Reshaping History from 200-2009, Beijing, China

Yesterday was a big day for Chinese art and artists they say. The show "Reshaping History from 200-2009" at the China National Convention center opened with several 100 artworks, on display. Divided in sections like, "Special Documenta, The Theme, Temperament and Civilization, A spectacle of the ordinary". Visit Reshaping History, open from 4th May till 21st May 2010

For sure this is only a subjective reshaping of artworks compiled from 200-2009. A lot of artist expressed there frustration that many have been left out. A show like this is mostly a friends of a friend show, in east and in west. The curator Mr. Lu Peng, a heavily condensed and reshaped person, dressed in make up and a man in black, rumor says he cashed in 20 million of RMB and most of the artists, if not all had to provide there work for free.

The show itself gives an interesting overview for an westerner like me, what the chines artist have struggled trough, bouncing between local and western traditional artistic styles. Yes it is one of these typical shows, where many artists go around angry, because they have not been included inthis re-shaping.

So far so good, but then I god hungry, so I convinced my friend and we managed through the friend of a friend system to be seated at the awards dinner, which turned into a typical gala dinner boredom. "Why the Chinese try to copy the tasteless USA"? This question was running my mind, bad, laud music, a CCTV star moderator which is already bad on TV, a bad copy of a Oscar awards style stage light show. It had nothing to do with art at all. And my Chines friends, yes of course I know the wisdom,"Good artists borrow, great artists steal", but calling it "The first China contemporary Documenta" is a desperate copy, you can do better.

On the end I tried to find my peace of mind in Australien red wine and when the live orchestra started to play a series of Johann Strauss waltzes, my happiness was sky high and YES on the end the two supper hits, the blue danube and the Radetzky march and listen here Radetzky march by Karajan, more obscure thinks cant go. Finally I understood what reshaping of history means, US like stage show, made by chinese, in Beijing, drinking Australian wine and listening to Austrian composer Johann Strauss, to tasty chinese food, Audili in Audalia.

The audience a melange of proud artist, achieving a seat at "the table", ashamed artist but also sitting at a "other table", whispering female art dealers and female managers, telling each other, which man is in and which out and which powerful and substantial full of pocket money to elevate there career.

The VIP's sitting in front with red table cloths, settled down on their comfortable front row achievement. The food was excellent and on the end my companion managed to ask the servants for 4 containers to take the rest of the food home, "taba" like. I can not help myself, but I find it increasingly bewildering, the rush for money all are in. This society is not healthy at all, when it pushes his people to behave, day and night like dealers and costumers. How beautiful must have been similar events in old communist times, or do I am just a wishful dreamer?

I faded out with a half full bottle of Australian Rose and with sounds of Johann Strauss the "Reshaped History of Chines art" came to an finale end, for me. I was riding on my Dahon back home in an post rainy night. At home opening my computer getting news from Christie's, that they have sold so far the most expensive art work, for $106.5 million. If the Chinese artist "in general" terms spoken will come to know this, "not good news". I went to bed after Art Beijing and this history reshaping, it is not reshaping my view on art. I sleep quietly away knowing that history is always written by man and it will remain subjective, depending on views from friends of friends on friends.