Chen Zhen is considered as one of the leading figures of contemporary art. He managed to bridge the gap between the art of the East and the West through works of great visual impact anticipating the socio-political complexities of today.
Born in Shanghai in 1955, he moved to Paris in 1986 where he lived until his death in 2000. Chen's works address themes such as globalization and consumerism, the hegemony of Western values, the relationship to tradition and the coming together of different cultures.
Curated by Vicente Todolí, Short-circuits is a retrospective covering 5,500 meters squared that is conceived as an immersive exploration into Chen's complex artistic research. It assembles, for the first time, some of the artist's most significant works from 1991 to 2000.
The central themes of Chen's work, the transformation of China into a capitalistic, consumer society and the concepts of illness and healing are represented in monumental, impressive installations.
The works on display include Daily Incantations (1996), Fu Dao/Fu Dao, Upside-down Buddha/Arrival at Good Fortune (1997), Prayer Wheel – Money Makes the Mare Go (Chinese Slang) (1997), Purification Room (2000), and Jardin-Lavoir (2000).
CHEN ZHEN
"SHORT-CIRCUITS"
OCTOBER 15, 2020 – FEBRUARY 21, 2021
PIRELLI HANGARBICOCCA | MILAN, ITALY
