights include:

· Liu Xiaodong’s paintings created on site, including a portrait of the Minister of Culture’s family representing three generations, an unprecedented depiction of a local family by a foreign artist

· Sun Yuan’s and Peng Yu’s 8-by-12-meter, 40-ton steel tank featuring a high pressure hose violently spraying water and announcing Freedom with vigor

· 65-year-old peasant artist Hu Zhijun’s debut commission to create an installation of nearly 600 clay sculptures across a terrace-field of sand, elucidating famous contemporary Chinese artworks and events

· Celebrated expatriate artist Huang Yong Ping’s six-ton giant “sea monster” Wu Zei in the central circular 22-meter gallery hovering above ground

Critical reception of contemporary Chinese art has largely been grounded in narratives of Chinese history and culture, focusing on the art market and the artworks’ sociopolitical context. In response to this phenomenon, Cai Guo-Qiang has decided to display a selection of artworks being created by Chinese artists today, with the goal of underlining the individual pursuit of creativity within contemporary Chinese art, and further to re-direct the world’s attention to art and practice. The curator hopes to provide visitors with a powerful and immersive experience, and through a shared appreciation of art, establish a stronger relationship between Qatar and China.