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Jonathan • Watkins
Jiang Jiehong
Highlights of 4th Guangzhou Triennial
By Chen Yukun
After the inauguration exhibition and 5 project exhibitions held last year,
the final episode of 4th Guangdong Triennial, the theme exhibition, will launch
on September 28th. Sited in Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou Opera House, and
Grandview Plaza, the exhibition is an impressive art feast to citizens in
Guangzhou presented by nearly 80 artists from 30 different countries and
regions.
“The Unseen” is apprehended as a visual journey through both space and time.
One of the curators, Jiang Jiehong, supervisor of Chinese Visual Art Center of
British Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, indicated that a practice-led
idea was adopted in this exhibition, so that a freer and more interactive space
for both artists and spectators could be created.
Return Art to Life
The theme of this exhibition has been taken shape as early as 2009 by two
curators (the other curator, Jonathan Watkins, director of British IKON
Gallery). The theme is straightforward despite its suggestion of obscurity. The
word refers to the limitations of our sensory organs, the narrow confines of
human perception on the one hand; on the other, paradoxically, it gives rise to
observations that transcend famil¬iar experience. “No one has ever seen Jesus
before. His image created by imagination of artists is however indispensable to
western art.” Jiang explained, “The visual imagination is essential to artists.
It fosters a rich diversity to art.”
Though the exhibition is under a brewing process, its theme has not been
cloaked. “The Unseen” is not designed to befog the spectators. Jiang hoped that
every spectator could find his own answer in the coming exhibition. “No artwork
exists independently. It is fulfilled half by Artist’s creation and half by
spectators’ experience, which is triggered by spectators’ imagination incited by
an unseen object. It is the spectators who shape and interpret artworks.” He
said.
Jonathan Watkins also repeatedly stressed the importance of imagination.
Artists are encouraged to initiate their imagination. Then people are supposed
to actively interact with works. The theme exhibition aims to return art to
life.
Impose No Theme on Artists
Besides the brand new visual experience brought by this exhibition, two
curators also adopt a new curatorial idea: a practice-led approach. “Different
from other professional curators, we want to focus on artists more.”
Curators could be restrained when a concept is predefined for an exhibition,
and it is impossible for artists to actively take part in the exhibition as
well. “The theme will not become a tag or shackle; it is a common view shared by
us.” Jiang said. Spectators are often confused and, sometimes even misled in
theme-led exhibitions because of the obscure theories. But art originate in fact
from practice and imagination. “There is no inherent characteristic in art by
nature.” Jonathan Watkins added. He believed that a practice-led approach could
fully extend the most appealing thing in art: imagination.
Source: News Express | 
