Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no fibs
In a changing and uncertain world, questions often take precedence over answers. That is what the newly opened "GQLab? Exhibition" is all about: exploring the various questions that surround our lives in 2022.
The exhibition, presented by Condé Nast Group's GQ Lab, is underway at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai until October 30.
The central theme of "GQLab? Exhibition" is that questions lead to answers, which lead to more questions.
It offers an interesting journey for visitors to explore the world and find answers to themselves by questioning everything they know by probing into the lives and attitudes of contemporary urban residents.
Tango, a popular Chinese cartoonist, curated the exhibition, which features avant-garde artists from China, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United States, Spain, Malaysia, Russia, Poland and Israel. The exhibition includes over 100 pieces of art, including graphic illustrations, three-dimensional installations, digital multimedia and other forms.
The artworks tap into every emotion, eliciting thoughts of elation, contemplation, melancholy and surprise by asking all kinds of questions of the viewers, from the most profound questions about life to the seemingly insignificant ones.
In addition to the lineup of domestic and international artists, GQ China's recently debuted virtual character, Mr Qwerty, appears as the exhibition's official guide.
You are welcome to take a picture with GQ China's first digital character, Mr Qwerty, at the entrance.
The question mark, as a symbol of reflection and the desire to be better understood, represents mankind's search for answers. The central theme of the exhibition is that questions lead to answers, which lead to more questions.
"We have a lot of questions," GQ China Editorial Director Rocco Liu said. "They are not necessarily profound, but rather reflections of how we see things in our everyday lives. This 'question mark exhibition' is something we've noticed in our lives over the last few years. It's as simple as that: We want to understand our own lives and the world."
The first floor houses "Dreamland," which features works by well-known international artists and art collectives such as Daniel Arsham, Nick Verstand, onformative, panGenerator, Shane Fu and Chinese actor Huang Bo. Each installation offers its own take on the concept of dreams, and the exhibits are presented one after the other in a space shrouded in shifting light, drawing the audience's attention to each piece and its profound meanings.
"Dreamland" by Daniel Arsham
"Breaker" by Chinese actor Huang Bo
Illustrations on the second floor
The second floor features cartoonist Anton Gudim's "Yes, But" series of illustrations, which are full of insight into the way we live our lives and provoke thoughts of absurdity through seemingly contradictory and ridiculous ideas.
Globally renowned artists such as Christoph Niemann, Dick Ng, Hai Dai, Lim Heng Swee, Simon Landrein and Wo Shi Bai lull visitors into a deep daydream in a therapeutic "grassland." Like mushrooms after rain, their massive illustrations are filled with subtle perspectives on life, arousing more ideas, emotions, moods and questions.
Mr Qwerty's Social Lab is on the third floor. Anyone, whether a wallflower or a social butterfly, can find like-minded friends, break down social barriers, and communicate and interact in the Social Lab.
The "Grassland"
A runway displays the questions from social media in the exhibition.
Exhibition info:
Date: Through October 30, 10am-9:30pm (Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday), 10am-midnight (Friday-Saturday)
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art
Address: 231 Nanjing Rd W.
Tickets: 108-128 yuan (US$15-18)R
Reservations can be made in "GQLAB" WeChat mini program.
