'Once Upon a Time:' Stories of different eras within the same place
2025-01-18 to 2025-05-05
2025-01-18 to 2025-05-05
As one of "PSA Collection Series," the exhibition features Shanghai-based artists who narrate stories of different eras within the same place via their own artistic languages.
"Once Upon a Time," a group exhibition of 16 individual/group artists, is on show at Power Station of Art (PSA) through May 5.
As one of "PSA Collection Series," the exhibition features Shanghai-based artists who narrate stories of different eras within the same place via their own artistic languages.
Big names include Yu Youhan, Li Shan, Hu Xiangcheng, Zhou Tiehai, Yang Fudong and Birdhead.
Deeply rooted in Shanghai, some of them were born and grew up here, others settled in the city after studying here at a young age; sharing a destiny intertwined with the city's ever-changing cityscape.
Their works are both enduring memories and extensions of their lives and consciousness, revealing the intricate bond between the hidden individual and the city.
Their works are both enduring memories and extensions of their lives and consciousness.
For example, "Airport" by Zhou Tiehai is quite impressive. Zhou is a well-known contemporary artist whose artworks have been exhibited extensively at institutions around the globe such as 48th International Art Exhibition Venice Biennale.
A sound installation created by Zhou in 1996, the work engages visitors by placing them into a virtual waiting room via a simulated broadcast, repeatedly playing "ready to get on board" and "cannot even take off."
Another spotlight is a short video titled "I Will Die" by Yang Zhenzhong.
Born in 1968, Yang's artistic practice mainly focuses on conceptual art, involving video, photography, installation, painting, sculpture, and other art forms. He has been active in the global contemporary art scene for a long time and participated twice in the Venice Biennale (2003 and 2007).
"I Will Die" is an ongoing video project initiated by Yang in 2000. For over a decade, the artist has travelled around a dozen countries and collected over 600 video clips of people of different ages, identities and cultures saying "I will die" to the camera in different languages.
The video installation has been presented internationally in numerous institutions and exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale in 2007, Centre Pompidou and MoMA New York.
It was awarded Grand Prize at the Short Video Festival, Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial, in 2003 and received the Jury Honor Award at the AVIFF Cannes Art Film Festival in 2014.
Since 2016, the Yang Zhenzhong Studio in collaboration of the Cc Foundation has been running an online open call for people to participate in the work "I Will Die."
If you go:
Dates: Through May 5 (closed on Mondays), 11am-7pm
Venue: 5/F, Power Station of Art
Address: 678 Miaojiang Rd
Admission: Free