Art Weekly: 'Welcome', 'Nature Story', 'Are you Normal?', and an Interactive Show

This week, things get deep with two solo exhibitions by young artists eager to discuss fundamental existential questions like: “Who am I?" and "What is art?” If you don't have a clue how to respond to those questions, there's plenty more answers to be found within Beijing's best art events, which can be found here.

Until August 26: Welcome
Born in 1988, Tan Tian launches his second solo exhibition Welcome, in which he questions the fine balance between sacrificing artistic independence in exchange for commercial recognition. You may find the answers in this exhibition, but as with any skilled artist, Tan leaves even the obvious up for debate. White Space. Free.

August 28: The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep and Their Elopement
The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep and Their Elopement (Leave the show now if you want to!) is a comedic production combining theater, story-telling, live-feed technology and Danmaku (i.e. "bullet curtain," the Japanese art of barraging audiences' senses). This show has also been invited to perform at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival on October 20-21. Penghao Theater. 3.30pm. Free.

Until September 3: Are you Normal?
This group show was created by teachers and students from the School of Experimental Art at Beijing’s China Central Academy of Fine Arts. In the show they explore the nature of antagonism between normal and abnormal, stating: "Setting the infringement of freedom as the limitation, people’s freedom is boundless; this is a birthright given by god, even though men with servility have wasted such right. Toward individual’s freedom of choice, the thought of 'Normal' or 'Abnormal' becomes somewhat antagonistic: it sets current culture norms as the standards, while at the same time these norms are in a constant process of change in which the 'abnormal' can become the new normal. In other words: forget 'Normal' or 'Abnormal', individual freedom is the key." A rebellious statement indeed. Boers-Li Gallery.

Until September 25: Nature Story
Born in 1984, Yunnan native Tao Fa holds his sixth solo exhibition at Soka Art Beijing. Disappear in Tao's oil paintings and you'll find a spiritual world, including the cornerstones of nature: sky, land, clouds, grass, and animals, all of them presenting the strength of freedom. “It is like a child running freely in nature,” describes Soka Art Center, “and as a Miao minzu, Tao Fa believes in the existence of ghosts, also including them in his artworks.” Soka Art Center. Free.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos courtesy of organizers