Wang Qingsong

Born in 1966 - China. Lives and works in Beijing, China

 

“Another Battle”, photography, 2001

“Commercial War”, photography, 2004
Venues: National Center of Dance

 

"Another Battle" Series is influenced by the snapshots of patriotism and heroism extolled in the old movies talking about safeguarding the motherland that I watched in childhood. The heroes gave their lives for the liberation of new China in movies like "Landmine War", "Guerrilla War", "Three Liberation Wars", etc. I used to dream about becoming a soldier, too. Up until now, this dream has not been realized. Nowadays economic reconstruction is like a war that progresses so rapidly and intensely. In this war, we have to face contradictions from both Chinese ancient civilization and modern western civilization. I call these contradictions Another Battle. In this battle of "defending our country", without fire and gunshots, I portray myself as a defeated commander. It looks there is no winner at all in this battle.
My new work "Commercial War" focuses on the power of ads and the misconceptions that ads can create. For this photo work, I constructed a chaotic backdrop where over 20 people are depicted in a frenzy of competition with some even fist fighting while jostling for ad positioning on a huge billboard advertisement; this struggle for the most optimal outdoor ad placement is perceived as inevitably bringing power and influence. The struggle for ad placement in public space in China is not unlike a battlefield strewn with casualties after a pitched battle for power. Today one brand wins. The next day, its competitor will replace it with better positioning on public spaces. Every day, new ads go up, and old ones fall down, scattered in pieces, and discarded on the ground under newly erected billboard advertisements.
In this work, I've constructed a huge wall, that stands about 14 meters high and 40 meters across, and I fixed over 600 pieces of paper (110x90cm each) on which I wrote in traditional Chinese ink brush style in some instances and in felt tip pen and magic marker in others, a random selection of slogans and phrases from the advertisements that bombard us here every day. These ads include both domestic and international information about companies and famous brands, such as the lease of houses, education programs, restaurants, foot massage, etc. Everything is advertised, from items as big as airplanes (BOEING) or as small as vinegar and condoms. On my gigantic wall, I make the fight for advertising as fierce as a struggle for military power, with inevitable casualties on the battlefield. I've used around 3000 varieties of products and services on my wall to show off the allure of this mass advertising campaign that surrounds us. (Wang Qingsong)

Recent Solo exhibitions
2005
Wang Qingsong in Arras, Arras, France.(catalogue)
2004
Wang Qingsong --- Romantique, Salon 94, New York City, USA.
Wang Qingsong --- Romantique, Courtyard Gallery, Beijing, China (catalogue).
2003-2004
Wang Qingsong: Present-day Epics, Saidye Bronfman Contemporary Art Center, Montreal, traveling to
Cambridge Galleries, Ontario; Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art, Toronto; South Alberta Art Gallery, Canada.
2002
Golden Future --- Photography by Wang Qingsong, Galerie LOFT, Paris, France (catalogue).
Wang Qingsong Photographic Works Exhibition, Marella Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy.
Wang Qingsong Photography, Foundation Oriente, Macao, China (catalogue).

Recent group exhibitions
2005 Re-viewing the City --- Guangdong International Photo Biennale,Guangdong Museum of Art, China.(catalogue)
Over One Billion Served, Singapore Civilizations Museum, Singapore.
Montpellier-Chine: 1st Biennale Internationale d'Art Contemporain Chinois de Montpellier, France.(catalogue).
Follow me! Contemporary Chinese Art at the Threshold of the Millenium, Mori Art Museum Japan. (catalogue).
Between Past and Future: New Photography from China, Seattle Art Museum, USA.(Traveling to V&A Museum, London, UK.)
Die Chinesen --- Contemporary Photography and Video from China, Museum Het Kruithuis, the Netherlands. (catalogue).
PAAF - 1st Pocheon Asian Art Festival, Pocheon City Hall , South Korea. (catalogue)
Baroque and Neobaroque --- The Hell of the Beauty, Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca, Spain. (catalogue)