We do not know how art began any more than we know how language started. If we take art to mean such activities as building temples and houses, making pictures and sculptures, or weaving patterns, there are no people in all the world without art. If, on the other hand, we mean by art as some kind of beautiful “luxury”, something to enjoy in museums and exhibitions or something special to use as precious decoration in the best parlour, we must realize that this use of the word is a very recent development and that many of the greatest builders, painters or sculptors of the past never dreamed of it.

The British philosopher of art, Richard Wollheim believes that we should resist the tendency to see art as an abstract idea that needs to be analysed and explained. If we are to fully understand art, according to his view, we must always define it in relation to its social context. Since art is a form of life, and it is always a reflection of an individuals’ beliefs, emotions, experiences, skills, social background and happiness. According to the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "The only happiness lies in reason; all the rest of the world is dismal. The highest reason, however, I see in the work of the artist …."

Therefore, in the BACA Talk Festival, we invite artists, art publishers and educators to share their art experiences, their happiness and their perspective of What is art? What is art for? Why is art education so important?

— GUAN Qi

Series 2

2020.12.12 | Saturday

Talk 1

Ji Yucheng

Create Accidents

Time：15:00-15:45

Language: Chinese

The skillful use of traditional media and forms in Ji Yucheng's works, the implicit and ghostly transplantation and grafting in the package overlaps the past and the present, forming a narrative that is parallel with reality and the grotesque, and detours into the subjective consciousness and unconsciousness. The reflection of self-expression in the unspoken language also insinuates the artist's discussion and questioning of history and the present.

His perspective has always been centered on the theme of time and space. Through multiple levels and changes in time and space. The artist tries to excavate, research and express the intertwined images of the life and history. The expression of contradiction and conflict seems to come from the nature of the artist. The influence of Chinese Southern and Northern culture, as well as Chinese traditional culture and Western culture on the artist during his growth has brought continuous inspiration to his creation. The phenomenon of interlacing time and space not only exists in science fiction movies, but also in daily life: urban villages surrounded by high-rise skyscrapers, international friends who speak fluent local dialects, and history always repeated itself. However, we lose our keen sense during the rapid social change and are accustomed to the numbness of contradictions.

Ji Yucheng：

Artist. Graduated from Royal college of art at 2015. Now works and lives in Beijing.

Talk 2

Jin Yu

Monk’s Love

Time：16:00-16:45

Language: Chinese

Jin Yu's work has always been concerned with the use of symbols and different languages in a multicultural context. Life is full of all kinds of symbols that have a whole system of image politics and power relations behind them, and she often puzzled by them. Symbols are the miasma that confuses reality. This exhibition presents a series of "symbol collages" that she created in Rome in 2017 and some recent reflections on "symbolic superficiality". The works include drawing, video, and sculpture.

In the video of "Monk's Love", Jin Yu tried to document the sculpture in the way of film, making the sculpture become props and symbolic carriers with a new narrative. By observing and extracting elements in Roman cities and objects in flea markets, she used collage and editing to create a fiction of a fake monk's search for his "desires". She put objects in contexts where they shouldn't be, so as to cast doubt on their symbolism: Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain, hordes of Chinese tour groups, melting gelato, the hormones in the Italian air, etc...

Jin Yu graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design BFA Sculpture Department in 2018, and currently studying at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, MFA Sculpture Department.

Talk 3

Anthony May

The Evolution of Art and War

Time：17:00-17:45

Language: English

Art has found a place in all aspects of human experience and this has most certainly been the case for war. War as a phenomenon has illustrated how destructive Man can be. Just as wars have influenced national, political and social movements, wars have also heavily influenced art. As the nature of war has changed traditional depictions of war have often failed to provide an adequate representation of conflict in the new era of heavily industrialized Total War. The Evolution of Art and War seeks to analyse artistic responses to modern war in the 20th century.

Anthony May：

Anthony May is an educator living and working in Beijing. He holds a MA in Philosophy and Political Science. He has always had a deep interest in art as well as the psychology of the artists themselves. His research interests include Friedrich Nietzsche, epistemology and the history of philosophy.

Tickets

2020.12.12 | Saturday | 15:00-17:45

- Talk Ticket: 30RMB

- Package Ticket: 88RMB

Include Talk Ticket + 1 Bag 69 RMB

Please scan QR code for registration.

Current Exhibition

JIN Yu | Monk’s Love

2020.11.28 - 2021.1.3

BACA Art Centre | Nook Gallery

BACA Art Centre | Nook Gallery is a new addition to the Beijing art scene, and is located within the second ring road of Beijing, near Yonghe Temple. The Centre is a unique platform to promote emerging contemporary artists, as well as being an experimental space for exhibition, performance and film. BACA Art Centre | Nook Gallery also holds art workshops and short courses, taught in English by Art and Design professionals and suitable for all ages.