夏...已至
2017.07.14 - 2017.08.30 群展

我是否可以把你比喻成夏天?
虽然你比夏天更可爱更温和。
——莎士比亚十四行诗第18首

夏日是一个充满了无限可能性、夸张戏剧性和高度矛盾性的时节。骄阳、雷暴、闷热的城市孕育着夏日的甜美却也催生着混乱。万物的尺度和强度似乎都随着夏日的高温得到了伸展——白昼延长,黑夜缩短,身处在更为耀眼的阳光下,我们的状态似乎也变得愈加激奋。 玛尔塔·里夫斯曾唱到:“夏日已至,让我们到街上跳舞吧”——一方面,孩童在街上尽情地戏耍,另一方面,在1964年夏季的种族骚动中人们走上美国各地街头,示威游行。一如歌中继续唱到:“准备好迎接全新的节拍吧”,似乎在昭示亟需发生的改变。“爱之夏”、“山姆的夏天”、“1969年的夏日”等社会事件和文艺作品均体现了夏季是个糅杂了欢心愉悦与躁动混乱的矛盾体。在闷热的夏风、慵懒的白日梦、水果的香甜里,我们的情感在扩张,逻辑被消解。我们不禁试问,这些情感能被夏日万物所承载与表达的究竟有几何?

BANK画廊邀请了22位不同代际、不同背景的艺术家(团体)参与我们的夏季群展,其中部分艺术家的作品将首次在上海展出。无论是具象如海滩上暴露的人群、倾泻入画室窗户的盛阳,还是抽象如变幻的浓烈色块和炽热的年轻之爱,融合了绘画、动态视频、摄影以及装置等艺术表达形式,此次参展艺术家(团体)将用他们的作品来诠释那些生于夏日却又无法全然用夏日来构筑的情感细节与生命体验。


NOW IS THE SUMMER OF OUR (DIS)CONTENT
Jul 14, 2017 - Aug 30, 2017

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

—— Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare

Summer is the season of infinite possibilities, unbridled play, and paradox. The blazing sun, threatening storms, and sweltering cities have historically been stimuli for sweet serenity as well as for disorder. In summer the scope and strength of reality seems to be stretched out. The days are longer, nights shorter, lights brighter and spirits are ablaze. “Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets…” sings Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’, describing ecstatic kids reveling in fire hydrants, and at the same time, the great racial upheaval of 1964 that saw people across America’s cities taking to the streets. The song continues “get ready for a brand new beat” signaling overdue change. The Summer of Love, Summer of Sam, Summer of ‘69, are enigmatic events that signal the modern summer as a catalyst for a lethal mix of euphoria and chaos. Summertime sees our sentiments dilated and logic subdued by sweltering hot winds, lazy daydreams, and sweet fruit. In this exhibition we are intrigued to ponder, to what extent can objects accommodate and express these seasonal sensations.

BANK invites 22 artists of different generations and backgrounds to join our summer carnival. Some of these artists are exhibiting in Shanghai for the first time while others are of BANK’s usual stable. Spanning video, photography, installation, and with a focus on painting, the colors of summer come to life. From naked crowds on the beach and pouring sunlight in the studio, to optical abstractions, saturated tableaus and passionate young love, these artists express the infinite emotions and experience borne of this summer of our discontent.