China Obscura 2010

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STOCK ROOM: CHINA OBSCURA

 MiFA

27 September – 12 November 2010  

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JIAO JIAN

RODNEY EVANS

QUENTIN SHIH

PIA JOHNSON

CHEN NONG

YANG YONGLIANG

DU CHONGGANG  

STOCK  ROOM:      

CHINA  OBSCURA      

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Produced in association with the exhibition:

Stock Room: China Obscura

September 27 – 12 November

Melbourne International Fine Art (MiFA) Level 1, 278 Collins St, Melbourne, 3000 Victoria, Australia www.mifa.com.au +61 3 9663 3304      Editing:  Bryan  Collie,  Mikala  Tai,  Louise  Joel,  Claire  Watson  

©  MiFA 2010 ©  All images and text copyright of the artist and authors This catalogue is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

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INTRODUCTION BY MIKALA TAI AND BRYAN COLLIE 5 ARTISTS AND PLATES JIAO JIAN (CHINA) 6 RODNEY EVANS (AUSTRALIA) 11 QUENTIN SHIH (CHINA) 13 PIA JOHNSON (AUSTRALIA) 14 CHEN NONG (CHINA) 16 YANG YONGLIANG (CHINA) 23 DU CHONGGANG (CHINA/AUSTRALIA) 27 PRICE LIST 29

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INTRODUCTION

Our first stockroom exhibition China Obscura allows MiFA the opportunity to showcase emerging Chinese and Chinese Australian digital artists. As you wander the gallery, or flick through the following pages, the fresh styles of these artists will delight you. From the craftsmanship of Chen Nong who stages his photographs, hand develops the images and then painstakingly paints the prints to the super sleek chic imagery of Quentin Shih, the distinct range of styles attests to the diversity of contemporary Chinese art.

This small snapshot of the current trends in contemporary Chinese digital art allows us an insight into the contemporary experience of being both Chinese and Chinese Australian today. The intimate video and accompanying photograph Stamp by Chonggang Du is a beautiful exploration of Du’s son’s experience of being Chinese Australian. With imagery flashing on to his face from the intricate paintings of Chinese folklore to Ash Keating’s graffiti around Melbourne Stamp succinctly and beautifully reflects on the hybrid experience of being a Chinese Australian. Such a work is counteracted by Jiao Jian’s exploration of the fast paced destruction and refigurement of the urban landscape in the series Fill the Void. These shots evoke pangs of sadness laced with humour as the artist physically inserts himself into the slowly changing world that surrounds him.

We hope you enjoy this online catalogue and look forward to welcoming you to the gallery soon.

Bryan Collie and Mikala Tai

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JIAO

JIAN

CHINA

Born 1962

1 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 x 50 cm

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2 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 50 cm

3 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 x 50 cm

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4 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatins Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 50 cm

5 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 x 50 cm

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6 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 50 cm

7 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 x 50 cm

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8 Fill the Void, 2002 - 2007 Gelatin Silver Print on Fiber Paper

60 x 50 cm

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RODNEY

EVANS

AUSTRALIA

Born 1972

9 Splash, Happy Valley, Beijing, 2009 C-print, Edition of 6

75 x 75 cm

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10 Urumqi Pool I, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 2009 C-print, Edition of 6

100 x 103 cm

11 Urumqi Pool II, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 2009

C-print, Edition of 6

100 x 103 cm

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QUENTIN SHIH

(SHI XIAOFAN)

CHINA

Born 1975

12 Citizen of the State I 2009 Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle

Archival Paper 110 x 110 cm

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PIA

JOHNSON

AUSTRALA

Born 1983

13 Threads VII, 2009 C-print, Edition of 10

110 x 103 cm  

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14 Threads VI, 2009 C-print, Edition of 10

110 x 103 cm

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CHENG

NONG

CHINA

Born 1966

15 Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

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DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

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DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

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DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

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DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

DETAIL: Dragon Bridge, 2010 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition 1/10

100 x 960 cm

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16 Waterlily. 02, 2006-2007 Hand Pigmentatin on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10

50 x 60 cm

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17 Waterlily. 03, 2006-2007

Hand Pigmentatin on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10

50 x 60 cm

18 Waterlily. 04, 2006 – 2007

Ed. 3/10, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, Edition 3/10

50 x 60 cm

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YANG

YONGLIANG

CHINA

Born 1980

19 Snow City – Quaternity I 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

97 x 25 cm

20 Snow City – Quaternity II 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

97 x 25 cm

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21 Snow City – Quaternity III 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

97 x 25 cm

22 Snow City – Quaternity IV 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

97 x 25 cm

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23 Snow City, Pages I 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

44 x 44 cm

24 Snow City, Pages II 2009

Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

44 x 44 cm

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25 Viridescence, Pages II 2009 Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper

44 x 44 cm

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DU

CHONGGANG

CHINA

Born 1963

26 Stamp I, 2009 C-print, Edition 1/10

118.9 x 84.1 cm

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27 Stamp, 2009

Video, 6’ 45”, Edition of 5

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PRICE LIST

JIAO JIAN RODNEY EVANS QUENTIN SHIH (SHI XIAOFAN)

1. Fill The Void, 01 $1,800 2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 2. Fill The Void, 02 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 3. Fill The Void, 03 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 4. Fill The Void, 04 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 5. Fill The Void, 05 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 6. Fill The Void, 06 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 7. Fill The Void, 12 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5 8. Fill The Void, 13 $1,800

2002-07, 60 x 50cm, Gelatin Silver Fiber Paper, Edition of 5  

9. Splash, Happy Valley, Beijing $2,000 2009, 75 x 75cm, C-print, Edition of 6

10. Urumqi Pool I, Urumqi, Xinjiang $2,000 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 6

11. Urumqi Pool II, Urumqi, Xinjiang $2,000 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print Edition of 6

 12. Citizen of the State 1 $3,500 2009, Hahnemuhle Archival Paper, Inkjet Print, 110 x 100 cm, Edition of 8  

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PIA JOHNSON

CHEN NONG

YANG YONGLIANG

13. Threads VII, $900 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 10 14. Threads VI, $900 2009, 100 x 103cm, C-print, Edition of 10  

15. Dragon Bridge $20,000 2010, 100 x 960 cm, 10 panels, Hand pigmented on Gelatin Silver FiberPaper, Edition 1/10

16. Waterlily, 02 $3,500 2006- 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10

17. Waterlily, 03 $3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10 18. Waterlily, 04 $3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10

18. Waterlily, 04 $3,500

2006 – 07, Hand Pigmentation on Gelatin Silver Paper, 50 x 60 cm, Ed. 3/10

 19. Snow City, Quaternity I $3,200 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15 20. Snow City, Quaternity II $3,200 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15 21. Snow City, Quaternity III $3,200 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

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DU CHONGGANG

22. Snow City, Quaternity IV $3,200 2009, 97 x 25cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper , Edition of 15 23. Snow City, Pages 1 $2,200 2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15 24. Snow City, Pages 2 $2,200 2009, 44 x 44cm, Edition of 15 25. Viridescence, Pages 2 $2,200

2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

25. Viridescence, Pages 2 $2,200 2009, 44 x 44cm, Inkjet Print on Fine Art Paper, Edition of 15

26. Stamp I $3,500 2009, 118.9 x 84.1, Edition 1/10 27. Stamp $5,000 2009, Video, 6’ 45”, Edition of 5