Exhibition pushes for acceptance of 'nomadic thinking,' innovative spirit

"Nomad Seeds," an exhibition of 53 works by 31 artists, opened at the Art Warehouse in Wuzhen, a canal town in Zhejiang Province.

Organized by the Sculpture and Public Art College of the China Academy of Art and Wuzhen, the exhibition aims to spread the idea of "nomadic thinking," which was proposed by philosopher Gilles Deleuze as a way to subvert standardization and codification.

These artists see "nomadic thinking" as an acceptance of social mobility and change, an innovative spirit, and a quest for "decentered" poetic expression.

The first part is titled "Magic Cube of Light and Shadow," including pieces created by those who graduated from the academy's sculpting department. Sculptures become the collision and fusion of force and spirit in space, the interweaving and floating of light and shadow.

Perhaps the venue unwittingly provides substantial context for these sculptures.

In the 1960s, the Wuzhen Art Warehouse was the Grain Administration Office. It was rebuilt in 2017 into a new exhibition space of about 10,000 square meters. Its architectural design adheres to its unique character while also reflecting a blend of heritage and the future through the aesthetics of simplicity.

The second section is titled "Field of Soul & Space-Time," and it reflects on people's post-pandemic reconsideration of the relationship between person and society, as well as time and space.

The third section is titled the "Ancient Culture Pool" and features works by artists who graduated from the academy's fiber art department. Fiber is a form of "hidden and invisible thing" that exists in a state of present as a primal source of existence. Through their works, these artists attempt to connect such "hype-material" with the cultural gene in the heritage.

How to get to Wuzhen:

By train: Take a high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station or Shanghai South Railway Station to Jiaxing City, and then transfer to a bus or taxi to Wuzhen. You can also take a direct shuttle bus from the Jiaxing Bus Center to Wuzhen.

By bus: Take a long-distance bus from Shanghai East Bus Station Station to Wuzhen.

By car: Wuzhen is about 120 kilometers from Shanghai. It takes around two hours.

For more details, check www.ewuzhen.com.