Don Gallery is delighted to announce
SU Chang as the Chinese artist for
Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Programme 2015
SU CHANG
The sculptures and reliefs of Chinese artist Su Chang exude tenderness out of an ordinary reality. Entrances, residential buildings, facades and plants-these are objects we usually tend to take for granted in our everyday surroundings as they grow old.
New village 2 新村2, SU Chang 苏畅, 2011. Oil, fiberglass and mixed media 油彩、玻璃钢及综合材料, 109x71x21cm
Initially, coming from oil and Chinese painting, Su Chang gave up his years of practice in order to take on a new, three-dimensional formal language. Manual work is a passion he has had ever since being little, hence, every artwork we see is hand-made by himself.
Plants beneath the Highway 高架下的植物, SU Chang 苏畅, 2012. Bronze,fiberglass, oil paint, mud and mixed media 铜、玻璃钢、油彩、泥土及综合材料, 40x90x52cm
Recalling the arresting simplicity of Process-based art, he creates by controlled methods rather than coincidence. His primary materials are plaster and iron, sometimes rust, paying attention to their combined use and reaction.
Portrait of Tree 树的肖像, SU Chang 苏畅, 2014. Iron, steel and plaster 铁、钢筋和石膏
The reduction of materials as well as limitation of surface-often choosing relief over sculpture-adds difficulty to expression in a general sense. Yet, as reduction reinforces control, this also generates freedom and the ability to focus on details which bring his work to life.
Wall 墙, Su Chang 苏畅, 2012. Fiberglass, oil paint and mixed media 玻璃钢、油彩和综合材料, 70x53x13cm
Respecting concept, the object-subject relation is crucial in Su Chang’s artworks. In his choice of depiction, he follows a very direct approach. He likes to create familiar objects to which he feels an instant attraction to. However, they are not made according to scale, just by relying on his memory in the process of making. As we memorize the things that we deeply care about, the object as well becomes attached with the emotion from the artist. Similar to Chinese Literati painting, the look is consistent with the feelings that the artist holds sincerely, however, Su Chang is facing the times we are living in today.
Portrait of tree 4 树的肖像4, SU Chang 苏畅, 2014, Iron 铁, 78(D)x20cm,
His desire is to express his own understanding and perspective of the contemporary world as it exists: “If you would like to depict vapour in a humid city like Shanghai, well it is the tracks on a ceramic tile building facade.”
Facade 外墙, SU Chang 苏畅, 2012. Plaster, fiberglass and oil paint 石膏、玻璃钢和油彩, 40x50x7cm
text by Nicoletta Jordanidis