In 1743, a French Jesuit missionary and artist called the aesthetic of the Chinese garden “a beautiful disorder” referring to its ability to evoke intense and disparate feelings. In July 2016, an outdoor sculpture exhibition by the same name will open, marking the first major outdoor sculpture exhibition by contemporary Greater Chinese artists in the UK. The 18 sculptures, made from a variety of materials including wood, bronze, stone, and steel, will be on view at the Cass Sculpture Foundation. This exhibition also represents the sculpture foundation’s first time commissioning works by an international artists for a large exhibition.
The Cass Sculpture Foundation was founded in 1992, has commissioned over 400 works, and has recently expanded their model to work with innovative international artists. The foundation hopes that A Beautiful Disorder will raise questions about China’s relationship with the world as well as reflect upon contemporary Chinese culture. Additionally, the exhibition serves to celebrate and build upon the conjunction of Chinese and British aesthetics.
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Artists to be featured in A Beautiful Disorder include Bi Rongrong, Cao Dan, Cao Fei, Cheng Ran, Cui Jie, Jennifer Wen Ma, Li Jinghu, Lu Pingyuan, Xu Zhen (Produced by MadeIn Company), Rania Ho, Song Ta, Tu Wei-Cheng, Wang Sishun, Wang Wei, Wang Yuyang, Zhang Ruyi, Zheng Bo, and Zhao Yao. See early renderings of the works below:
For more information about Cass Sculpture Foundation and the upcoming exhibit, click here.
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