A Pioneer of Contemporary Art in China - Geng Jianyi

After its initial stop at the Power Station of Art (PSA), this retrospective exhibition curated by celebrated critic and curator Karen Smith and artist/curator Yang Zhenzhong comes to Beijing as well. Offering around fifty works, it retraces the career of the late Geng Jianyi (1962-2017), one of the pioneers of Chinese contemporary art. Looking at the vast career of Geng Jianyi with key works and never-before-seen archival material, Who is He? aims to answer the question posed by the exhibition’s title, “Who is Geng Jianyi?” The exhibition offers a precious contribution to the reflection on the importance of Geng for art in China and abroad. With the curation of two highly respected professionals who have been at the centre of the dynamics of contemporary art in China for decades, this retrospective reveals the key traits of a mixed and articulated approach through the themes which were always central to the art of Geng. Among the latter, the concept of “50%” - according to Geng, half of the works were created by the artist while the other half belongs completely to the spectator, invited to move from a state of pure contemplation to one of outright action.