Thanks to Saatchi, Gagosian, and many other high-brow dealers and collectors, Chinese art has undoubtedly become the prima-donna of the Asian contemporary scene. But many experts --that are not dealers--argue that the art that seems to be so popular with western audiences is nothing more than art manufactured to please the western taste and expectations, and that it bears little relation to China's own artistic identity, styles, and historic roots.
There is a lot to agree with this. Just take a tour of the China Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery and you will see what I mean. However, I recently came across a series of photos by Chinese artist Li Wei that could well be rooted in China's acrobatic tradition. Are these a signal of change in production and consumption trends?
Li Wei says he has produced these photos without digital manipulation, so why the buzz? See for yourself.
Lou Koller, Ambassador of New York Hardcore, Dies at 61
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He screamed as much as sang, as his heavy-metal-inflected punk band, Sick
of It All, spread the sound of the New York underground to the world.
1 hour ago
