Liu Dao
Liu Dao (a Pinyin phrase meaning "island number 6" - Chinese: 六岛; pinyin: Liù dǎo) Mandarin: [Liù dǎo] is an international multidisciplinary art collective based in Shanghai, China. Liu Dao was founded in 2007 by island6 Arts center under the direction of French curator Thomas Charvériat with the assistance of Latvian art director Zane Mellupe. Liu Dao is an electronic art group composed of performance artists, multimedia artists and engineers. Their work focuses on interactive art installations that explore the effects that “technologies have on our perception and modes of communication”.[1] As of August 2010, about six artists are associated with the Liu Dao collective.[2]
Liu Dao has exhibited in Albert Benamou Gallery, Galerie Twenty-one and Loft in Paris, White Rabbit Collection in Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai (MOCA), Louis Vuitton Maison in Taipei and the Hong Kong Art Fair.
Red Gate Gallery is the exclusive representative of Liu Dao in China.
Production process
Liu Dao embraces the use of digital technology to communicate around the world emotions and thoughts which arise from what it considers the vivid and hectic environment of Shanghai in the 21st Century. The group claims its collectivity and communal spirit keeps the art from becoming mainstream or stagnant.[3] The majority of Liu Dao’s works involve LEDs. A simple movement is arranged by choreographers Wu Yandan and Li Lingxi or Chaim Gebber and coordinated by in-house art directors, which is then video recorded and turned into an LED representation. Homemade software is being used to match colors and to create an animated sequence of bitmaps. Red Gate Gallery, the oldest private art gallery in China,[4] describes the process of Liu Dao as technology becoming organic: “digital reality comes alive, where it begins to speak, dream, conspire, and seduce.” It refers to the works as “voyeuristic fantasies”, “paraphilia”, and “visually rhyming”.[5]
Collaboration
As noted by The China Post, all of Liu Dao's works are created by multiple artists, as the group places emphasis on cooperation and collaboration in order to increase the wealth of ideas and evolution of conceptual projects.[6] The credits for each piece run similar to those found in a film, with writers, directors, models, cameramen, technicians, painters, programmers, choreographers and editors. This process runs as a direct opposite to artists with many employees working for them who are never credited at all.
Philosophy
Liu Dao’s LED works animate and illuminate short but beautiful glimpses of exposed lives in the fast pace of Beijing and Shanghai in the 21st Century...In the People’s Republic of China, a glimpse can be worth an eternity, and Liu Dao aims to expose that value by encouraging a harmless feeling of warm, irresistible voyeurism into a spectrum of feelings and problems that are well protected by the walls, and to reveal a range of emotions and repeated patterns and lifestyles, reminiscent of the endless circle of male and female needs.[7]
— R. A. Suri, Liu Dao Collective
Themes
As China reaches its most extreme period of urbanization toward the end of its 11th five-year plan, cities are rife with construction, architectural upheaval and modernization of infrastructure.[8] Many works of Liu Dao contemplate these transitions. Urbanization may also be a factor in the collective nature of Liu Dao, as the concentration of people within large cities provides “a greater exchange of ideas among people working in different fields in the same location.”[9] Liu Dao tends to use a multitude of influences, references and styles from Chinese art and Chinese history in their works, such as cranes (the Chinese symbol of longevity),[10] Chinese paper cutting, rice paper, and Maoist and Communist imagery. Similar to the theme of urbanization, the technology and modernity that are found in Shanghai, where Liu Dao are based, are main features of the collective’s topics, as a reverberation of Chinese traditional life becoming “electrified”.[11] Visual compositions often combine LED animation with Chinese paper cuts to take a customary picture and bring it into the 21st Century technological landscape. Liu Dao artworks also often feature modernized characteristics of conventional art, bringing to light the subject of China’s reaction and contribution to Globalization, while interactive artworks are equipped with sensors, motion-tracking devices, GPRS modem controlled videos, or sonar rangefinders which help “artists and technologists actively engage with culture”.[12]
Awards and honors
In April 2010, Liu Dao was selected by Louis Vuitton for an exhibition curated by Jonathan Thomson in the famous Louis Vuitton Maison designed by Japanese architect Inui Kumiko, to be the second art intervention, after Taiwanese artist Michael Lin to animate their Taipei building. The art space is one of only three sponsored by Louis Vuitton in the world, which have showcased world-renown artists such as Takashi Murakami, Stephen Sprouse and Richard Prince.[13]
Artwork
-
Liu Dao
Squeezed Identity
Made in island6 in 2009
21×21×126 cm
LED display and Teak
Performance by Chaim Gebber -
Liu Dao
Time
Made in island6 in 2009
58×104×9 cm
LED display, Chinese papercut (Jian Zhi 剪紙), paper collage, Teak -
Liu Dao
Scarethoughts
Made in island6 in 2009
42×42×8 cm
LED display and Teak frame
Performance by Wu Yandan, animation by Tom Lee Pettersen -
Liu Dao
ShiBuShi
Made in island6 in 2009
42×63×10 cm
LCD screen, IR sensor, 8-bit microcontroller
Performance by Meimei , concept by Wang Dongma -
Liu Dao
Vigilance
Made in island6 in 2009
107×107×8 cm
LED display, glass tiles and Stainless steel
Performance by Wu Yandan, animation by Tom Lee Pettersen -
Liu Dao
Allegory
Made in island6 in 2009
42×42×8 cm
LED display and Teak frame
Performance by Wu Yandan, animation by Tom Lee Pettersen -
Liu Dao
Elevation
Made in island6 in 2009
98×21×21 cm
LED display and Teak structure
Performance by Li Lingxi, art direction by Zane Mellupe
Current associated artists
Artist's Name | Country of Nationality | Exhibitions |
---|---|---|
Zhang Deli (张德丽) | China | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Wang Dongma (王东马) | China | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Rose Tang (唐罗丝) | Taiwan | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China", "Remote/Contol", "Bits, Bytes and Pixels", "Untitled Santa", "I Love LEDs", "Getting Along", "Forward/Backward and Reloading" |
Cai Duobao (蔡多宝) | China | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust” |
Bing Bing (兵冰) | China | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Kong Mosha (孔墨沙) | China | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo" |
Current associated curators and art directors
Artist's Name | Country of Nationality | Exhibitions |
---|---|---|
Thomas Charvériat | France | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China", Lecture on Digital Arts, "Nuit Blanche", "Eurasia One", "Platform for Urban Investigation II", "Remote/Contol", "Stop/over Cities", "Bits, Bytes and Pixels", "Untitled Santa", "I Love LEDs", "Getting Along", "Forward/Backward and Reloading", "Platform for Urban Investigation", "Invisible Layers, Electric Cities" |
Zane Mellupe | Latvia | "Raining Stars", "Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "Absolute 0:00", "HK Artfair 2010", "Psychic Apparatus", "The Light Fantastic", ”Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Rajath Suri | Canada India | "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Pete Bradt | USA | "Garden of Autumn Vapours", "Absolute 0:00", "Psychic Apparatus", "Libido Mortido" |
Brian Wallace | Australia | "Raining Stars", Garden of Autumn Vapours”, "HK Artfair 2010", "The Light Fantastic", "LED City" |
George Michell | Australia | "Psychic Apparatus", "Psychic Apparatus", "30 Degrees", "LED City" |
Past associated artists
Artist's Name | Country of Nationality | Exhibitions |
---|---|---|
Zou Susu (邹林峰) | China | "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", "Urban Lust", “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China", "Nuit Blanche", "Eurasia One", "Remote/Contol", "Bits, Bytes and Pixels", "I Love LEDs" |
Yang Longhai (杨龙海) | China | "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China", "Nuit Blanche", "Eurasia One", "Platform for Urban Investigation II", "Remote/Contol", "Bits, Bytes and Pixels", "Untitled Santa", "I Love LEDs", "Getting Along" |
Wu Yandan (吴艳丹) | China | "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds" |
Li Lingxi (李翎溪) | China | "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust” |
Tom Lee Pettersen | United States | "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds" |
Nick Hersey | United Kingdom | "Libido Mortido", "Fakirs", "Placebo”, "LED City"', "30 Degrees", "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds", "Zero Gravity", "PlugIt", "Made in Shanghai", "Made in China" |
Chaim Gebber | Brazil | "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata" |
Manels Favre | France | "Synesthesia", "Pi", "The Artist Died Yesterday", "Automata", “Urban Lust”, “Clouds of Crowds" |
Selected exhibitions
References
- ^ Eurasia One Rolf A. Kluenter, Dr. Christoph Schreier and Andrea Neidhoefer 2007 published by FoldPress & Timezone8 Publications (pages 20-21) ISBN 095499601-1
- ^ Liu Dao Michelle Ong, Pete Bradt, Kristen Delaney and Rajath Suri 2010 published by FoldPress ISBN 978-0-9549960-3-1
- ^ Campion, Sebastian (February 15 2005). "What you buy is almost what you get". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
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(help) - ^ "Art Dealers & Art Galleries Around the World".
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(help) - ^ "Red Gate Gallery profile on island6 and Liu Dao".
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: Text "Red Gate Gallery" ignored (help); Text "Shanghai" ignored (help) - ^ "The fantastic light at Louis Vuitton". The China Post. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
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: Text "Taipei" ignored (help) - ^ R. A. Suri (December 18 2009). "Liu Dao Collective" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-17.
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(help); Text "Shanghai" ignored (help) - ^ The World Bank. "Urban Development and China". Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Prof. Richard M. Bird (2005-04-05). "Getting it Right: Financing Urban Development in China" (PDF). Asia-Pacific Tax Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ The Gallery of China. "Chinese Paintings Crane Meanings". Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Muzyczka, Nick (May 14, 2010). "Collectively Gazing into the Abyss". The Global Times, Culture Section. p. 6.
- ^ Saatchi Gallery Online. "Profile on Liu Dao". Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ "Louis Vuitton's Taiwan Artspace: One of Three Taiwan" (in Chinese).
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Bibliography
- Matthew Neckelmann, 'An island in the ‘hai', That's Shanghai, April 29, 2009 [1]
External links
- http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk: Free online gallery that allows artists to showcase their work (Page on Liu Dao)
- http://video.saatchigallery.com: Free online gallery that allows artists to showcase their video to the world. (Page on Liu Dao)
- http://www.vimeo.com: Online Video community (Page on Liu Dao)
- http://www.rhizome.org: Online resource for people who are interested in new media art (Page on Liu Dao)
- http://www.island6.org: not-for-profit art space founded by Thomas Charvériat that represents the collective Liu Dao
- http://www.chinapost.com: Review of Liu Dao at Louis Vuitton in Taipei
See also
- island6, art space that founded and sponsorizes the Liu Dao's collective.
- New media art
- interactive art
- video art
- Electronic art
- Digital art
- LED art