The boundaries of reality are the area of play…

Dear all,

To celebrate two events Zen Foto will hold closing drinks from 4pm this afternoon:

1.       the closing of our exhibition “A. Face to Face with Chin-Chin Wu” of works by Chin-Chin Wu and Nobuyoshi Araki;

2.       from the Tokyo Customs Bureau we received a charge of importing material “that could damage public decency” (風俗を害する物品). This relates to our little catalogue of Chin-Chin Wu`s works - why don`t you come and decide for yourself? We value your opinions!

kind regards,

Mark Pearson

Zen Foto Gallery, shibuya, Tokyo

www.zen-foto.jp

In front of Araki’s images © Benjamin Beller (please beware of important perspective distortions)

Finally a brief review of the show by art historian, Art Forum contributor and Waseda University assistant professor Julia Friedman, taken from the blog Contemporary Art Tokyo:

This is the first Tokyo exhibition of the Beijing-based artist Chin-Chin Wu. It features her 2006–2009 project Vis-à -Vis, Portraits of New Women, in which fifty young women from Paris and Beijing posed for their “intimate portraits.” Upon entering the gallery, the viewers are invited to gaze into an aperture in a red lacquered peep-box installed just high enough making it necessary for all under seven feet tall to stand on a small wooden stool. The voyeristic effort is rewarded with a tiny illuminated image set against the back wall of the box. This quick throw back to Marcel Duchamp’s in/famous Etant Donnés, seems to address the elephant-in-the-room inherent in any art featuring female genitalia. Wu questions the inherently voyeuristic nature of viewing nudity just as she asserts the agency of the woman who participated in the Vis-à-Vis shoots by engaging them in a dialogue about the meaning of these portraits. Many of their utterances are featured in the making-of video that is also part of the show. Wu’s photographs are further contextualized by a selection of ten silver gelatin prints by Nobuyoshi Araki, hung in two tight rows. Araki’s work makes for an interesting juxtoposition with Wu’s, in my opinion, because it accentuates the raw sexuality of his work. Next to his, Wu’s photographs, for all their overtness, appear almost chaste: the viewers of her portraits do not need to worry about participating in the predatory visual act, her focus is the aesthetic differentiation.

There are eight large-format inkjet prints on view, with the rest of the project available for perusal in an eponymous publication by GALERIE VEVAIS (edited by Alexander Scholz). The book will be on sale in about one month in both hardcover and softcover versions. You can find additional information about the publication and see more of Chin-Chin’s works on her webpage.

Due to the graphic nature of the show the gallery had to set a series of deterrents for visitors that might seek things other than art enjoyment. If you decide to visit the exhibition (you have to be over 20 years of age), please make an email reservation with the gallery (amanda@zen-foto.jp). When you arrive you will be asked to sign a waver stating that you do not find the contents offensive, and pay an exhibition membership fee of 3000 yen. Once inside you will have your pick of Zen Foto publication to the value of the fee. The show is at Zen Foto Gallery, on view through May 23.

Dear Friends, 

皆さんこんにちは。Zen Fotoのご案内をいたします。次の展覧会 ”A. Face 2 Face with Wu Chin-Chin” が５月14日から始まります。オープニングパーティは同日18:00から21:00で、ウー・チンチンさんも来廊され ます。彼女は中国の若い作家です。アメリカとフランスの教育を受けて、現在北京にお住まいです。今回展示する両氏の作品は ともに女性のポートレートで衝撃的なイメージを含むため、ヌード写真に敏感な方々はご遠慮ください。もしご高覧いただければ一生忘れ られない展覧会になるかと存じます。

なお、今回の展覧会では通常と異なり作品の性質から展覧会の会費を頂戴します が、展覧会場にて会費に相当するZen Fotoの出版物をお渡ししますので、なにとぞご了承ください。

Our next exhibition is titled: “A. Face 2 Face with Chin-Chin Wu ”. We will exhibit the works of Nobuyoshi Araki face to face with the works of a young Chinese photographer. Chin-Chin Wu was educated in the USA and Paris and she is now based in Beijing. Zen Foto is pleased to hold this first major exhibition of her series of intimate portraits of women, entitled “Vis-a-vis: Portraits of New Women.”

The content is not suitable for people under the age of 20 or for those sensitive to explicit images of the naked human body.

We do not normally charge for entrance to Zen Foto but, due to the nature of the images included, we will invite visitors to become members of this exhibition. Visitors will be given Zen Foto publications of value equivalent to the price of membership. In case of hardship please let us know and we will happily make exceptions where appropriate.

Kind regards,

Mark Pearson

Zen Foto Gallery, Shibuya, Tokyo

www.zen-foto.jp

The front cover of the Book:

The back bear:

Innen - The Inside:

Special thanks to Alexander Scholtz from Berlin, gifted architect and my book publisher, and Susanne Weigelt, an amazing young designer and artist from Leipzig. The dummies of this book will be available for the duo show with Araki-san in Tokyo, opening May 14. Entry strictly by prior reservation. A small catalog for the exhibition will be available in limited editions. A big ‘thank you’ to all the great women who participated in this project. I will have a gift copy for each of you!

ANOTHER NUDE SHOW
April 3 - 30, 2010
D5 Gallery

http://www.robertbermangallery.com/robertbermangallery/exhibitions/nudeshow/selected_nude.htm 

A Group exhibition exploring the imagery of the nude form including works by

Robert Graham, Ruth Bernhard, Horst P. Horst, Man Ray, Joel Peter Witkin, Francesco Scavullo, Chin-Chin Wu, Sante D’Orazio, Raymond Pettibon, The Mac, John Altoon, Ben Talbert, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Frederick Wight, William Tunberg, Ralph Goings, Stephen Verona, John Colao, Ron English, Manuel Ocampo, Jorg Dubin, Ellwood T. Risk, Britt Ehringer, Eliza French & Jeff Charbonneau, Robert Sean Coons, Dennis Mukai, David Trulli, Greg Gibbs, Andrew George, Vic Huber, Rafael Serrano, Jon Cournoyer, Sally Mann, Jock Sturges, Marc Fichou, Ken Aronson, Brett Aronson, Steven Teitelbaum, Randal Haworth, Tiphaine Popesco, Eric Schwartz,Hana Jakrlova, Christina Lissmann, David Ellingsen, Bill Durgin, Toby Burrows, Bill Phelps, Gail Greenfield Randall, Irene Hardwicke Olivieri, Edouard Chimot, Max Turner, Emil Jean Kosta Jr., Mel Ramos, Alejandro Gehry, Thomas Ruff, Nobuyoshi Araki, Tracy Nakayama, Tracey Emin, Vanessa Beecroft, Tom Wesselmann, John Valadez, Frank Romero, Claudia Kunin, Grace Oh and many more.

In conjunction with the MOPLA Month of Photography Awards & XTO Image Awards

Nobuyoshi Araki
Untitled (Nude in front of TV), 1996
Iris Print
Numbered 22/30, Signed and numbered on verso
Image: 8.5 x 12 inches; Framed: 18.5 x 21.5 inches

I’m showing a small series of 15 images called “Flashbacks” in this group show at Inter Gallery, 798 Art District. This exhibition will then move to Shanghai, then travel around the rest of China.

Here’s a sneak preview of a few images that caught my interest:

王久良的《垃圾围城》系列
From the series “The Great Wall of Trash,” © WANG, Jiuliang

许宝宽的《新风景》系列
From the series “New Landscapes,” © XU, Baokuan

杭鸣峙的《移山》系列
From the series “Move Mountains,” © HANG, Mingchi

蒙超的《新景观》系列
From the series “New Scenaries,” © MENG, Chao

游莉的《寂静的纬度》系列
From the series “Silent Altitudes,” © YOU, Li

Looking forward to seeing friends in Beijing at the opening! © Post-Modern China Doll

不一样的风景

Another Landscape

主办：色影无忌网

Host：www.xitek.com

参展摄影师: （按 姓氏笔画排名）王久良、卢彦鹏、区志航、任曙林、许宝宽、陈焕庭、何宜昌、吴沁沁、辛冈、张晓、杭鸣峙、佬京、罗凯星、徐永春、黄 觉、矫健、储楚、塔可、蒙超、游莉、潘钺。

photographers: Wang Jiuliang, Lu Yanpeng, Ou Zhihang ,Ren Shulin, Xu Baokuan，Chen Huanting, He Yichang，Chin-Chin Wu，Xin Gang，Zhang Xiao，Hang Mingzhi，Lao Jing，Luo Kaixing，Xu Yongchun，Huang Jue，Jiao Jian，Chu Chu，Taca，Meng Chao，Eris Yo ，Pan Yue

策展人：那日松

Curator：Na Risong

顾问：（按姓氏笔画 排名）任悦、林路、尚陆、顾铮、鲍昆、颜长江

Consultants :Ren Yue, Lin Lu, Jean Loh, Gu Zheng, Bao Kun, Yan Changjiang 

开幕时间:  2010.03.27  下午3点

Opening:  27.03.2010 / 3 pm

展览时间:  2010.03.27 – 2010.04.5

Duration:  27.03.2010 – 05.04.2010

展览地点:  映艺术中心（北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路4号“798艺术区”七星中街）.

Venue:  Inter Art Center and Gallery. Sevenstar Main Street 798 Art Zone No.4 Jiuxianqiao Road Chaoyang District Beijing

Bravo Robert!!! Source: http://www.juxtapoz.com/Top100

I’d like to blame my winter unproductivity on my newly acquired family member Tian Tian. It’s so easy and practical; plus it gives me the perfect excuse to show her off:

Tian Tian is a white Turkish Angora adopted from Maya’s friend Cindy. At the time that I was there, she had over a dozen cats at her residence. Tian Tian was previously known as Baby Mama, as she was found very small and pregnant near 798. She gave a healthy litter of 4 in August 2009. I adopted her on Jan 12, 2010. Because she’s so smart and psychic, she was named the Genius Cat (天才猫), Tian Tian for short. She is also a class A clown and follows me EVERYWHERE.

Legend has it that the Turkish Angora was Prophet Mohammed’s favorite cat. One time, he cut off the sleeve of his coat so as to not wake his beautiful Angora sleeping on his coat. What a beautiful act of symbolism for world peace!

Hailing from her favorite basket! Note the green cast/ring around
her pupils that give her eyes such an unusual look.

New toy!

When she is not sleeping or making trouble, she enjoys chasing strings to hone her mouth-catching skills, especially the types of strings with this type of white mouth stapled at the end. She’s only minimally interested in human food (foie gras, but only when it’s put on her plate). Otherwise, she eats Royal Canin Dry cat food exclusively. In order of preference: 1) Royal Canin Oral Sensitive 30 2) Royal Canin Shiny Coat and Skin 3) Neutered Cat Stone and Weight. I am thinking of putting her on the Persian Cat diet, because she’s got so much hairball problems. Her other favorite munch is cat grass:)

Tian Tian 天天 is my art director. She oversees all my designs and concepts, and types on the keyboard: 1 is “affirmative,” 0 is “negative,” anything else is “keep working.” Mostly, she’s been keeping me hard at work. Recently, I put her basket on my desk so as to confine her to a small area, and now she only types messages on my keyboard when she really needs to express herself. She is definitely a very expressive cat if ever there was one!

Love and peace,
Chin-Chin
沁沁

The Namaste Dagoba, Famen Temple
Shaanxi Province, West China 

While driving on the highway from 宝鸡 Bao Ji to 西安 Xi’an, we came across this golden structure towering above a group of ancient temple structures. Is this a science fiction or dream turned nightmare? The Namaste Dagoba was completed on May 9, 2009.  In front of it is a 2 km grand boulevard leading to the gate of the temple. It houses the world’s only veritable, authentic (middle) finger bone relic of the venerable Buddha. For the history and photographs of the old Famen Temple, please click http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_25384.htm

**Entry fee is now 90 rmb (about 13$). Pilgrims beware: finger bone only on display  during the weekends, and the 1st and the 15th of the lunar month.

 Gansu Province, West China

Gansu Province, West China

Insiders probably already know that Gayographic (大城小同) is holding the first ever Mr. Gay China beauty pageant on Jan. 15, 2010 at the Lan Club. The winner will represent mainland China in Oslo, Norway, vying for the title of Mr. Gay World Ambassador. This is of course a monumental event in the history of the Chinese LGBT community. I finally did some test shots with 3 candidates last Sunday, courtesy to Gayographic organizers Ben Zhang, Ryan and Niu Niu.

So here is the scoop:

1) Xuefei. Calm, laconic, and mysterious.

What I especially appreciated about this candidate was his timeliness (first to arrive), patience (always a plus in the eye of a photographer), and a certain forlorn, other-worldly quality. This definitely sets him apart from any kind of visual stereotype. He’s not the first one you notice when you enter the room, yet there’s a sense of mystique and intrigue that will slowly draw you in.

2 ) Emilio. Handsome, upbeat, winsome.

Emilio’s good looks have a mass appeal by most societal standards, gay or straight. He also possesses the kind of physique that gives strength, hope, and inspiration to all health-related New Year resolutions. Potentially the poster boy of Mr. Gay China, I think this beauty pageant could be the perfect opportunity for him to fine-tune and deepen his already hugely likable character and personality.

3) Simon. Charismatic, uninhibited, fun-loving.

Simon is a ball of energy, capable of proposing 60 dramatically different poses per minute. There’s definitely a bit of an artist’s soul in him, not to mention an off-beat fashion sense. I trust that what he lacks in physique, he will amply make up by creativity and enthusiasm!

Finally, a rather dignified group portrait:

I look forward to meeting the other candidates. Their courage is a constant inspiration. It’s one thing to come out of the closet to one’s friends and family; it’s another thing to participate in such a highly publicized event, obliging each to clearly broadcast his romantic and sexual preference. Let’s face it, China is still an immensely traditional and limelight-shy society, deeply steeped in the Confucian culture of modesty (中庸) for the sake of (outward) harmony. These men are the first (hopefully of many) to break these barriers.

This contest is about community. It’s about beauty. It’s about identity. It’s also about the lessons of self-conquests, the phoenix rising high from the ashes.

Best of luck to all the candidates! If you wish to get involved with this event, please contact Gayographic. Mr. Gay China needs all of your support!

I met sculptor Chen Fei at a little craft shop in Old Beijing nearly two years ago. She was living near Nanluoguxiang and had been experimenting with making masks with paper maché and I was immediately drawn to the expressive possibilities of these hutong characters come alive. Over the span of two years, our friendship grew as we saw the surroundings of our neighborhood demolished and rebuilt at a jaw-dropping rate. As old businesses move out, new businesses settle in; Chen Fei was forced to move with the construction of the new metro line… This series is inspired by the simple people who inhabit here and whose lives are constantly affected by the mass exodus in the face of modernization. It is an elegy to the perishing traditions and lifestyles that made Old Beijing such a unique place.

This work is on show at CNEX as part of the annual Greening the Beige art show. All prints are for sale and the proceedings go to the art collective Greening the Beige. Please contact organizer Carissa Welton for detail.

In April 2010, we are holding another art show with a stage performance involving a new series of masks at CNEX.

I was instructed to use only song titles from ONE ARTIST/BAND/COMPOSER and answer
the following questions and pass it on to people. Somehow, in my usual haste and carelessness, I had read “use lyrics from one song” and answered accordingly (I know I have difficulty following instructions, sigh). I still like the answers - the song is Falling Away with You from the album Absolution:

Pick your Artist:
MUSE

Are you a male or female:
MAYBE I JUST MISUNDERSTOOD…

Describe yourself:
STAYING AWAKE TO CHASE A DREAM

How do you feel:
I THINK OUR LIVES HAVE JUST BEGUN

Describe where you currently live?
MEMORIES I WILL NEVER FIND

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
ALL OF THE LOVE WE LEFT BEHIND

Your favorite form of transportation:
THE AIR YOUR ARE BREATHING IN

Your best friend is:
IN SPITE OF WHATEVER YOU BECOME

You and your best friends are:
WATCHING OUR FLASHBACKS INTERTWINE

What’s the weather like:
TASTING THE AIR

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
I HOPE I WON’T FORGET A THING

What is life to you:
NOTHING WILL EVER STAY THE SAME

Your relationship:
MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS IN BLOOM

What is the best advice you have to give:
FORGET THAT RECKLESS THING TURNED ON

Thought for the Day:
I CAN’T REMEMBER

How I would like to die:
FALLING AWAY WITH YOU

My soul’s present condition:
CRUMBLING AWAY

My motto:
MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cupid.html

Having lost love, relatedness, and creativity, Psyche (the soul) is in despair. Its mission now is to rely on perception, cleverness, courage, and determination  to fulfill the four tasks (assigned by Venus), each accomplished by some split-off part of the soul’s nature. This is how we survive when eros is lost to us. Without love, we are clever, calculating, cold, and distant. Without the soul, Eros is meaningless sensual energy. But we survive…