PAPER EXCHANGE
BayArt, Cardiff Bay
Sat 6 Apr-Fri 3 May
This cultural exchange is an exhibition of works on paper by 10 Chinese artists and 11 Welsh artists. All artists are part of Open Books, a creative collaboration between visual artists, started by Mary Husted in Wales in 2011 and developed in 2013 by a collaboration with Sanshang Museum Of Contemporary Art, Hangzhou, China.
One of the aims of this project was to find common ground between both sets of artists in an ever-shrinking world. Originally, the plan was to send the Welsh artists rice paper, while the Chinese artists would be sent watercolour papers – swapping a commonly-used material to encourage creativity. Watercolour paper is, though, freely available in China, and Chinese artists were already used to working with it, so it was decided instead that they would send old maps, posters and book pages with a noticeably European flavour.
Another aim of the project is to show how old traditions can still catalyse creative ideas. Materials are the lifeblood of the project. Zhu Chunhang, one of the creators, believes sourcing materials rooted in tradition can inspire artists to create. By tapping into our cultural heritage, we can produce new work even in an increasingly connected and fast-paced world.
Both sets of artists are well-renowned in the art world. Zhou Jin Hua is one of them. An associate professor at the Fine Art Department in the Chinese University Of Hong Kong, Hau’s previous work has depicted people in struggle using oil on canvas. The 40-year-old from Deyang often uses a bird’s eye perspective for a traditional Chinese landscape painting.
Maggie James is one to look out for in the Welsh half of the programme. James, who studied at the Royal College Of Art, has exhibited widely nationally and internationally and her work is held in public and private collections. In James’ 2017 Megalopolis Obscured project, she depicted grey city landscapes at night behind foregrounds of shrubbery. Paper Exchange might not sound like a dramatic title, but it certainly seems like an interesting project, worth seeking out this month.
words Harry Trend
Admission: free. Info: 029 2065 0016 / www.bayart.org.uk