Art After Dark at The Guggenheim
On a Friday night in an unusually warm October, a crowd of Halloween and art lovers gathered to spend the night at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. There, dressed-up attendees were able to dance their night away, while receiving the first opportunity to view a new exhibition at the Guggenheim called, “Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World”.
The exhibit, which is located in several rotundas at the museum, is a provocative, thought-provoking, and controversial display of work from 71 Chinese artists whose work challenged official government policy and popular opinions during the late 1980s and early 1990s. From an installation from 1993, titled, “Otherwhere: Not Speaking for Three Months”, by Yang Fudong, who chose not to speak for three months and documented his notes through photo and film, to series of tweets presented in two large glass cases, which were a part of the “Citizens’ Investigation” piece by an activist and artist Al Weiwei, the exhibit is an ultimate eye-opener into a contrasting universe, where freedom is a blessing rather than a given, and political views are to not be openly discussed.
Although the exhibit was on a more serious side of the spectrum, the Halloween party added a splash of joy into the atmosphere. It took place throughout the museum, allowing plenty of witches, magicians, and flappers to browse its rotundas while listening to the newest music by Cardi B and Beyoncé. While some were captivated by art, others were engulfed by the atmosphere; dancing and chatting, which was a great way to celebrate one of the first Halloween parties of the year.
Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World will be on view until January 7th, 2018, allowing everyone to enter the world of Chinese history and art. Witness all of the art pieces on view first-hand, and transport back in time to see the Chinese cultural tension between its art and its politics. Find out more about the exhibit by visiting, https://www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/art-and-china-after-1989-theater-of-the-world.
Photos courtesy of Guggenheim
