Gucci is back to Shanghai, but this time, it’s not for its fashion show.
Named “The Artist Is Present”, the new art exhibition held by the brand aims to explores the age of copying that we live in, highlighting the practice of appropriation in the many forms it takes in contemporary culture.
The exhibition is named ‘The Artist Is Present’, same as Marina Abramović’s exhibition of performance art in 2012.
It’s certainly not the first time for Gucci to curate art exhibitions. In 2015, Gucci held an exhibition ‘No Longer / Not Yet’; in 2016, Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, run an exhibition tour ‘A Magazine Curated By Alessandro Michele’ in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei.
Gucci's Art Exhibition 'No Longer, Not Yet' in Shanghai in 2015. Curated by Alessandro Michele and Katie Grand
Exhibition: A Magazine curated by Alessandro Michele
But what message exactly does the new exhibition ‘The Artist Is Present’ convey? At the entrance, there’re truths that could give the audience a glimpse of what the whole project is all about on the walls. As quoted, “I copy therefore I am”.
The Entrance of the Exhibition (Photograph by Licorne Unique)
The exhibition features more than 30 artists inside the Yuz Museum in Shanghai, the showroom is divided into 16 rooms. Together, the artists explore how the originals be presented through the act of repetition in the world of contemporary culture.
XU ZHEN, Eternity – Northern Qi golden and painted Buddha, Tang Dynasty torso of standing Buddha from Quyang city, Northern Qi painted Bodhisattva, Tang Dynasty seated Buddha from Tianlongshan, Northern Qi painted Buddha, Tang Dynasty torso of a seated Buddha from Tianlonshan grotto No. 4, Parthenon East pediment, 2013-2014. Courtesy of the artist and MadeIn Company
Andy Hung Chi-Kin (LEGO Certified Professional), Gucci Sylvie bag made with LEGO bricks. Courtesy of Gucci. (Photograph by Licorne Unique)
Inside Room 6, the mini version of the Sistine Chapel by the curator himself is truly an amazing reproduction. By copying, churches like the Sistine chapel are no longer exclusive and could be visited by people from worldwide. As Cattelan explains, “Copying is like a blasphemy: it could be seen as disrespectful of God, but at the same time it is the significant acknowledgement of his existence”.
Maurizio Cattelan , Untitled, 2018. Courtesy of the artist. (Photograph by Licorne Unique)
By recreating, artists actually give the artworks a whole new concept. This brings us to wonder, if the cores of the originals are no longer the same as that of the copied ones, should they be regarded as ‘copied’ any more?
“Starting from its title, ‘The Artist Is Present’ aims at questioning what copying can be if we disregard every negative connotation and begin looking at it from a wider angle,” Cattelan explains. “Appropriating and copying, in this vision, can be seen as an act of love and respect in confront of the original.
When this show is finished, the title itself should remain as an occasion to tell a story. And I can already imagine people telling it: Once upon a time, there was only one ‘The Artist Is Present.’ Then, there were two.”
Gillian Wearing, The Artist is Present, Shanghai 2018 Exhibition View. Courtesy of the artist. (Photograph by Licorne Unique)
'The Artist is Present' runs from 11th October to 16th December 2018 at the Yuz Museum, Shanghai.
