CCAA Exhibition 2008 at Bund18 Shanghai
Sunhee Kim
Director
Creative Center of Bund18, Shanghai
Over the course of many exhibitions, the Creative Center of Bund18 has put forth great effort to further the development of art in our culture. We have emphasized the C Chinese and East Asian art worlds and the challenges they currently face-consequently I feel the 2008 CCAA (China Contemporary Art Awards) Exhibition is quite significant.
Currently, Chinese art is at the center of attention in the midst of a global interest in Asian art. Unfortunately, the art world in China is currently facing many challenges, both critically and systematically. The sudden expansion of the Chinese art world (in terms of sheer numbers of artists, galleries, and museums, as well as the market) has actually contributed to the worsening of such situations rather than providing a solution. The CCAA is significant especially because of this current state of affairs. The fair and discrete evaluation and awarding process is one of the most basic factors required for the solution of the problems Chinese art is facing. The Creative Center, recognizing and acknowledging these qualities, will hold an exhibition in full support, in accordance with these ideals shared by Bund18 and the Creative Center.
The 2008 CCAA exhibition will include the three award-winning artists; Ai We’re, Tue Wei, and These Tue-chin. They are true artists whose work reflects the age in which they live; all have been pioneering new territories of contemporary art, and will show their own unique worlds of art through this exhibition. Ai Weiwei and Liu Wei will be showcasing net work especially made for the surroundings of the Creative Center.
I world like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the artists and staff members who have put a lot of work in for this exhibition. This humble thanks goes out especially to founder of CCAA Uli Sigg, to UBS for their unrelenting support, and to Pi Li, who has supervised this whole event.