Xu Bing
Encyclopedia
Xu Bing is a Chinese
-born artist, resident in the United States
since 1990. He currently resides in Beijing
.
in 1955, Xu grew up in Beijing
. In 1975, near the end of the Cultural Revolution
, he was relocated to the countryside for two years. In 1977, he enrolled at the Central Academy of Fine Arts
in Beijing where he joined the printmaking department, receiving an MFA in 1987. In 1990 he moved to the United States, where he continues to reside.
In 1990-91, Xu had his first exhibition in the United States at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
's Elvehjem Museum of Art (now Chazen Museum of Art
) including his installations Book from the Sky and Ghosts Pounding the Wall. In Book from the Sky, the artist invented 4000 characters and hand-carved them into wood blocks, then used them as movable type
to print volumes and scrolls, which are displayed laid out on the floor and hung from the ceiling. The vast planes of text seem to convey ancient wisdom, but are in fact unintelligible. The Glassy Surface of a Lake, a site-specific installation for the Elvehjem, was on view in 2004-05. In this work, a net of cast aluminum letters forming a passage from Henry David Thoreau
's Walden
stretches across the museum's atrium and pours down into an illegible pile of letters on the floor below.
Working in a wide range of media, Xu creates installations that question the idea of communicating meaning through language, demonstrating how both meanings and written words can be easily manipulated. He received a MacArthur Foundation
"genius" award in July 1999, presented to him for "originality, creativity, self-direction, and capacity to contribute importantly to society, particularly in printmaking
and calligraphy
."
In 2003 he exhibited at the then new Chinese Arts centre in Manchester, and in 2004 he won the inaugural "Artes Mundi" prize in Wales for Where does the dust collect itself?, an installation using dust he collected in New York
on the day after the destruction of the World Trade Center
.
Xu Bing was appointed the new vice president of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts
in Beijing, March 2008.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
-born artist, resident in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1990. He currently resides in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Biography
Born in ChongqingChongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
in 1955, Xu grew up in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. In 1975, near the end of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, he was relocated to the countryside for two years. In 1977, he enrolled at the Central Academy of Fine Arts
China Central Academy of Fine Arts
China Central Academy of Fine Arts or CAFA is the only advanced academy of fine arts under direct charge of Department of Education in China. The Manila Bulletin called the school "China’s most prestigious and renowned art academy"...
in Beijing where he joined the printmaking department, receiving an MFA in 1987. In 1990 he moved to the United States, where he continues to reside.
In 1990-91, Xu had his first exhibition in the United States at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
's Elvehjem Museum of Art (now Chazen Museum of Art
Chazen Museum of Art
The Chazen Museum of Art is an art museum accredited by the American Association of Museums located at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. It was known as the Elvehjem Museum of Art until 2005...
) including his installations Book from the Sky and Ghosts Pounding the Wall. In Book from the Sky, the artist invented 4000 characters and hand-carved them into wood blocks, then used them as movable type
Movable type
Movable type is the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document ....
to print volumes and scrolls, which are displayed laid out on the floor and hung from the ceiling. The vast planes of text seem to convey ancient wisdom, but are in fact unintelligible. The Glassy Surface of a Lake, a site-specific installation for the Elvehjem, was on view in 2004-05. In this work, a net of cast aluminum letters forming a passage from Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
's Walden
Walden
Walden is an American book written by noted Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau...
stretches across the museum's atrium and pours down into an illegible pile of letters on the floor below.
Working in a wide range of media, Xu creates installations that question the idea of communicating meaning through language, demonstrating how both meanings and written words can be easily manipulated. He received a MacArthur Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Based in Chicago but supporting non-profit organizations that work in 60 countries, MacArthur has awarded more than US$4 billion since its inception in 1978...
"genius" award in July 1999, presented to him for "originality, creativity, self-direction, and capacity to contribute importantly to society, particularly in printmaking
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
and calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
."
In 2003 he exhibited at the then new Chinese Arts centre in Manchester, and in 2004 he won the inaugural "Artes Mundi" prize in Wales for Where does the dust collect itself?, an installation using dust he collected in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on the day after the destruction of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
Xu Bing was appointed the new vice president of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts
China Central Academy of Fine Arts
China Central Academy of Fine Arts or CAFA is the only advanced academy of fine arts under direct charge of Department of Education in China. The Manila Bulletin called the school "China’s most prestigious and renowned art academy"...
in Beijing, March 2008.
Partial list of works
- Lanman Shanhua (Brilliant Mountain Flowers) Magazine (1975–1976)
- A Book from the Sky (1987–1991)
- Ghosts Pounding the Wall (1990–1991)
- A.B.C.... (1991–1994)
- Post Testament (1992–1993)
- Brailliterate (1993)
- Introduction to Square-Word Calligraphy (1994–1996)
- Oxford Dictionary: Bird Definition (1994–1996)
- Silkworm Book (1995)
- Lost Letters (1997)
- Landscript Postcards (1999–2000)
- Red Book (Tobacco Project) (2000)
- Dictionary (2003)
- Book from the Ground (2003-ongoing)
- Monkeys Grasping for the Moon (2008-ongoing)