Corporate

“Corporate” is the first personal show of the Chinese artist Xu Zhen in Austria. An exhibition on cultural identity in a society that is becoming more and more alike the world over and increasingly driven by market economy forces.

Xu Zhen is known for his genre-bending works between conceptual art discourse, politics and frivolous pop culture. At the 2001 Venice Biennale the Chinese artist caused an international stir with a self-destructive film work. For his sculptures, films, performances and images, he works in the manner of a DJ, blending and copying set pieces from culture with supreme technical precision. He draws on art theory discourses along with the perversions of consumer-oriented society. His modus operandi is based on the rules of conceptual art, interlaced with theatrical humour, and is, in the broader sense, performative – with social criticism being neither obviously serious, nor ironical.

“Corporate” is an exhibition on prejudices, identity, cultural assets and their appraisal in a society that is becoming more and more alike the world over and increasingly driven by market economy forces. Furthermore, Xu Zhen wants to pull off the daring feat of travelling to Austria by car via Siberia with a group of artists. The aim of this trip through different cultures is to evolve it into a performative work that will ultimately be presented in Graz.

Kuratorin / Kurator: Katrin Bucher Trantow
Kuratorin / Kurator: Peter Pakesch
Künstlerin / Künstler / Gruppe: Xu Zhen