MIGRATION
First International Pop Up Show by ARNDT
opening in Sydney March 26th
March 27th to July 10th 2012
Art is a universal language that can be read, understood and dealt with across borders, cultures and languages. Within this universal reading, what makes the artist a master is his personal “handwriting” in which he deals with fundamental issues of our human, social and political existence – beauty and aggression – love and conflict.
Each author has his enrooted, local cultural background that influences his style, so within this idea of art as a universal language, this unique artistic expression has to sustain itself in and outside of any other context. In the old and new cultural, political and financial centres of the world there are constant questions and topics raised that unite the global audience in their critique, worries and desires. It also raises the question – does something like “global art” exist? Or, in times of a radical expansion of our physical travel and the extension of our virtual relations through the Internet, artist and audience find themselves in a constant migration process. Perhaps we are now witnessing a fear of globalisation resulting from the dilemma between a “tyranny of distance” and our systems being linked and dependent on each other. We have to travel to permanently update our radar but long for and turn back towards our local cultures and tradition. Through all these portals of constant change and influences, it’s interesting to see what elements exist in the author’s artistic expression and how the viewer interprets these elements.
Migration talks about this strange and wonderful phenomenon between thinking global and living/acting local which leads to the term “Glocal”. Migration is the experiment of bringing some of the most important international voices to a place that - in the eyes of the rest of the world has been seen as “remote” or at the end of the Globe – Australia. In fact, Australia is an extraordinary fertile landscape for Art and Culture. National and International Art has well established itself in all parts of this large land both institutionally and privately. In addition, its people are deeply curious, bold and enthusiastic about encountering contemporary art.
Migration unites works of recognised artists from China, USA, Germany, Great Britain, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, South America, Africa and the Middle East. They are either emerging artists in their national scenes or already established and at the same time stars in the international art world through the Biennales, Museum-Retrospectives and the major art fairs.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Joseph Beuys (German)
Sophie Calle (French)
George Condo (American)
Isa Genzken (German)
Gilbert and George (British)
Geraldine Jarvier (Philipino)
Yang Jiechang (Chinese)
Thomas Hirschhorn (Swiss)
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov (Russian)
Jitish Kallat (Indian)
Vik Muniz (Brazilian)
Sara Rahbar (Iranian/American)
Julian Rosefeldt (German)
Nedko Solakov (Bulgarian)
Sui Jianguo (Chinese)
Agus Suwage (Indonesian)
Christine Ay Tjoe (Indonesian)
Natee Utarit (Thai)
Bill Viola (American)
Franz West (Austrian)
Entang Wiharso (Indonesian)
Liu Xiaodong (Chinese)
Qiu Zhi Jie (Chinese)
ARNDT Statement:
Following, The Ephemeral, a curated group show held in the Berlin gallery, Migration is the first major pop-up-show to be held in Sydney, Australia by ARNDT. As part of the new initiative of working in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region, Matthias Arndt has brought together a group of celebrated international artists to this vibrant art landscape in the Southern Hemisphere.
Migration will open parallel to the re-opening of the new building of the MCA at the end of March 2012, in a transformed office building within walking distance from the MCA and world famous Sydney Harbour.
Migration is a significant part of Matthias Arndt’s strategy to bring exciting emerging and major established international and Asian art to Australia and in turn, showing Asian Art in Europe to feature in the Berlin Gallery programme. With 25 years experience as an art expert and dealer in Europe, Matthias can now use his expertise in China, the booming South East Asian Market and Australia. There are plans for Pop-Up shows throughout these new regions over the next years together with focussed artist projects.
Migration will be produced by Matthias Arndt and his wife, Tiffany Wood, who has 20 years experience in the art world with Sotheby’s in London and New York, Marianne Boesky Gallery New York and Phillips de Pury & Company New York, London and Berlin.
Migration will open to the public on March 29th and run through May 13th 2012.