Looking Back | NO.19 : “File of Performance Art in Hunan 1985-2024”

Looking Back | NO.19 : “File of Performance Art in Hunan 1985-2024” will take place on the evening of July 14 at the UPAA archive.

The collection and organization of materials over the past six months has been a massive undertaking. Performance art created by mainland Chinese artists first emerged around 1985, with activities taking place in Beijing, Xiamen, Tibet, Shanghai, Wuhan, and other locations, with Hunan among them. Since then, Hunan has become an extremely important region in the history of contemporary Chinese art. What is remarkable is that over the past four decades, while a group of avant-garde artists emerged in the 1980s and remain highly productive to this day, Hunan’s performance art activities, despite fluctuations and ups and downs, have continued uninterrupted and remain vibrant to this day.

As a result, the documentation and archives of Hunan’s performance art have become vast and complex, with the task of organizing them far exceeding initial expectations. Some works from long ago require creators to make multiple inquiries to contact the artists, and it is lamentable that some artists have passed away. While these art documents cannot be said to have been forgotten by the art world, they are indeed rarely mentioned.

Objective historical clues require cross-referencing from multiple sources to gradually come to light, making the collection and organization of documents extremely challenging. The completion of this project is undoubtedly owed to the understanding and support of many colleagues! Teachers like Zou Jianping, Liu Xun, and Guan Ye, among others, actively cooperated and provided assistance, enthusiastically participating in contacting relevant artists, verifying information, and even providing a large amount of valuable historical documents.

Their academic attitude and chivalrous spirit are truly admirable and touching. We would like to extend our special gratitude to Professor Wen Peng, who voluntarily took on the arduous task of collecting documentary materials over a period of more than six months, investing immense effort and dedication. On July 14, Professor Wen Peng will share the story of performance art in Hunan over the past four decades at the UP-ON Archive Museum!

Hunan “0 Art Group,” 1985

“Birthday”, Shi Qiang

In December 1985, the Hunan “0 Art Group” was established in Changsha. The exhibition was held at the Fuxiangyuan in Changsha Martyrs’ Park. Among the works on display was Shi Qiang’s Birthday, which featured dozens of red candles arranged on the canvas. The audience lit the candles several times, resulting in the destruction of the original work.