＜中国　国際交流企画展＞に参加。

Feng Feng

Feng Feng is an artist with multiple identities and his artistic creation over the past years has been involved in painting, sculpture, installation, architecture and fashion design. Though the themes of these works may vary in relation to different fields, a questioning attitude and deconstruction of common sense have always penetrated the context of his works. He is never bored with practicing the “conceptual art” as he understands, attempting to guide audience to experience a momentary enlightenment, by all kinds of works that go beyond materials and forms, in an ever refreshing spiritual pursuit. Such constant “crossover” endeavor is definitely a reflection of his curiosity and boldness. In other words, when he finds a way that cannot express his thoughts, he will consider choosing another more appropriate one. In fact, this is the drive behind his “crossover” behaviors as well as new identities as a result, which could actually be regarded as the manifestation of the creativity and idea expression of a “conceptual artist”.

Based on his study in semiotics and muse over metaphysics, Feng Feng doubts and deconstructs the certainty and clarity of symbols, which most people believes in; he thus gradually moves toward popular culture criticism by rewriting catchwords in contemporary cultural context in a seemingly carefree while up hill and dale way, and attacking the unfounded and rigid common senses deeply rooted in people’s thinking patterns. In the meanwhile, Feng Feng continues his art practice as always, which, owing to his thinking and creation, has been promoted to a wider public area and daily life space and charged with greater power.

As critics commented, Feng Feng’s uniqueness lies in his interest in arts, which stems from a reason that differs from most other contemporary pioneer artists, i.e., it doesn’t originate from resentment against reality or submission to fashion; instead it stems from doubt on language and knowledge. A keen interest in knowledge has been the prevailing theme throughout Feng Feng’s works, but it comes more from the doubt on certainty of knowledge than the desire to acquire it, or say an impulse to “break out of the box”, which begins from the relationship between language and graph, then quickly extends to scientific classification, knowledge mechanism and even leads to the doubt on the boundary of art discipline…

Feng Feng once remarked that anatomy offers a way for individuals to know parts of the world, but ironically, when one tries to integrate the parts, which have been dissembled for understanding’s sake, into one again, only to find an incomplete world, i.e., “when all the parts are pieced together, we still can’t make it a whole, which is always more or less than the complete world.” Moreover, his works seem to be a visual explanation of such theory, whose structures are narrative; as he put it, making an art piece is like writing a novel. In his artworks, every piece of porcelain organ or object, food or ornament, and every plant or animal is like a word, a phrase, and a plot or episode, which seem to have acquired a power that enable them to no longer succumb to their own properties; they are no longer related to science, medicine, knowledge or even contemporary art. Such power is probably what Milan Kundera found in Kafka’s novels: “In Kafka’s works, it’s all clear: the world of Kafka is not similar to any known world at all; it is an extreme and unhatched possibility of human world.”

CV

Feng Feng

Professor of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
Course Director of Department of Contemporary Arts
Graduate Advisor
Committeeman of China Experimental Arts Committee
Art Advisor of Macao Creative Cultural Industry Center

Born at the northeast of China in 1967, Feng Feng now is living in Guangzhou, China. He studied at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Department of Traditional Chinese Painting, and graduated in 1991. He has engaged in multi-disciplinary art and design for many years, such as contemporary art, experimental design, architecture and writing. His art works have been exhibited in the United States, UK, France, Italy, Korea, Japan, Norway and other countries, and he has also held his solo art exhibitions in Paris, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Shanghai and other cities. In 2010, his design — the Palace of Time,cooperated with IAPA (International Architectural Platform Australia)，became the remarkable landmark building of Xi’an Ming Dynasty Palace National Heritage Park. His works have been collected in many publications including the 60th Anniversary of New China New Art, Cross Boundaries: Chinese Avant-Garde Art 1978-2008, History of Chinese Contemporary Art: 1978-1999. Furthermore, he has participated in many important domestic and abroad art/design exhibitions.
During these years, he published a few books including
“Images: Narrative and Representation”, “Form: Translation and Generation”, “Graphic Language: Elements and Rules”, “Idea Express: Understanding and Expression”,“Feast: FengFeng’s Works 1993-2008”, “Residue of Time, 1991-2011 Art Notes”.

Solo Exhibitions
2013
World: Feng Feng’s Artworks Exhibition FangsuoCommune, Guangzhou, China
2012
World: Feng Feng’s Artworks Exhibition, GAFA Art Museum, Guangzhou
2011
The Charm of Cautiousness: The Exhibition of Fengfeng,Lu Biaobiao,Liu Qingyuan, FEIZI Art Club, Shanghai
2010
“East ＆ West” Exhibition Series (I): Reproduction:2010 by Feng Feng VS In the Flesh by Billy Cowie Organizers: British Council, 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou
RABBITDUCK:The Exhibition of Feng Feng + Biaobiao, ilivetomorrow Gallery, Hongkong
Usefulor Useless: The Exhibition of Feng Feng & Biaobiao, Hua Gallery,Shenzhen
2009
Usefulor Useless: The Exhibition of Feng Feng & Biaobiao, Fei Art Gallery,Guangzhou
2008
Feast: Worksof Feng Feng,atArt3 Space Beijing China, Art3 Space, Beijing
Kill Your Dreams: By Feng Feng,Liu Qingyuan,Zhu Fangqiong,Guangzhou Guangdong Museum of Art, China
2004
Interne,Externe: The Exhibition of Lu Biaobiao and Feng Feng, International Art City, Paris

Group Exhibitions
2015:
2015 Bi-city Biennale of UrbanismArchitecture, Shekou, Shenzhen, China
City Lights: 2015 Shanghai City Contemporary Sculpture and Installation Expo, Yun· Contemporary Arts Center, Shanghai, China
Art Canton 2015: International Art and Collection Fair, Pazhou Poly World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Guangzhou, China
The 2nd Nanjing International Art Festival, Nanjing International Exhibition Center, Nanjing, China
China and Norway: Beyond G(l)aze, KODE Museum, Bergen, Norway
Hearts·Eyes——Multi Visual Arts and Design Experiments, Berlin Chinese Culture Center, Berlin, Germany
2014:
Next Stop– Exhibition of Contemporary Art in Guangzhou, University city Art Museum of GAFA, Guangzhou, China
This Code——Guangdong Contemporary Art Exhibition, 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
China and Norway: Beyond G(l)aze, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China
Section, Kepes Institute Art Center, Eger, Hungary
Beyond, Rainbow Wall Art Gallery, Beijing, China
“I Want to Change the World” Art Exhibition, Art Museum of GAFA, Guangzhou, China
Scatter–Multi Visual Arts and Design Experiments, University of South Australia, Australia
The Twelfth National Art Exhibition of Fine Arts, Exhibition of Artistic Designs, Xi’an Museum of Contemporary Art, Xi’an, China
The Twelfth National Art Exhibition of Fine Arts, Exhibition of Experimental Arts, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
The Twelfth National Art Exhibition of Fine Arts & Exhibition of Nominated Works for Chinese Fine Awards, Creative Awards, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
West Says East Says: Chinese Contemporary Art Research Exhibition, United Art Museum, Wuhan, China
Exhibition for the Opening of P’ Art Sino-Français, P’ Art Sino-Français, Shunde, China
2013
Voice of the Unseen: 55th International Art ExhibitionLa Biennale di Venezia
Issue of Urbanization: Exhibition of Contemporary Art of England and China, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China.
Unnatural: Exhibition of Cross-disciplinary Design, Fei Art Gallery,Guangzhou, OCT-Contemporary Art Terminal, Shenzhen,China
Shanghai design exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum
Representation of Portrait: Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Hubei Art Museum, Wuhan, China
2012
The Palace of Time (Landscape Award), China Design Exhibition 2012, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
Contrast: Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China
Relationship: China-Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition, 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
Japan Nishinomiya Biennale, Village Primary School, Nishinomiya, Japan
My Bone, Flesh, and Skin II: 3.14 Art Gallery, Norway
Dispersion: Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
2011
Ren – Good Design: Beijing International Design Triennial, National Museum, Beijing, China
Super-organism, CAFAM Biennale: CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China
14th Open exhibition of Venice International Film Festival, Lido, Venice, Italy
54th International Art ExhibitionLa Biennale di Venezia
“The Trio: Cross Over”: Special Exhibition in the Atlantic Art Fair
2010
Art OCT: an Exhibition of Contemporary Art Collection for OCT 25th Anniversary
Do my stuff: Contemporary Art in Guangdong, 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou
‘Canton Canton’: The Natural Evolution of A Locality (China, Hongkong,Fringe Club, Jockey Club Art Center/ Guangzhou, Fei Gallery)
2008
My Bone, Flesh, and Skin: Asian Contemporary Art Fair New York 2008,New York
Guangzhou Station: Special Exhibition Contemporary Art of Guangdong,Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou
2007
A Vistaof Perspectives: The Sixth Shenzhen Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition,
OCT-Contemporary Art Terminal of He Xiangning Art Museum,Shenzhen,China
Red Hot: Asian Art Todayfromthe CHANEY FAMILY COLLECTION, the Museum of Fine Arts,Houston,USA
2006
Platoand His Seven Spirits: OCT-Contemporary Art Terminal,Beijing Shenzhen,China
2004
Between Pastand Future: NewPhotography and Videofrom China,ICP International Center of Photography,New York;Seattle Art Museum,Seattle;Museum of Contemporary Art,Chicago,Chicago; The David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art,Chicago;University of Chicago in collaboration with the Asia Society,New York;USA
2003
Left Hand,Right Hand:A Sino-German Exhibition of Contemporary Art,Beijing 798 Space Art
2002
Reinterpretation:A Decade of Experimental Chinese Art (1990-2000)，Guangzhou Guangdong Museum of Art

Curation
2016:
“Trans-Design” 2016 Shanghai Art & Design, West Bund Art Center, Shanghai, China
The Future of Fashion is Now, OCT Art and Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China