Exploring Original Nature - Culture Studies and Art Exhibition, concerning Lugu Lake

  December 10th  2016 - January 21st 2017 

At Yuan Xiaocen Art Museum and TCG Nordica,

Kunming China

At the top of a steep hill above the village, lies a small temple

Next to the vegetable garden, a brown and white calf is staring at me

Temple bells moved by the wind seem to announce my presence 

Suddenly it's wind still and calm, two crows circle high in the sky,

as if floating on water they disappear behind the mountains back

While soft sound-waves of flags waving in the air reach the shell of my ear

During my Artist in Residency at TCG Nordica Kunming China, I was invited to participate in an art project called Exploring Original Nature – Culture Studies and Art Exhibition, Concerning Lugu Lake.

During two weeks I stayed in the small village Zhashi high in the mountains of Lugu Lake. Working in close contact with the local Musuo people, introduced by Musuo artist Bova Togo, five other international artists, professor Gao Xiang and his masterstudents. This turned out to become a very rich experience that touched my heart. The passion of everyone involved was amazing and the artistic encounters were many. Below some information about this project that after five years of preparation is now showing in Kunming, China.

Pressrelease:

Exploring Original Nature - Cultural Studies and Art Exhibition concerning Lu Gu Lake

Opening December 10^th  2016 until January 21^st 2017

At Yuan Xiaocen Art Museum and TCG Nordica Culture Center,

Kunming China

This Exhibition takes the opportunity to display the traditional culture and pristine lifestyle of Mosuo People living near the Lugu Lake area. It is divided into three major parts. Firstly, in the form of paintings: 1. Simplicity – landscape and figure paintings of the Lugu Lake and Mosuo people; 2. Inquiry – paintings that advocate environmental protection; and 3. Transcendentality – contemporary paintings of traditional Mosuo culture, art, mythology and religion. Secondly, in the form of real objects: Authenticity – presentation of traditional Mosuo people’s life. And thirdly, in the form of images and texts: Historicity – theoretical researches of the lifestyle of the Mosuo people and their oral history and mythology. Also, performances of Mosuo folk singers and dancers were featured on the Exhibition opening ceremony.

Some of the artists participating in the Exhibition have visited the Lugu Lake area for their artistic creation in 2010, 2011 and 2014. They have collected and recorded a large number of videos, photos, literature and sketches in those trips. In November 16^th 2016, Mr. Gao Xiang, Norwegian artist Alfred Vaagsvold, Swedish artist Christina Hallström, Italian anthropologist Dr. Stefania Renda, Bangladesh artists Bishwajit Goswami, Tania Sultana, Mong Mong Sho and Dr. Zhao Xingyuan, from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, went to the Lugu Lake with some young artists again. All the effort is to carry out more studies for their artistic creation.

By combining previously acquired materials and art works, the Exhibition aims at exhibiting, to the greatest extent, both the art works and existing literature.

The exhibition would break through the limitations posed by the professionalism of traditional art exhibition. By shifting mentality, it is to center around the local traditional culture, art and daily life to discover and explore their potential to develop and expand. It was not only restricted to paintings on easels, but also real objects, photos, videos, performances and many other dynamic means. With a variety of art works, and by presenting the pristine ecology and lifestyle of Mosuo People in the Lugu Lake area, hopefully the more artistic creation will be inspired and contemplation for contemporary cultures kindled.

What’s more, among 40 artists invited to the Exhibition, there are Alfred Vaagsvold from Norway, Christina Nyström Jansson and Christina Hallström from Sweden, Bishwajit Goswami, Tania Sultana from Bangladesh, Bova Togo, a Mosuo artist grew up in the Lugu Lake area, Senior Dabadafan, the fourteenth generation of oral history and mythology narrator, five teaching professors graduated from China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and young artist and students from Kunming. Composed of people of different ages, nationalities, and regions, they will present four sets of completely different art studies and creative perspectives.

In recent years, the Lugu Lake has become a popular tourist destination. People are flooding in this ancient place. At the same time, how to coordinate the development of modernization and its unique local cultural ecology and the natural environment has caused people to think. Aiming at exploring the authentic and pristine lifestyle of Mosuo people in the Lugu Lake area through exhibitions and art, the Exhibition attempted to encourage both artists and viewers to reflect more on the modern development of traditional lifestyle and arts, and the relationship between the traditional arts and their contemporary counterparts.

Sponsors: Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing
Embassy of Sweden in Beijing
Consulate General of The People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kunming
Lugu Lake in Lijiang Mosuo Cultural Research Association

Organizers: Yuan Xiaocen Art Museum
TCG Nordica Culture Center
Oil Painting Art Committee of Yunnan Artists Association
Central Academy of Fine Arts Alumni Association Office
Co-organizers: Yunnan Oil Painting Association
Guan Zhao Yuan Nian Culture Communication Co.,Lld

Curators: Gao Xiang, Alfred Vaagsvold

Academic Chair: Han Jinsong, Zhao Xingyuan, Stefania Renda, Luo Fei

Execution: Liu Fang, Wang Wei, Qiao Lidan, Wang Bei

Exhibition Assistants: Lv Duo, Yue Tingting

Artists: Bova Togo, Dafan Luru (the fourteenth generation of Daba priest), Wuliuwu Duzhidaba, Dunzhu Zhuoma, Alfred Vaagsvold(Norway), Christina Hallström(Sweden), Christina Nyström Jansson(Sweden), Stefania Renda(Italy), Bishwajit Goswami(Bangladesh), Tania Sultana(Bangladesh), Mong Mong Sho(Bangladesh), Wu Hong, Li Xu, Gao Xiang, Zhu Jinghua, Huang Xin, Gao Xiaoyan, Luo Fei, Wang Xin, He Xiaolu, Zhu Dan, Li Haoyue, Zhou Fengyi, Li Yingyue, Liu Menghui, Yan Lulu, Ying Borui, Jia Yi, Zhang Xiaotian , Chen Ziran, Wang Bei, Wang Wei, Liu Fang, Qiao Lidan, Li Xuezhen, Yan Wan, Bai Hailin, Dai Sumei, Duan Xingmin, Lv Duo, Sun Wenke, Yue Tingting, Gao Yifei

Exhibition Time: Dec 10, 2016 to Jan 21, 2017

Exhibition Opening Time and location:
14:00, Dec 10, 2016 Yuan Xiaocen Art Museum (Address: #26,West Hongta Road, Xishan District, Kunming)
20:00, Dec 10, 2016 TCG Nordica Culture Center (Address: #101, Xiba Road, Xishan District, Kunming)

Symposium Time and location: 15:30, Dec 10, 2016 Yuan Xiaocen Art Museum (Address: #26, West Hongta Road, Xishan District, Kunming)