“Mauerreise” – the wall in the world project in China
In recent years, the Chinese art market has experienced an unprecedented boom. Of the 100 most expensive artworks ever to be sold at auction, a third was created by Chinese artists, among them the painter Huang Rui.
The Goethe-Institut has succeeded in recruiting Huang Rui and other leading Chinese artists to work on the “wall” project. Huang Rui, Wang Guangyi, Xu Bing and Zhang Xiaogang, as renowned representatives of the Chinese art scene, are designing four “bricks”. Their works were presented during an event at the German Embassy in Beijing on 13 August – the day on which building of the Berlin Wall in Germany began.
Once they have been brought back to Germany, the finished wall segments will, among other things, be exhibited at the German Historical Museum to which they will be on permanent loan. They are a symbolic gift from the artists to the reunified Germany and as such are not for sale.
On 13 August, the day on which the Berlin Wall went up, the founder of the Stars group will design, together with other prominent representatives of the Chinese art scene, four polystyrene reproductions of wall segments.
The connotations of the word “wall” are very different in China and Germany. The Great Wall, which stretches across the country not far from Beijing, is seen by the Chinese as a historic symbol of the country’s unity and as protection against negative external influences. While the character of the Berlin Wall was divisive, in other words, the Great Wall of China is perceived as something that connects people.
How well will the artists be able to reconcile these two different perceptions and the symbolism of the wall in the world project?
The Goethe-Institut has succeeded in recruiting Huang Rui and other leading Chinese artists to work on the “wall” project. Huang Rui, Wang Guangyi, Xu Bing and Zhang Xiaogang, as renowned representatives of the Chinese art scene, are designing four “bricks”. Their works were presented during an event at the German Embassy in Beijing on 13 August – the day on which building of the Berlin Wall in Germany began.
Once they have been brought back to Germany, the finished wall segments will, among other things, be exhibited at the German Historical Museum to which they will be on permanent loan. They are a symbolic gift from the artists to the reunified Germany and as such are not for sale.
On 13 August, the day on which the Berlin Wall went up, the founder of the Stars group will design, together with other prominent representatives of the Chinese art scene, four polystyrene reproductions of wall segments.
The connotations of the word “wall” are very different in China and Germany. The Great Wall, which stretches across the country not far from Beijing, is seen by the Chinese as a historic symbol of the country’s unity and as protection against negative external influences. While the character of the Berlin Wall was divisive, in other words, the Great Wall of China is perceived as something that connects people.
How well will the artists be able to reconcile these two different perceptions and the symbolism of the wall in the world project?
