Art in Time of Plague - 2020: Online Exhibition

INTRODUCTION

Under the circumstances where the COVID-19 virus is spreading worldwide, Amanda Wei Gallery decided to launch this group exhibition as a response to the current global crisis.

 

Facing the catastrophe, the power of art seems intangible, but it can offer people the greatest spiritual comfort. Each piece of art is a story, behind which memories and reflections of a generation are stored. The original intention of this exhibition is to spiritually support people struggling in this catastrophe. At the same time, we would love to take this opportunity to participate in the discussion for the art ecosystem as a whole: how would the identity and function of art change in this special historical period, and in what way would art keep being presented in society and life.

 

In this online exhibition, Amanda Wei Gallery specially invited eight established international artists to jointly bring you a journey of innovation and reconstruction. Our participating artists include Lai Chi Man, Jin Rilong, Tan Ping, Zhou Chunya, Hua Xiyu, Alixe Fu, Cyril Kongo, CEET Fouad.

 

The exhibited artworks include nine paintings and one sculpture, most of which were created by the artists after the outbreak of the COVID-19. The content and form of these artworks directly reflect the process of creation. However, the connotations of them are not only limited to the capture of social reality but also a floating signifier to the viewer from the perspective of semiotics, leaving unlimited possibilities for interpretation.

The visual effects and emotional experiences presented by these artworks are different, ranging from ideological appeals to private memories of pain and loss, or to show a yearning and expectation for a calm and beautiful future. Although the eight artists come from different nations and districts, ethnicity, and cultural background, they share a worldwide belief that all human beings should stand together to overcome the hardest period for all.