Huang Yongkui

Author: Wu Meichun (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: This series titled "Contemporary Art and Local Culture" features four artists: Huang Yong (Shi Shui), Cai Guo-Qiang, Xu Jiang, and Qiu Zhi-Jie, all of whom are from Fujian. In the reality of "globalization," Chinese art faces both challenges and opportunities. The art concept centered on the West still holds cultural "dominance," with the potential to integrate international contemporary art. The convergence of contemporary art production methods, the ease of information dissemination, and the uniformity of reception have created a platform with communicative properties. The "dominant" elements on this platform can move freely and are practically unstoppable. This is one aspect of the issue. On the other hand, the active presence of non-Western art is also adjusting the structure of international contemporary art, striving to foster the vitality of cultural pluralism. This is the other aspect. It can be said that the interaction and balance between "globality" and "locality" are the specific conditions of contemporary art today. Precisely because of this condition, it is necessary to think about how to explore and utilize the resources of local culture, allowing the connotation of "locality" to become richer and stronger.
As for ourselves, Chinese art has encountered a historical cultural rupture during its transition from tradition to modernity. Over the past century, we have discarded too much of our own heritage, to the extent that our sensibilities, perspectives, tastes, and the like lack the essence of Chinese classics. To establish true contemporary pluralism, the primary need is to bridge this rupture, reconnect with our own "source," and achieve creative work that belongs to today. The contemporary art double-edged sword is forged with the thoughts and language of local culture. In this regard, for us at the beginning of the new century, it is perhaps just the beginning. Fortunately, both I and the four fellow natives, as well as the editors and publishers, are fully aware that the purpose of this series is not only to acknowledge the achievements of the four artists but also to propose this "contemporary" artistic topic, with the hope of sparking broader and deeper discussions.