The Grounds Preview

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Stop 1: The Elements

Ren Zhe, Stainless steel sculptures, Various dimensions, 2014The Confucian scholars argued that each of the five elements – metal, wood, water, fire and earth – represented a moral value. In order to reveal the relationship between nature and humans within the universe, these sculptures are shown in various wushu martial art positions. Artist explores the idea of junzi, a man who adheres to the set of moral values promoted by Confucian philosophical tradition.

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Stop 2: Blooming Life

Fan Xiaoyan, Stainless steel and purple copper sculpture, 400 × 280 × 540 cm, 2015Nature is governed by the survival of the fittest. Creatures with greater survival skills are the winners of the natural world and the clam is one of them. It is only when it believes the environment is safe, that it opens up its hard shell, exposing its delicate body. This opening represents the blossoming beauty of these extraordinary creatures. It conveys a feeling of life enjoyment and freedom.

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Stop 3: Dreams Frolic in Reality

Gao Xiaowu, Stainless steel sculpture, 200 x 230 x 250 cm, 2014Dreams and reality, paradox and ambiguity. This is an ongoing topic for humanity. The most beautiful things that humanity has created are civilisation and urbanisation. However, in creating them, we have also detached ourselves from our primitive and original nature. In his countryside childhood the artist dreamt of the city. In his adult life in a city, he dreams about the countryside.

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Stop 4: Gong

Zheng Lu, Stainless steel sculpture, 350 x 300 x 100 cm, 2014Two ancient Chinese symbols of war have been placed on the west and east terraces of the first floor. These are the Gong and the Drum. One (the gong) signifies retreat to reposition and the other (the drum) signifies advance. When both are sounded together, it means victory. Meticulously crafted, the two sculptures have been created with the poetry and ancient sayings of Chinese generals.

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Stop 5: Chinese Landscape

Chen Wenling, Stainless steel sculpture, 665 x 313 x 480 cm, 2007The work combines the lyrical harmony of natural elements with the coldness and the power of modern progress. It is a metaphorical representation of the transition of Chinese society from agricultural to industrial. This is an example of a recent trend through which we can understand the complexity and value of Chinese contemporary art in its transitional phase between traditional and modern.

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Stop 6: The Red East

Liu Ruowang, Bronze sculpture, 520 x 340 x 180 cm, 2014The traditional Chinese painted sculpture portrays a loyal and daring nation. The common image of the farmer with the red face represents vitality and energy and also reflects the sudden rise of China’s people. The people’s fate has barely changed throught the ages – they are still classified in ranks, still making sacrifices in the name of revolution and this is all still for no good reason.

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Stop 7: Sceptre and Orb

Li Hui, Stainless steel, rose wood and titanised copper sculpture, 300 x 100 x 100 cm (both), 2014The symmetry of the piece has been broken, which means barriers have been destroyed and new symmetries created. This concept of destruction and creation represents the power of fragmentation, which forces a sense of helplessness upon viewers. It is a concept which belongs to the realm of physics, but one which also touches the human soul and spirit.

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Stop 8: Kei Ling

Xia Hang, Stainless steel on corten steel base scluptures, Various dimensions, 2014-2015The sculptures represent the Chinese mythical animals Kei Ling. Always depicted in pairs, they represent collective beauty. Xia Hang’s sculptures are crafted from 12,000 pieces of stainless steel, assembled by hand to create each form. Kei Ling have been part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years and are thought to be kind, loyal, courageous, peaceful, noble and lucky.

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Stop 9: The Sleep

Antonio Fiorentino, Resin, graphite, sand and plaster, 2018The Sleep portrays a sleeping figure, realistic in its most intimate details and suspended in the passage of time. The figure seems to be in a state of physical tension, unconsciousness and restless sleep, unable to exercise one’s reason. Paying homage to Francisco Goya's The sleep of reason generates monsters, Antonio Fiorentino's work is a metaphor of our present plea, individual and collective, for a necessary awakening.

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Stop 10: The Net

Wang Luyan, Stainless steel installation, 2100 x 2000 x 500 cm, 2014This work represents the drag net commonly used in fishing. The viewer can move through the installation, experiencing the net from the viewpoint of sea life caught within it. Thus, the usual relationship of captor to captive is subverted as the viewer becomes entangled in the artwork and perhaps begins to experience something of the confusion and fear fish experience before death. The piece was part of the global exhibition On Sharks & Humanity, seen by more than 700,000 visitors in four countries.