R2D2 video projector

Yes, just released.

Anniversaries

China has broken up for the May day holiday (two days off but work on Sunday) and today also it is 100 days to the Beijing Olympics. Noted that to celebrate this on Shanghai TV they were giving away ‘haibaos’ the mascot of…the Shanghai World Expo. Subtle. News from those people who know these things (how do they know?) we were told there will be a mass exodus to Shanghai soon from the fragrant capital as the festivities approach.
Anyhow, to celebrate May day here we provide the Internationale in 40+ languages, including Billy Brag (a language only known to some obscure linguists).
And we suggest our authorities in the fair metropolis show those new migrants the Wenming video streaming all the way on the flight down, with a few added extras, such as talking like a pirate will not get you very far in this neck of the woods.
::UPDATE::
Here’s a random ‘mei nu’ link

Neo pop art and other news

NY Arts magazine has contributed this piece on the Chinese arts scene:
“Although their styles are very different, the themes of Chinese neo-pop art often refer to the materialism and narcissism of the younger generation,” noted gallery director Virginia Miller. “Some artists present their views on their society’s corruption by Western influences, or contrast their emerging contemporary culture with traditional Chinese images.”

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Some news on the HK Art Fair here
“ART HK 08 is the first truly international contemporary and modern art fair to be staged in Hong Kong. Fair organiser Asian Art Fairs Ltd is delighted to confirm the participation of an impressive roster of leading Asian and international galleries..”

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And some Bloomberg coverage of CIGE here.

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And last but not least famous NY art gallery will open in Beijing.

Signs of the end times….

Not only is capitalism coming to a crunching end, there’s this:

and did anyone notice this video isn’t working properly?
But this one is?

And as for this, everyone knows spiderwoman doesn’t fly.

work in progress shots

Photograph art at contrasts

Smartshanghai covers art work on show at Contrasts gallery here

“Blasco sense of Shanghai’s “reality” is informed by his initial visit to the city in 1997, when all the building had just commenced. Upon his return to Shanghai a decade later, Blasco was fascinated by the mingling of public and private spaces that resulted directly from the city’s attempt to quench its thirst for modernity.”

Music stuff

Here’s a song from Shanghai Eye’s extended familia in Gauteng.
In related news an African live music inspired club should open in Shanghai in august.

mobile photos

Here are some mobile phone photos for this week, including a Song Tao.

mini art news round up

Despite the mini cultural revolution going on the art world continues…

The “1000 798 recovery plan” is “quietly going ahead… the main point of this rejuvenation of Beijing’s art district includes construction of an art library, which can’t be bad.

Another record price for Liu Xiaodong painting. (宽达十米的刘小东油画作品《温床一》被放置在预展最显要的位置，其估价逾五千万元人民币)

Beijing’s CIGE art thing is going well, with 80 galleries attending, 70% of them asian.

Not sure what we are supposed to say about this piece.

More derivative work here. eat your heart out Yves Klein (oh yeah, oops he’s dead), copying is the sincerest form of flattery etc…. I guess:

And last but not least Faye Wong is preggers (AGAIN), well it was not denied, a nod is as good as a wink to a blind man on a summers day, etc, at the recent charity art auction we mentioned earlier.

Weihai Road event photos

A few more photos here of last week’s Weihai Road event, by Lawrence Sheed.