WANG DU
b.1956 Wuhan, China
Wang Du was born in Wuhan in December 1956. He has lived and worked in Paris since 1990. He has taught in the art department at the University of Paris VIII and the École supérieure d'art de Brest. Wang Du works in a range of media, including installation, sculpture, photography, and multi-media. His statement, “I am media, I am reality, I am image,” could be seen as an interpretation of the concepts behind his work. He believes that “the completely digital third reality is constructing a contemporary society and culture that needs to be constantly redefined.” Thus, his work redefines a series of concepts within reality from different perspectives, which is also the statement he has made since he declared, “I am the spokesperson for reality and the masses.”
Wang’s art has been disseminated widely in art criticism, documentaries, contemporary artist dictionaries, and art books. His work has also been covered by many international magazines, newspapers, and TV and radio stations. In 2008 and 2012, Wang Du held solo exhibitions at Tang Contemporary Art in Beijing, titled “International Kebab” and “Musée d’Art Contemporain de la Chine” respectively. His works have been exhibited throughout international museums and contemporary art institutions including the 1999 Venice Biennale, Centre Pompidou, Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris, Vancouver Art Gallery, Rodin Gallery in South Korea, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Deitch Projects in New York, Kestnergesellschaft in Hanover, Germany.
Exhibitions
Press / News
Wang Du | Post Fetishism
In Wang’s view, contemporary society has become increasingly beholden to material goods, confusing basic values between people, between objects, and between people, society, and education. This materialism has come to infect its very nerves, sending the vehicle for the evolution of human qualities into the pit of instant gratification and material consumption. Based on his keen observations of society, Wang Du produced a series of “post-fetishist” artworks. The mildewed objects in the exhibition seem to signify absurd phenomena related to the intersection and alienation of humans and objects.
Blouin Artinf | Wang Du- Post Fetishism
The exhibition will showcase all-new installation works by Paris-based Chinese artist Wang Du. According to the artist, contemporary society has become increasingly beholden to material goods, confusing basic values between people, between objects, and between people, society, and education. Based on this observation, Wang Du produced a series of “post-fetishist” artworks that will be on display in the exhibition. These objects signify the absurd phenomena related to the intersection and alienation of humans and objects.
Le Musée d’Art Contemporain de la Chine - Beili Wang
Wang Du’s inspiration has always derived from social images, and through varied perception, he attempts to appropriate the language of media in its extremity and exaggeration. The artist then avails oneself of images from the mass media of our reality, in order to make us reconsider the intended realism of media, based on the accumulation and excess of the message.