Micro Art Museums Group for Art Field Nanhai 2024

“Art at Qiaoshan - Art Field Nanhai GuangDong 2024” is hosted by the People’s Government of Nanhai District, Foshan City and is a full presentation of “Art Field China” adhering to the principles of “locality, comprehensiveness, cooperativity and sustainability”. The theme “Be Like Water”, a phrase carries the charm of Cantonese dialect with a touch of classical Chinese, has an underlying meaning akin to “Water defines Nanhai”. It sets a scenario, aiming to spark curiosity, speculation and the desire to explore, guiding people to revisit Nanhai. Through continuous encounters and perception of tangible elements, they can grasp the philosophy and aspirations behind. From ancient times to the future, water serves as the cornerstone of Nanhai’s social ecology, as well as a vivid portrayal of its cultural mindset, its spirit of perseverance, and its ongoing growth. They have nurtured a development philosophy grounded in harmony with nature — “flowing and adapting, be like water”. - Fishing and Farming Cabanas_Mirco Art Museums by the Pond For Art Field Nanhai 2024, we have been invited to curate the "Yugengyueyun" area. This area is located in the traditional mulberry-dyke fish ponds at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain. Based on the unique natural ecological characteristics of Nanhai and considerations for sustainable development, we have invited six groups of architects and artists to renovate the original houses along the lake, creating a series of micro lakeside art museums centered around the narrative of "water." These installations respond to the site’s cultural context and the theme of this year's Art Field Nanhai. Each group’s work is the result of a collaboration between architects and artists, and each “micro art museum” can be seen as a unique space offering an interpretation of "water." The project "Vertical Nature" by Xu Lang and Feng Rui uses cast-in-place concrete to blur the boundaries between "layers" and "surfaces," integrating with nature like artificial mountain rocks. The experience of walking through this space is full of visual and sensory variations. The artist’s mosaic work fills the gaps in the concrete, expanding the space’s expression of nature. In "Stacked Wood Chamber," a collaboration between Luo Yujie and Peng Si, a simple and elegant wooden structure shaped like a "well shaft" creates an enclosed space. Visitors need to bend down to enter and then look up to observe the artist’s works, or they can climb to experience the works suspended at the top. The architects explore various sensory possibilities between the work and the space through the expected movements of the viewer. In "Lighthouse of Nature," architect Wang Xin draws inspiration from the Song Dynasty "grass hut" and Ni Zan’s "Rongxi Pavilion," setting up a base at the foot of the mountain within the original building’s boundaries. A hexagonal pavilion with a tea area for three people is placed on top. The small building serves as a "Zen light" for the entire region and also acts as a miniature art museum, with lighting created by artist Sun Yue, forming a distinctive literary and spiritual atmosphere. Architect Fan Jiujang’s "Jizhu Pavilion – Waterside" cleverly reconstructs a suspended octagonal pavilion on the original site, preserving its function as a rest and observation point while offering a new viewing experience. Artist Xue Feng leaves a daily record of the collaboration with the architect in the form of text, establishing a relationship between the site, the narrative, and the structure in a concise and relaxed manner. In "Nanhai Sound Chapel," Wang Hao uses concrete to respond powerfully to the modern transformation of local traditional forms, while cleverly using the existing corridor structure as a supporting element in the spatial sequence. Sound artist Qin Siyuan creates three interactive sound works sampled from the sounds of the local fish ponds, bringing a new tactile dimension to the "water" and co-creating a space about sound with the architectural environment. Artist Shi Jie’s ink painting serves as the monument to this sound hall. Wu Linshou’s experimental work "Wild Grass Museum" uses black inflatable membranes as the building's external enclosure, creating gaps for wild grass growth and conditions to accumulate moisture. The misting installation on the roof allows the building to grow autonomously in the humid environment of Nanhai. Shen Ruiyun’s "Spring Breeze Blows and Regenerates" collects, plants, and documents local wild grasses, focusing the viewer’s attention on these unnamed, humble plants and drawing attention to their ordinary yet resilient life force. These six projects each offer a unique perspective on the theme "Be Like Water." They are not only collaborative efforts between architecture and art, but also exemplify the symbiosis between the works and their environment, as well as the interplay between the old and new. — Wang Zigeng

- “Art at Qiaoshan - Art Field Nanhai GuangDong 2024” Duration: November 16th, 2024 to February 12th, 2025 Exhibition Areas: Xiqiao Town and Jiujiang Town, Foshan, Guangdong Hosted by: People's Government of Nanhai District, Foshan City Organized by: Nanhai District Bureau of Culture, Radio and Television, Tourism and Sports, Foshan City \ Nanhai District Cultural investment Management Co., Ltd. \ Beijing Hubart Cultural Communication Co., Ltd Co-Organized by: People's Government of Xigiao Town \ People's Government of Jiujiang Town Supported by: Sub-Association on art industry Of CCEA Chief Director: Sun Qian Advisor: Kitagawa Fram Curator: HUBART

- "Yugengyueyun" Section Curator: Wang Zigeng Assistant Curator: Dai Yan Curatorial Team: Zhao Yiran, Wu Fangni, Liu Chenyao Exhibited Works Information: "Vertical Nature" Architects: Xu Lang; Artists: Feng Rui Art Team: Li Leqing Facade Material Support: Beizun Art Photography: CLAB Architects, Zhu Yumeng, Tian Fangfang "Stacked Wood Chamber" Architect: Luo Yujie; Artist: Peng Si Photography: Zhu Yumeng "Lighthouse of Nature" Architect: Wang Xin; Artist: Sun Yue Tile Support: Dongpeng Group Lighting Support: Rongxi Lighting Woodworking Support: Rixing Furniture Photography: Zao Yuan Architecture, Zhu Yumeng, Tian Fangfang "Jizhu Pavilion – Waterside" Architect: Fan Jiujang; Artist: Xue Feng Membrane Material Support: Serge Ferrari Photography: Zhu Yumeng "Nanhai Sound Chapel" Architect: Wang Hao; Artists: Qin Siyuan, Shi Jie Tile Support: Dongpeng New Materials Photography: Luo Yujie, Zhu Yumeng, Feng Rui "Wild Grass Museum" Architect: Wu Linshou; Artist: Shen Ruiyun Wu Linshou's Team Member: Tang Ziyu Structural Consultant: Zhang Zhun Photography: Zhu Yumeng