Black and White Songzhuang -- The Artistic Pursuits and Life Freedom of the Generation Gap Youth: The Artistic Pursuits and Life Freedom of the Generation Gap Youth

Author: Zhao Tielin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Free-lance photographer and writer Zhao Tielin spent five years tracking and interviewing the artists of Songzhuang—Beijing's artist village. The hundreds of tension-filled documentary photographs he captured authentically record the seemingly absurd artistic practices and seemingly aimless living conditions of the young artists. The villagers of Songzhuang face Zhao Tielin: they candidly share their heartwarming journeys in the world of art, telling stories of the struggles and sorrows, romance and melancholy behind the photographs. Beyond the images, a collection of insightful critiques about the Songzhuang artists from both within and outside the circle is included. Every artist who "settles down" in Songzhuang must have the courage to jump in. Songzhuang is Songzhuang—it is far from the hustle and bustle, lacks paid "units" and "leaders," has few systems, and lacks information. The artists trade the convenience of urban civilization for what initially may be an unadaptable "leisure and freedom." However, what matters is that Songzhuang has already produced a batch of artworks that blend with international cultural trends, and it may continue to do so every moment. Thus, the brief distance between Songzhuang and the city is important to all of humanity. Modern Chinese art began here, struggling to take root in the mundane. So can we not tolerate a degree of revelry in their extreme and stimulating living conditions, and occasionally provide them with "peak experiences"? Otherwise, if everyone is petite-bourgeois, middle-class, and mediocre, how could art be created?