This article was written to appear in the Sydney Time Out magazine, for the subject Media Writing and Production.
Down the
Rabbit Hole
Take a
trip down the rabbit hole in Chippendale’s White Rabbit Gallery. The famed
contemporary Chinese art gallery presents four levels of Eastern art and
installations in their new exhibition, and while the name conjures images of
tea parties and red queens, different kinds of surprises await in this
wonderland of contemporary Chinese art.
It’s
fair to say most Sydneysiders don’t consider Chinese art when looking to get
their cultural fix, but Judith is adamant people have been very receptive and
welcoming about the idea of Chinese art. ‘I think they come in expecting one
thing, and leave pleasantly surprised about what it is all about’ she says. An
incredibly diverse scene, Chinese artists have their own distinct spin on their
creations that stem from their culture. It’s probably no surprise that Chinese
art tends to be much more political than art from other areas – You don’t have
to look much further than Ai Weiwei as an example of how China’s censorship
laws can affect their art.
Down
the Rabbit Hole is White Rabbit’s most visually exciting exhibition yet. Art
collective LuxuryLogico’s lamp installation is a standout piece, as is Wu
Daxin’s six-foot high frozen bronze heart. The humidity in the air creates ice
on the sculpture throughout the day, which it is left to melt over night and
begins again each day. Wu was inspired to create the piece when he visited his
friend in hospital and saw him connected to all these tubes and meant for it to
be a statement on human fragility and beauty.
Political
and social statements seen throughout give audiences a real insight into
China’s political landscape right now.
Wu Junyong’s digital animations reflect the Cultural Revolution and how
it has shaped the Chinese, while Yao Lu and Xu Bing both work with garbage to
create surprising beautiful landscapes. They are allusions to the consumerist
society China has become, and a not so subtle reference to the environmental
issues the country faces.
Every
six months the entire gallery is changed around, with just a fraction of
Judith’s impressive collection on show at one time. She says Down the Rabbit
Hole has no distinct theme as such, ‘it is more just what felt right together.
We’d keep thinking we had the exhibition perfect, but someone would notice a
piece that felt out of place and we’d move it all around again’.
You
may not have such a fascination with contemporary Chinese art as Judith does,
though this stunning exhibition may just change that.
Down
the Rabbit Hole is showing at White Rabbit Gallery until 1 August, 2012. The
gallery is located at 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale, is open Thursday to
Sunday from 10am to 6pm and is a short walk from Central Station.
