| Zhang Huan's "Altered States" |
| Written by Claus Mueller | |||
Zhang Huan: Altered StatesSeptember 6 - January 20, 2008Tickets: $10; $7 for seniors and $5 for students with ID; Free for members and persons under 16. Admission is free to all Friday 6 pm to 9 pm. Asia Society 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street Museum Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, with extended evening hours Fridays until 9:00 pm. Closed on Mondays and major holidays 212-517-ASIA asiasociety.org zhanghuan.com     One consequence of globalization has been the participation of ‘Third World’ countries in the international art trade. Thus Western auction and gallery markets have enjoyed boom times since affluent elites from India and China have been traditional and modern art originating in Europe and North America. Conversely, as visits to trade shows and galleries with contemporary Asian art demonstrate, charges for Asian and specifically Chinese art have risen steadily since collectors discovered that art, be it out of appreciation or the desire to speculate. In that context, the Asia Society’s compelling retrospective of Zhang Huan is most welcome. The establishment of a permanent collection of contemporary Asian art by the Asia Society, which in the first phase will focus on video and photography, will also foster better understanding of the art scene in Asia. As amply demonstrated by the Zhang Huan exhibition which covers his last 15 years, the work excels in originality, controversy and execution. The exhibition includes photographs of his body performance art, installation art and paintings, and select sculptures with ready links to his Chinese cultural heritage. Zhang Huan gained public attention and recognition through controversial extreme body art including the 1994 "12 Square Meter" performance in Beijing with the artist sitting in a latrine covered with honey and fish oil to attract flies and insects and his 2002 piece "My New York" at the Whitney Biennial where he released doves while clad in a humongous suit made of raw meat. In the 2000 "Family Tree" piece, Zhang Huan’s shaven head is progressively covered and eventually erased by Chinese calligraphy. The sculptures in the exhibit include "Ash Head No. 3" and "Long Ear Ash Head," self portraits made in 2007 from burned incense the artist took from Buddhist temples and two large sculptures made of Buddhist copper relicts Zhang Huan has been collecting. Overall, the selection of Zhang Huan’s work is arresting, disconcerting, prompts reflection, thus transforming this Asia Society show into a must-see exhibition. {mos_ri}
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