1000+:Gluttony - Aaajiao Solo Project

On 06.01.2018, 1000+ Experimental Project Space carried out by A Thousand Plateaus Art Space will launch its first new-year plan. The solo project “Gluttony” from the artist Aaajiao will be put on the stage. Instead of pursuing the maturity and integrity of the art work, Experimental Project Space focuses on the experimental spirit of emerging artists. With a more open attitude to explore the possibility of the creation and presentation, A Thousand Plateaus Art Space and the artist himself strive for a unique exhibition experience.   

Aaajiao, is the pseudonym of the young artist Xu Wenkai and the avatar of his virtual network. He was born in 1984 in one of China’s oldest cities, Xi’an, now he lives and works in Shanghai and Berlin. The composition of Aajiao contains a strong dystopian awareness and a profound reflection on literati spirits and sophistications. Many of his works are devoted to the exploration of cultural and social phenomena around the influence of new technology and media. These works, ranging from the social media writing and the data processing to the new aesthetic landscape through the Internet and mobile media, bring the special Chinese social media culture and technology the international art discussions.

The creation of Aaajiao also crosses different medias with its abundant number and forms. In 2017, he created the video work of "archives, Candy Wrappers", “Progress Bar”, "Column", "Candy Wrappers", and "Lorem Ipsum"; the installation of "404 Installation", " Water Measure - Petroleum", and "Membranization"; the sound installation of "Collective Behavior"; as well as the Gif animation work "Avatar” and so on. Based on the online network and its visual and cultural phenomenon, aaajiao’s works are all attempt to explore the sociology and the visual and image morphology.

In the beginning of 2018, "Gluttony ", a new 1000+ experimental project, will continue this exploration at A Thousand Plateaus Art Space, especially it will reacts to the question “how self as an observer gets along with the self devouring the pain through the gluttony?”. This new solo project is selected from "Membranization” series -- from the use of machine, to the collusion of machines, and even to be held hostage by the machine. There are subtle changes of human emotions when they are facing the machines. It is impossible to use these rotten fermentations of social media to record those changes. However, the combination of materials would somehow clearly reveal those emotions, and the light property of the material itself also underscore the disguised emotions.

Aaajiao’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, upcoming and recent shows include “Art in the Age of the Internet, 1989 to Today”, The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Boston (2018); “unREAL”, Haus der elektronischen Künste, Basel (2017); “Shanghai Project Part II”, Shanghai (2017); “Temporal Turn: Art and Speculation in Contemporary Asia”, Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas (2016); “Take Me (I’m Yours)” (curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jens Hoffmann and Kelly Taxter), Jewish Museum, New York (2016); “Overpop”, Yuz Museum, Shanghai (2016); “Hack Space” (curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Amira Gad), K11 Art Foundation Pop-up Space, Hong Kong and chi K11 art museum, Shanghai (2016); “Globale: Global Control and Censorship”, ZKM | Centre for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (2015); “Thingworld International Triennial of New Media Art”, The National Art Museum of China, Beijing (2014); and Transmediale, Berlin (2010). His solo exhibition includes: “Remnants of an Electronic Past”, Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, Manchester (2016); OCAT Contemporary Art Terminal Xi’an, Xi’an (2016), among others.