Die Antwood’s  (the answer) music video “Enter The Ninja” is the newest South African sensation to hit the “interweb”.   Comprised of angry white guy lead man Ninja (born Waddy Jones), über blonde vixen Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ  Vuilgeboost (aka HI-TEK JUNIOR who occasionally subs for DJ HI-TEK), the group has adopted colored (racially mixed) hip-hop and transformed it into their own “zef” (redneck) music.  This has led to all sorts of discussions concerning the appropriation – or misappropriation – of culture, and the inevitable question, Who owns South African culture?

In other words, What color owns South African culture? Or, for that matter, what color (race) owns what culture?  Can the slave story be told by a white narrator?  Can the Aboriginal story be told by a black narrator?

While history dictates that it cannot, at least not without prejudice, misconception, and omission, South Africa is, if not a melting-pot, a cultural stew.  If anything, the close proximity of cultures cannot help but spill into one another.  Add globalization and multi/trans-culturalism to this mix and “original” or “copyright” become difficult concepts to navigate.

Perhaps K’naan answers the question of who owns what best.  In the video “young artists for Haiti”, K’naan says “what started as my song became their song”.  “Enter The Ninja” is bold, different, a strange intermingling of performance, contemporary commentary, graffiti art, comedy, and anger.

So perhaps the question, Who owns South African culture is moot.  In fact, it could be argued that South Africa’s history of apartheid, post-apartheid, inter-racial, cross-cultural, mish-mash of everything and everyone dictates that the question be moot.  After all, how can you appropriate something that has surrounded you for so many generations?  If anything, Die Antwood pushes the boundaries of race/color and ownership of culture beyond the narrow confines that culture should belong to any one group in particular.  “Enter the Ninja” (Ninja=Japanese) proves this just by the fact that it has become an international sensation – maybe Die Antwood’s international audience doesn’t get every reference, but something is reaching them at some level and forming some form of connection.

Louko, courtesy Karine Giboulo

The Conference of Donor Countries took place at The United Nations last week and plans continue to be put forth on how to rebuild a country.  Following the devastating earthquake, CheckoutART did an interview with Leah Gordon and dedicated the article to the memory of Haitian artist Louko.  Imagine my surprise (i.e. what a small world) when Montreal-based artist Karine Giboulo (on CheckoutART as well) e-mailed me to tell me she had met Louko while on a trip to Haiti.  Karine was kind enough to send me two pictures of the artist.

Louko, courtesy Karine Giboulo

Abramovic's "Imponderabilia", MoMA, 2010, photo credit: Scott Rudd

The MoMA has never shied away from presenting artists who challenge the viewer.  Their latest exhibit, featuring performance Yugoslavian-born artist, Marina Abramovic, is no exception.  Abramovic challenges the viewer from the onset.  Want to see the exhibit?  Sure, but you’ll have to squeeze through two nude performers first.

This isn’t about sensationalism.  The exhibition is too intimate and too personal and the artist is too present to allow any room for sensationalism.  On the surface, the exhibition is about discomfort and fear and the gamut of insecurities that fill the spaces between these two experiences.  At the crux, the exhibition is about the viewer’s (and the performers’) confrontation of these very real, very universal human experiences.

Abramovic's "Imponderabilia", MoMA, 2010, photo credit: Scott Rudd

The nude performers stand only inches apart.  What is immediately apparent is that contact may be unavoidable.  At the very least, there is the necessary uncomfortable proximity of one’s body brushing dangerously close with the nude body of a stranger.  Suddenly, it is no longer only the nude performers who appear vulnerable, it is the viewer as well.

Aptly entitled, “The Artist is Present”, the word “present” metamorphoses into a myriad of interpretations.  The show takes place in the very real present; the artist is present (one might even say omnipresent); the source from which stem some of our fears is presented for us to confront…

Abramovic_Performance4

For much of the work, the setting is as intimate as our own personal insecurities.  In “Performance“, one small table sits in the middle of the MoMA’s Marron Atrium.  Two chairs face each other across the table.  One can imagine sitting down to dinner with a close friend at such a table, only this isn’t about dinner and it isn’t about close friendship.  It’s about knowledge and acute self-awareness.

On one chair sits Abramovic.  The other invites the viewer to sit.  And therein begins an unsettling exchange which has nothing to do with words.  Abramovic stares right at you and you, are free to stare right back.  The experience is like having your very being penetrated by a stranger.  Suddenly, intimacy can appear frightening, perhaps even claustrophobic.

When does the staring end?  When the viewer decides to get up.

Abramovic’s art encroaches on all aspects of our fears and insecurities so that, by the end of the exhibition, we are as stripped of our clothes as the performers who greeted us at the exhibition’s entrance.

Abramovic's "Nude with Skeleton", MoMA, 2010, photo credit: Scott Rudd

Jannis-Varelas Proletkult's "x-Opera Costume", 2008, Courtesy: The Breeder (Athens)

This week in New York – The Armory Show.  Some of what is being shown:

Claire Fontaine's "AMERIKA", Courtesy

Claire Fontaine is a Paris-based collective artist, founded in 2004.  She borrowed/appropriated her  her name from an easily recognizable brand of school books.  Self-described as a “readymade artist”, Fontaine explores the concept of the artist, herself, becoming as interchangeable and “readymade” as, say, a Brillo box.

Haim Steinbachs "Juicy salif kong 2", 2008, Courtesy: Dvir Gallery (Tel Aviv)

New York-based artist, Haim Steinbach’s art explores the shelf – or other forms of “displayers” – where ordinary objects suddenly gain the status of art object.

Kader Attia's "Rocher Carrés", lambda print, 2008, Courtesy: Noga Gallery Contemporary Art (Tel-Aviv)

Paris-born Kadir Attia is of Algerian descent. he has exhibited in France, Spain, Germany, Israel, Sweden, the USA and the UK. Much of his work addresses the complex relationships between Europe and immigrants, specifically those of Islamic faith.

Internationally recognized Swiss artist Marck took time from his busy schedule to answer some questions.  He answered first in German, then in English (I edited some of the English).

Marck at work in his studio

Q: What is it about video art that attracts you to it?

A: Da mich das Medium Film und somit die Möglichkeit der nichtstatischen Erzählung und die Formgebung bei Objekten und Skulpturen, ja Design überhaupt schon immer faszinierten, war es für mich nur logisch diese zwei Gebiete zusammen zuführen. Mit dem Video ist es mir möglich der Skulptur ihre Statik zu entziehen. Umgekehrt kann ich mit der Skulptur dem Video reale Grenzen setzen.

Film offers the possibility of non-static narrative while the shape of objects and sculptures offers a design that has always fascinated me.  It was only logical for me to combine these two mediums. With video, it is possible to take away the static from sculpture. Conversely, I can set real limits with the sculpture to the video .

—

Marck's "sichel", 2009

Q: Do you see video art as a growing medium in the art world?

A: Nein, ich denke in der kunst bleibt es ein Nischenprodukt,im kommerziellen bereich hingegen werden wir uns in der zukunft nicht mehr retten können davor, überall werden interaktive Bildschirme herumhängen und uns mit inhaltsloser Information berieseln, um uns irgendwelche Produkte oder Meinungen anzudrehen.

No, I think in art, it remains a niche product. On the other hand, the commercial sector will probably see an increase in the use of hanging interactive screens which sprinkle us with meaningless information or to sell us products or opinions.

Q: Do you see it as growing potentially tiresome to the viewer?  For example, how many times can we see what in the end becomes a predictable and repetitive action?  Also, is there a point to the repetitive action?  Is it a commentary on all our actions which, in a way, are predictable and repetitive?

A: Der Inhalt muss zwingend einen Spielraum für die eigene Interpretation haben.Das Video darf keine Geschichte erzählen, sondern muss beim Betrachter ein Gefühl auslösen, sonst wird es wirklich langweilig. Einen Spielfilm schaut mann ja auch nicht 100 mal hintereinander an. Ein Bild aber schon. Weil es die eigene Geschichte erzählt und auch immer wieder eine andere, je nach dem emotionellen Befinden und der Situation des Betrachters.

It is necessary that the content provide room for individual interpretation. The video should not tell a story but trigger an emotion by the viewers.  Otherwise it will be really boring. It is not like looking at a movie 100 times in a row. It tells its own story.  Moreover, the story it narrates continually changes depending on the viewer’s emotional condition and situation.

Q: There is an aprox. fifteen year life span to the video after which the screen will need to be partially repaired.  Whether it gets repaired or not is, ultimately, up to the purchaser.  This raises an interesting “power-exchange” between the artist (creator) and the collector (who also becomes a creator by being given the choice of continuing its life).  What are your views on this?

A: Nichts ist, das ewig sei – alles ist eine Auseinandersetzung mit der Vergänglichkeit. Gerade die Kunst ist nicht ausgenommen, sogar wenn sie viel kostet. Die elektronische Kunst ganz im Speziellem; sie ist tatsächlich schneller vergänglich als andere Kunst, darum aber sogar wertvoller, weil der Besitzer irgendwann mal, wenn ein technisches Problem auftritt mitentscheiden muss was jetzt getan werden kann, um das kunstwerk zu erhalten. Wenn es z.B. keine Orginalteile mehr gibt und es muss ein moderneres technisches Teil eingebaut werden. Ist es dann noch ein Orginal vom Künstler?
Ich denke diese und andere Entscheidungen müssen dann vom Besitzer gefällt werden und spätestens zu dieser zeit ist wieder eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem Kunstwerk und auch mit der eigenen Vergänglichkeit nötig.

Nothing is to be eternally- Everything is a confrontation with the transience.  Art, especially electronic art, is no exception, even if it costs a lot. The fact that electronic art is more transient than other art is what gives it value. If a technical problem occurs, the owner needs to decide what to do with the videoartwork .  When it is not possible to fix the work with original spare, is it still considered an original work from the artist ? I think this poses some very interesting questions about the artwork and the question of transience.

Marck's "frauenkiste", 2008

Q: We are traditionally accustomed to thinking that art will last forever (or at least outlast us) and yet the idea of a fifteen year lifespan raises the question of the “impermanence” of a work of art.  Is this an inevitable sign or our insecure times?

A: Die 15 jahre Lebensdauer ist eine Schätzung. Es kann durchaus länger dauern bis ein defekt zutage tritt. Nur, ich finde tatsächlich diese “vergänglichkeit” passt in unsere Zeit, früher haben die menschen Bücher geschrieben von hand die noch heute lesbar sind, Häuser gebaut die noch immer stehen,Kunstwerke gemalen die jahrhunderte später  immer noch  zum bestaunen sind, dazumal wurde für die “unsterblichkeit” produziert, heute ist alles vergänglicher geworden, ein Haus wird keine 40 jahre alt und es wird abgebrochen weil es etwas neues weichen muss, Bücher werden digitalisiert oder nur digital herausgegeben um dann bei einem technischen defekt auf nimmerwiedersehen ins digitale nirvana zu entschwinden.und alle privaten digitalen bilder archive  werden von ihren enkeln sehr warscheindlich nie angeschaut werden können, weil es keine technisch funktionierende player mehr gibt. Also passt diese vergänglichkeit gut in unsere schnellebige zeit wo immer kurzfristiger, und weniger nachhaltig gehandelt wird. positiv gesehen sind elektronische Kunstwerke viel sensibler,das gefällt mir. Jeder Tag, an dem die Vidoeskulptur den inhalt wiedergeben kann, ist eine freude zu leben. (Es lebt noch…) Im Gegensatz zu nicht elektronischer Kunst, die doch wie verteinert für die nächsten jahrzehnten einfach da steht oder hängt und keine “Es funktioniert noch”Emotionen auslöst. Es ist wie das eigene Leben, immer wieder eine Freude, dass man den Tag überlebt hat.

The 15 years lifetime for an object is an estimate. It may well take longer until a broken light occurs.  If anything, I actually think this “impermanence” fits our way of life and our time. Sometime ago humans wrote books from hand and you can still read them today. They built houses which continue to exist, they painted pictures – some which date hundreds of years back – and you can still view them today in a museum. At that time people produced for “immortality”. Today everything is getting transient. A new house might or might not last for 40 years and it doesn’t matter because something new will replace it. Books are digitized or only published digitally, but what happens when a technical problem occurs and they disappear in the digital nirwana. Our grandchildren will probably never see our digital pictures because they will not have the right player. Sustainability is not our Zeitgeist.

On the positive side, electronic art is much more sensitive, I like that. Each day on which the Vidoeskulptur reflect the content can be a joy to live.(It’s still alive…!) In contrast to non-electronic art,
which stands or hangs petrified for the next few decades and no “It still works,” emotions are triggerd.  It’s like your own life, always a pleasure that you have survived the day.

Q: You mention that your video art is not about women’s issues, but more a commentary on society.  What kind of commentary?

A: Grenzen sind allgegenwärtig, doch innerhalb dieser manchmal sehr engen, manchmal weiten Grenzen kann/darf sich das Individuum „frei“ bewegen. Einschränkungen sind aber auch oftmals selbst gemacht. Durch Selbsteinschränkungen sperrt man oftmals auch die Anderen ein. Aus Angst etwas nicht zu tun, erwartet oder fordert man vom Gegenüber dies oder jenes auch nicht zu tun. Es besteht die Gefahr, auch das Gegenüber einzusperren, zu beschränken und kontrollieren zu wollen. Ein gutes Beispiel dafür ist die Religion.

Borders are everywhere, but within these sometimes very narrow, sometimes wide limits the individual himself is allowed to “move freely”  Restrictions are also often made by ourselves. Through self-restraint someone often imprisons the others. We become afraid to break out of our restrictions and we come to expect restrictions. There is a danger when we want to oppose restriction, confinement, and control.  A good example is religion.

Marck's "Tuerkisches bad", 2008

Q: Why not use men to make a commentary?  Or children?  How would the commentary change by changing the gender or age of the subject?

A: Die Männer reagieren anders als die Frauen auf meine Videoskulpturen. Die Männer sehen die Enge der Frau im Video weniger. Sie sind es ja, die mehrheitlich die Frauen im realen Leben in diese Rolle drängen. Männer haben sogar die Tendenz die Viedeoskulpturen erotisch zu interpretieren. Frauen hingegen sehen in den Skulpturen ihre Rolle in der Gesellschaft wiederspiegelt. Als Mann kann ich besser das andere Geschlecht beobachten und sehen wie es sich in der Gesellschaft bewegt.

Ich finde das Männerthema sollte von einer Frau angegangen werden. Da man in der eigenen Rolle gefangen ist, wird eine künstlerische, objektive Umsetzung schwierig oder plakativ. Leider sind viele Künstlerinnen mit Frauenthemen oder Kinderthemen beschäftigt. EIne intensive künstlerische Auseinandersetzung mit dem Mann sind selten.

Meine Themen sind eindeutig Erwachsenen bezogen. Sie handeln von Gefühlen von Menschen, welche schon von den Zwängen der Gesellschaft geprägt worden sind. Es werden Situationen dargestellt, aus denen Erwachsene auszubrechen wünschen. Diese Themen mit Kindern umzusetzen wäre sonderbar und würden falsch interpretiert werden. Videokunst mit Kindern müsste von Ängsten und Gefühlen aus Kindersicht handeln. Ich würde mich klarer ausdrucken wollen. Interpretationen fände ich sehr gefährlich. Es wäre eigentlich genau das Gegenteil von meiner momentanen Kunst, in der ich dem Betrachter gerne grossen Interpretationsraum lasse. Kinder in der Kunst find ich sehr schwierig. Meiner Meinung nach hat man eine Verantwortung bezüglich der Interpretation.

The men respond differently than the women on my video sculptures.The men see less the narrowness of the woman in the video. They are the ones who push the majority of women in real life in this role.
The men have a tendency to interpret my Viedeosculptures erotically. On the other hand, women see in the sculpture their role as it is reflected in society. As a man, I can better observe the opposite sex and see how it moves in society. I think the “Man Theme” should be addressed by a woman. Since we are caught in one’s own role as an artist, objective implementation is difficult without becoming trivial. Unfortunately, many female artists are engaged with women’s issues or children’s issues.  An intensive artistic confrontation with “Man Themes” are rare.

My works clearly relate to adults. They deal with human emotions which were shaped by the constraints of society. My art deals with showing situations from which adults want to break out of. These issues implemented with children would be strange and they would be misinterpreted. Video art with children would have to deal with fears and feelings from a child’s perspective.  I do not have this perspective which could result in a misled interpretation which could prove dangerous. It would be exactly the opposite of my current art,in which normally, I allow viewers to reach their own interpretation.  Children in art I find very difficult. I believe that one has a responsibility regarding the interpretation.

Marck's "Maria", 2009

Q: Video art presents to the viewer a short clip, almost like a trailer to a movie.  Is there a story beyond what we see?

A: Ja das stimmt. Meine Videosculpturen sind wie ein Clip für den persönlichen Film im Kopf. Die Geschichte wird in den Köpfen der Betrachter individuell vollendet.

Yes that’s true. My Videosculpturen as a clip for personal movie in the head. The story is individually finished in the minds of the viewers.

Q: What’s next for Marck?

A: In den letzten Monaten bin ich viel herumgreist. Es gab diverse Ausstellungen im Ausland. Ich habe viele Ideen und Eindrücke gesammelt Nun versuche ich diese technisch und gestallterisch umzusetzen. Darauf freue ich mich sehr. Auch werde ich versuchen mein Englisch zu verbessern…:;-)

In recent months I have traveled a lot. There were several exhibitions abroad. I have collected many ideas and impressions. Now I’m trying to implement this technically and artistically. Thereon I am pleased. I will also try to improve my English….;

Last week we covered some of the public art work commissioned by Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program.   Here are two more artists.

The first is Vancouver artist Rodney Graham.  A recognized Canadian artist with an international following, Graham is well-known for his conceptual and often humorous sculptures.  Aerodynamic Forms is located on the Georgia Street entrance to Stanley Park.

Rodney Graham"s "Aerodynamic Forms", 2009 (Photo: Karen Mills) (Courtesy of

Rodney Graham’s Artistic Statement (2009):

“The work takes its title from a series of photographs I shot in Vancouver in 1977…which documented a series of  ‘incorrectly’ assembled toy glider kits…I
put the models together not with a view to having them fly correctly, but with an eye to their aesthetic value as purely abstract sculptural forms… Part of
the challenge inherent in making these works was the very limited instrumental set from which I had to draw.

When I was asked to create a sculptural proposal for the entrance to Stanley Park, it occurred to me that it might be interesting to return to this work…and try to realize a large-scale version of one of these sculptures: to use the same very limited instrumental set with which anyone who has put together a toy glider would be familiar. The theme of flight seemed appropriate given the location too, for seaplanes are common sights at the entrance to the park.

And the park, of course, is a place where children and adults may very well play with gliders… Plus it would be something that would be interesting when glimpsed only briefly by passengers in vehicles moving at relatively high speed along West Georgia.

The title of the work is meant to evoke, in a slightly humorous way…that of a classical modernist public monument of a bygone period, elements of which the sculpture plays with. ”

Tania Ruiz Gutiérrez's Concept Image for "Garde-temps", 2009, (Courtesy J. Andres Ruiz)

Paris-based Tania Ruiz Gutiérrez was born in Chilé and raised in Bogota, Colombia.  She has received international recognition for her award-winning fiction and documentary films.  In 1997, she began experimenting with open-space video art installations.  In 2004, she obtained a PhD in art from the University Pantheon-Sorbonne in 2004.  She is, as well, a lecturer on film and art.

Tania Ruiz Gutiérrez’s “Garde-temps” is a light-based sculptural work.  Located under the Cambie Street Bridge (next to the pedestrian walkway) at West Second Avenue, Ruiz Gutiérrez’s work uses a camera (that captures heat) to record movement onto an electronic vase.

Tania Ruiz Gutiérrez’s Artistic Statement (2009):

“The literal English translation for Garde-temps is timekeeper, but it is more commonly used in French to denote a timepiece. In the case of this artwork, it infers the notion of time capacitor or time condenser, if such a thing was possible.

The idea for this artwork was inspired by fragments of a poem by Rosario Castellanos, A word to the heir:

“I will remain where I am, like those receptacles whose
plug-holes got clogged…
Time…slowly swamps over me.
It moves and does not elapse,
It swirls and lingers”

This artwork is a vessel for the distorted appearance of the place and the passersby, and emits moving pictures oscillating between the abstract and the figurative. Its surface alternately shows images captured by the nearby close circuit thermal camera and a series of pre-programmed patterns obtained by transforming these images.

I have been exploring different subjects for years, amongst them the spatial dimension of motion pictures, cities as living organisms, early cinema apparatuses, and weaving techniques. This light-based work represents in a certain way the encounter of these disparate yet alongside paths. It is my intention that this object retains the dynamics of the place, much like a weaving work conserves the memory of its fabrication. Garde-temps, more than a sculpture, is a fountain — a fluid source of variations on a theme.”

Christian Kliegel's "Walk In/Here You Are" (Detail) (Courtesy of the artist)

In one of the press releases for the Vancouver Public Art Program, Gregor Robertson, the mayor of Vancouver, writes:

“The sculptures, installations and events in this city-wide collection reflect the spirit and values of Vancouver and the 2010 Winter Games, from their nod to our historical and social fabric to their innovative incorporation of sustainable materials.  Bold and vibrant, they have been created by respected established and emerging artists from Vancouver and Canada.  We’re also pleased to include in this collection exciting and international artists working in contemporary art.”

The public art program is part of Vancouver’s celebration of both the Olympics and the city itself.   For a country that doesn’t always give its artists their proper recognition, Vancouver’s public art initiative is both refreshing and inspirational.  This week, we thought we’d look at three of the artists commissioned by the city of Vancouver: Vancouver artist Christian Kliegel; Canadian artists Adrian Göllner (who lives in Ottawa) and Pierre Poussin (Toronto).  Next week?  Artists Tania Ruiz Gutliérr and Rodney Graham.

Christian Kliegel's Concept Image "Walk in/Here you are", 2009 (Courtesy of the artist)

Christian Kliegel’s statement (2009) on “Walk In/Here You Are”:

“Walk In/Here You Are is a large-scale installation on the Central Library  plaza that serves as a venue for visitors to engage with a curated program of projected videos and live performances… A form of a drive-in theatre has been created to encourage viewers to temporarily interact with clusters of street furniture found within the jurisdiction of the Vancouver Parks and Recreation Board.

The furniture is embedded into a large wooden deck. As the library plaza slopes down towards the entrance of the library (the location of the screen), the furniture increasingly disappears into the deck. The relationship between what is foreground or background is eventually inverted. This change in interface constrains the use of the seating while simultaneously opening up new possibilities of interaction.”

Adrian Göllner and Pierre Poussin's Concept Image "Fireworks Boulevard", 2009 (Courtesy of the artists)

Adrian Göllner and Pierre Poussin's Concept Image "Fireworks Boulevard", 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Adrian Göllner  and Pierre Poussin’s statement (2009) on “Fireworks Boulevard”:

“Beneath a long, dark Canadian winter, Vancouver will be a hive of activity during the 2010 Olympic Games. As a way of brightening the nights, adding to the sense of excitement and making the City visually remarkable, we have developed three artistic lighting schemes for the City’s downtown core and Cambie Street.

Fireworks Boulevard, a series of sequenced LED fireworks, will chase down Cambie Street, transforming it into a grand entrance boulevard to the City. Vivid and unequivocally joyful, one can imagine watching the street lighting against a sky filled with actual fireworks during the Games.

The passage between the LiveCity venues will be marked with a path of blue LED lights, which will feature animated rain sequences. In Yaletown, these cool-toned LED rain barrels will be complemented by a series of warm-coloured flickering LED flames. The flames atop the lampposts will bring a touch of the Olympic Torch from BC Place Stadium, where it will be housed, outside to the city streets. Flickering candle-like flames will also provide a sense of warmth for the cold winter evenings and recall a time when gaslight was used to illuminate the streets of Yaletown.”

Zhao Kailin's "The Dream Back to Tang Dynasty", 2010 (Courtesy of Eli Klein Fine Art)

There can be no doubt that what makes Chinese contemporary art so universally powerful and internationally prominent is its uncanny ability to visually voice the modernist angst within a world that is constantly changing.  Perhaps more than any other country (along with India, I would say) China’s artists have managed to consistently understand that modern day uncertainty transcends borders.  As such, this angst does not belong to any particular individual or country but is, instead, embedded within the collective sensibility.  It is a universal human theme.

Much has been made of the drastic economic change and consequent modernization within China and the ensuing problems which accompany such rapid socio-economic transformation. While there is no doubt that this reality has played a significant role in Chinese contemporary art, it only half-answers why Chinese contemporary art has developed such international appeal.

Luo Qing's "2008 AD", 2009, Courtesy of Eli Klein Fine Art

The real answer lies in the “immediacy of the modernist angst” that is so apparent in Chinese contemporary art, an immediacy that is a direct reflection of the “sudden and present” nature of  China’s growth.

Unlike the Western World’s Industrial Revolution which occurred over a one hundred year span, China’s “industrial revolution” is taking place in the now.  Moreover, it is happening in a much more condensed time span.  This is also amplified by modern communications which allows one to both personally witness and experience first hand the different aspects of these changes. The Western world hasn’t lived through the drastic changes of radical modernization the way China’s people have.  The Western world has not gone from black to white within the span of a few years.  China has and it is this immediacy that China’s contemporary artists have been able to translate onto their canvasses.

Zhang Dali's "Slogan B5", 2009, Courtesy of Eli Klein Fine Art

In turn, this immediacy resonates with our Western world’s present preoccupation with political and economic uncertainty.  The words terror and recession no longer belong in the sphere of “the other”.  9/11 shattered the Western world’s comfort zone and left, in its onslaught, an angst not unconnected to that experienced by China in the wake of its radical socio-economic change.

Like so many of their contemporaries, the art of Zhao Kailin, Luo Qing, Zhang Dali, and Jiang Huan explores the pervading sense of alienation that often accompanies the individual’s navigation through an uncertain world.  These artists, along with a number of others, are being exhibited at Eli Klein Fine Art until March 1.

Jiang Huan's "Nanna's Sunday", 2009, Courtesy of Eli Klein Fine Art

If you are in New York, the Eli Klein gallery is well worth a visit.  If you walk away with anything, it will be this:  the Contemporary Chinese art scene did not explode onto the Western art market because of its sensationalist subject matter or its sensationalist marketing strategy.  What puts contemporary Chinese art at the forefront is its ability to speak directly to the global citizen of today.

Louko: The Ghetto Biennale. Portrait of Louko as he looks on..., 2009 (Photo: Seitu Jones)

Louko being interviewd (Photo: Tracey Moberly) (Courtesy of Tracey Moberly)

Today CheckoutART dedicates its page to the artist Louko who, along with many thousands of others, died on January 12, 2010, when an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale devastated Haiti.  Over the last two weeks, we have heard and seen the complete and utter destruction of this already impoverished nation.  Yet, perhaps even more striking than the unspeakable calamity is the resilience and the determination of the Haitian people.  We have seen images of people singing, people describing their survival as a “new life”, students gathering together in front of the destroyed Presidential Palace and raising Haiti’s flag.  I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I was with how quickly photographer Leah Gordon (who is presently in Haiti) and Tracey Moberly (a political artist and co-founder of foundry.tv) got back to me.  Both women have long established ties to the art community in Haiti and are well-known artists themselves.  No sooner would I e-mail them something, then they would both e-mail me back.  I cannot begin to thank these women for their generosity.  Leah even took the time to answer some questions.

As a point of reference, The Sculptors of Grand Rue are a group of Haitian artists who have made an international name for themselves with their sculptures made from an assemblage of wood carving, metal, and found objects.  Grand Rue is the name of one of the main streets in Port-au-Prince.

Q: You asked me to dedicate this article to the memory of Louko, please tell us about him.

A: LOUKO WAS IN HIS MID THIRTIES. HE STARTED WORKING WITH THE SCULPTORS OF GRAND RUE AS A WELDER. BUT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HE HAS BEEN CREATING WORK OF HIS OWN. hE IS A BIG MAN, VERY BUFF AND WORKS OUT, WITH A BIG GENEROUS HEART TO GO WITH IT. HE WORKED SO HARD FOR THE GHETTO BIENNALE. HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

Entrance to the Ghetto Biennale (Photo: Seitu Jones)

Q: We cannot talk about the contemporary art scene in Haiti without addressing the current tragedy.  Human life is above all everyone’s concern, how much has been lost in this tragedy in the arts community?

A: THIS IS HARD TO SAY BUT THE CENTRE D’ART FELL AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DESPERATE TO SAVE THE ART WORKS INSIDE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE MUSEE D’ART CONTEMPORAIRE IS AT THE MOMENT WHICH CONTAINS HIPPOLYTES. THE SCULPTORS OF GRAND RUE DESPERATELY NEED HELP TO STORE THEIR HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK WHILST THEY REBUILD THEIR ATELIERS AND HOMES. THEY ARE SCARED THAT THE AUTHORITIES WILL CLEAR IT AWAY. THEY HAVE HAD THEIR WORK BURNT TWICE IN HAITI ALREADY WHILST IN SHOWS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. BOTH TIMES BY EVANGELISTIC PASTORS SAYING IT IS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL. IF YOU CAN THINK OF ANY INSTITUTIONS THAT CAN HELP. THEY HAVE A MASS OF WONDERFUL PRECIOUS WORK.

The Ghetto Biennale Sign Fallen but Not Destroyed, 2010, (Photo Leah Gordon) (Courtesy of Leah Gordon)

Q: Could you describe the contemporary art scene in Haiti before this?

A: THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BOURGEOIS ARTISTS BUT THE MAJORITY OF ARTISTS ARE FROM POOR NEIGHBOURHOODS AND EITHER SELF TAUGHT OR TAUGHT BY THE APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM. BUT HAITIAN ARTISTS ALTHOUGH NOT SCHOOLED IN ART SCHOOLS ARE TIRED OF THE LABEL NAIVE. LIVING AND SURVIVING AS THEY DO THEY FEEL THEY ARE ANYTHING BUT NAIVE.

Celeur Jean Herard's "The Delivery", 2004 (Courtesy of Leah Gordon)

Q: Groups like the Grand Rue Sculptors (who lost a member and to whom this article will be dedicated) have gained prominence outside of Haiti.  Do you think they see their social role redefined almost as a mission?

A: THEY ALWAYS FELT THEIR WORK HAD CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS. AT THE MOMENT THEY ARE JUST HELPING THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD TO SURVIVE. THE PEOPLE IN THEIR AREA HAVE RECEIVED NO AID AT ALL. THEY NEED TENTS TO SHELTER THEM.

Q: Support for artists even in good times is poor, let alone in a poor country.  What implications does this have for young emerging artists who still haven’t made a name outside of Haiti?

A: MY OPINION IS THAT WHILST HAITI IS MATERIALLY POOR IT IS CULTURALLY RICH. PERHAPS THIS TRAGEDY WILL MAKE PEOPLE TAKE NOTICE OF WHAT GREAT CREATIVITY AND BEAUTY HAITI CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD.

Andre Eugene's "Dantor", 2007 (Courtesy of Leah Gordon)

Q: There seems to be a lot of reference to vodou.  What role does this play in the Haitian art of today?

A: ART IS THE MATERIAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CULTURE AND THE CULTURE IS DOMINATED BY VODOU. VODOU IS MUCH MALIGNED AS IT WAS THE CULTURAL FORCE BEHIND THE SLAVES REVOLT. TO UNDERMINE A POLITICAL MOVEMENT THE COLONIAL FORCES DEMONIZED THE CULTURE BEHIND IT.

Kanaval "Jakmel" (Photo: Leah Gordon) (courtesy of Leah Gordon)

Q: Lately, there seems to be a return towards the miniature.  I’m thinking of artists like Do Ho Suh or, closer to home, KarineGiboulo and Jason Walker. Is there something about our society that isleading certain artists in this direction?

A: I start with miniature characters as a pictorial trick. It’s what allows me to create a larger scene on a smaller canvas.

Q: Your subjects – war, torture, ect. – are huge in and of themselves. Yet miniature is often reminiscent of childhood and hiding things in pockets… trivial innocence, fun, and somewhat secretive. Why choose to paint something “so big so small”?

A: In making it small we have an aerial point of view like God’s eye. I can make a bigger scene by using smaller scale characters.

Q: Miniature began with illuminated manuscripts – it was a means of conveying the written word.  The “written words” in your series are “devotion” (the title) and “HOLY”.  I think of the obvious and historic confrontation between Christianity and Islam and the present day confrontation. Are the works a political, post 9/11 commentary?

A: Yes, it’s inspired by 9/11 but the majority of inspiration stems from the AbouGhraib jail where the torturers picture themselves in action. Since always, each war brings out the same thing in those involved with it.  It’s the almost mechanized repetition of what it brings out that is explored in this series.

Q: There’s an incredible element of play in your work – the school bus, the police car juxtaposed in the middle of historically dressed figures.  Moreover, they too retain some of the “toy like” qualities that the figures possess…All of this lends to the work a certain nonchalance.  There does not appear to be any overt judgment on the various horrors going on.  I can’t help but think of our modern day immunity to the war and destruction that surrounds us.  Are the works an observation of our neutrality/indifference to our present day world?

A: Yes, there is a certain indifference with conflict in our society. I believe there is a disillusion and cynicism about everything. When it comes to my work, there tends to be two interpretations: Those who observe the critic in my drawings and those who see it as a sort of “Where’s Waldo?” game.

Q: You worked on this series for two years.  What was it that fascinated you about it?

A: The scene and placing of time with an anachronistic play is what I like best in my work. Create a universe where we can see a few small scenes and if we see all the drawing it forms a bigger different scene.

Q: How would the series be different if you had decided to depict the figures on a larger scale?

A: A few years ago, I began a new series (no longer miniature) entitled “Expiations” (the one on my website). The idea came from my wish to isolate a scene in order to make it larger. My desire was to express clearly the tensions of torture.

Q: There is something very abstract about your work.  What has prevented you from becoming purely abstract?

A: Abstract art has no interest in my practice except for the pictorial composition.. From far, my small characters look like stars constellations

Q: What’s next for Pierre Durette?

A: Next step is to finish the series Expiations. My next work is a series of photographs where I’ll go deeper into my research on traffic identity in times between middle age and science fiction.

All pictures for this article were provided by the Artist.  Checkout Pierre’s website at www.pierredurette.com.  Pierre is represented by galerie Orange at www.galerieorange.com