Spring Break
'INK not INK' art exhibit on display
Nathan Fried
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News
Just as the flags of each nation line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, stretching from City Hall to the Art Museum, so does that of Wendu Gu's "United Nations: Man & Space Year 2000" here on campus. However, there is one slightly strange yet powerfully elegant difference. The flags that line our seven-floor glass lobby of Bossone hall are made out of human hair.
This 15-year, ongoing global art project created by Wendu Gu is the highlight of a month-long Chinese Contemporary art exhibition right here on Drexel's main campus. INK not INK is the first and only of its kind in the Philadelphia region, and after making its single U.S. stop here on campus, it will travel to Europe.
"It feels like 15th century Florence to me, this is like a renaissance era for this university," Joseph Gregory, co-director for INK not INK at Drexel, said.
This survey-scale exhibition will feature over 80 paintings, prints, sculptures and videos created by 40 Chinese artists. The exhibit opened at the Shenzhen Art Museum in September 2008 and traveled to the Today Art Museum in Beijing before its arrival here at Drexel. The University is the sole host for this international art exhibition.
"It's a testament of [Dr. Constnantine Papdakis'] vision and the energies of the entire University that we were able to bring it here," Abbie Dean, co-director of INK not INK, said.
The literal translation from Chinese to English of INK not INK ended up being the explanation of this exhibit.
"What [INK not INK] references is the ancient tradition of ink painting. That's the INK. And all the ways it's been manipulated and transformed by contemporary circumstances. That's the NOT INK part," Gregory said.
In the age of mechanical reproduction, there seems to be a discontinuity between traditional forms of ink painting and contemporary artists, which may utilize ink printers and photographs amongst many other medians for expression. However, INK not INK attempts to show that ancient traditions, although implemented in a very different way in today's culture, still play a strong role in contemporary expression.
This 15-year, ongoing global art project created by Wendu Gu is the highlight of a month-long Chinese Contemporary art exhibition right here on Drexel's main campus. INK not INK is the first and only of its kind in the Philadelphia region, and after making its single U.S. stop here on campus, it will travel to Europe.
"It feels like 15th century Florence to me, this is like a renaissance era for this university," Joseph Gregory, co-director for INK not INK at Drexel, said.
This survey-scale exhibition will feature over 80 paintings, prints, sculptures and videos created by 40 Chinese artists. The exhibit opened at the Shenzhen Art Museum in September 2008 and traveled to the Today Art Museum in Beijing before its arrival here at Drexel. The University is the sole host for this international art exhibition.
"It's a testament of [Dr. Constnantine Papdakis'] vision and the energies of the entire University that we were able to bring it here," Abbie Dean, co-director of INK not INK, said.
The literal translation from Chinese to English of INK not INK ended up being the explanation of this exhibit.
"What [INK not INK] references is the ancient tradition of ink painting. That's the INK. And all the ways it's been manipulated and transformed by contemporary circumstances. That's the NOT INK part," Gregory said.
In the age of mechanical reproduction, there seems to be a discontinuity between traditional forms of ink painting and contemporary artists, which may utilize ink printers and photographs amongst many other medians for expression. However, INK not INK attempts to show that ancient traditions, although implemented in a very different way in today's culture, still play a strong role in contemporary expression.
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