Guns and Roses

Guns and Roses ● "Look at the hate we're breeding Look at the fear we're feeding Look at the lives we're leading The way we've always done befor" (Guns N' Roses 「Civil War」 1990)   Though we are confident that we now live in peaceful times, fear lingers that international war may break out at any time, and we continue to hate this sad fact of human existence. When 'Guns N' Roses' sings 'Civil War', they emphasize the miserable and vain nature of war and denounce it. The rock and roll band, which is a symbol of freedom and youth, carries on the work started by the vanguard of the anti-war and peace campaign of the 1960-70s.

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'Guns N' Roses', as they embodied the final chapter of hard-rock, showed us the limits of freedom, though the band is comprised of very liberal men. Although the group's name was derived by combining the family names of two members, Tracii Guns and Axl Rose, it has also plays upon the meaning of Guns and Roses, where guns and roses symbolize war and peace, respectively. Along with the falling of the Berlin wall, which symbolized the end of imperialist history and cold war at the end of 20th century, Potsdam symbolizes the earlier end of "hot war" in Europe, and thus is a very important city in modern history. In this unique city of Potsdam, we would like to sing a song of peace with the voice of Chinese contemporary artists.

Luo Qiang_people who have a serial number_Charcoal drawing on paper and collage_53×78cm_2015

Shi Guowei_Broken Branches_Hand colored on black & white photograph_184×150cm_2015

Wang Enlai_Temporary Relation_Mixed media_Variable dimension_2014

White guns ● Everybody has told a white lie at some point. For the sake of those we love and comfort, we often tell white lies. Guns are in a way like lies. Depending in whose hands they lay, their use (and meaning) can be radically different. When the holder pulls the trigger, depending on the direction in which the gun is pointed, people will interpret the action in very different ways. Originally arms were seen as neither positive nor negative, but neutral. Hao Shiming, usually deconstructs objects with lines and reconfigures them in flat paintings such as 「Made in Hanyang」. Through his unique deconstructive method, the essence of the gun fades away as it returns as a single sign. Guns in his work are typically pointed at the one who ultimately pulls the trigger. The representative figure of the lost generation, Ernest Hemingway, committed suicide 「2 July, Ketchums」(Li Tianqi). One never knows the direction of guns. The cruelty of stealing our fathers, sons and brothers often passes into history as time passes, and our precious people are forgotten like the dust that settles in our memory. Xiang Yang's 「Dust in Evolution」 series is made up of images of people who appeared in the newspapers or newscasts. Perhaps they could have been living today together with us. Whose guns rendered them as corroded images? To protect our beloved families, wars should end. There are no white guns like there are white lies. War leaves the dead, the wounded and the witnesses all damaged. As suggested in 「Shooting practice」(Cai Dongdong), we should never forget the direction of guns pointed at ourselves. In 「Unexpected fortune from heaven」, Zheng Lu wears a self-deprecating smile while he describes the bomb as the Chinese letter 'xi', which means joy. A series of Zhang Zheyi's artworks also describes the demolition and scars as a beautiful momentary explosion, and lets us look back the edge of a scene of explosions and fireworks. There is never good that comes from war. In the long run, everyone is a victim, and violence cannot be justified by any reason. 「Even if you repent, you will not be saved」(Luo Qiang)

Xiang Yang_Dust in Evolution_Mixed media_250×200cm_2013

Zhang Zheyi_F-16_oil on canvas_110.5×145cm_2013

Zheng Lu_Unexpected fortune from heaven_Mixed media_Variable Size_2008~15

A Rose's Thorns ● In 「Container series: one piece」(Lu Zhengyuan), roses are trying to fully release their beauty. At the same time, the rose's thorns remain with vicious pride. For what end do we fight with sharp thorns like in 「Temporary relation」(Wang Enlai)? To maintain a peaceful and stable society, we should not fight with our neighbors. As Xun Zi(荀子) mentioned, there is a theory that human nature is fundamentally evil(性恶说), but people may nonetheless contain their evil nature through moral cultivation. The 「Present」(Kang Jing) series starkly reveals humankind's violence. He makes the audience throw a clay ball into a clay target. The amazing point is that violence, such as throwing and attacking, brings happiness and stress relief to the audience. Herein we see the face human nature, which is somewhat evil in nature. Normally we are not satisfied to merely look at a beautiful flower in the garden, but may often proceed try to pick it. Perhaps our nature is not as positive as we imagine it to be. In 「Broken branches」(Shi Guowei), we can easily see the violent nature of humankind, even in a perfectly calm environment. Yet if we trim and polish thorns, we need not be afraid to get pricked by the thorn, or to can enjoy the rose itself peacefully. With a guarantee of peace, we could live without fear for our safety, like in 「Picking fruits」(Cai Dongdong) and appreciate the beautiful nature as in 「Spectrum forest」(Shi Guowei). With building a kind of 「Artificial landscape」(Shi Guowei), people need to be in contact with nature and long for peace. Even in a torn and wrinkled Chinese style flower and bird painting, we can feel close to nature and be addicted to its charms, as we see in 「Tear series no. 19」(Chen Jiaye)  We do not need to reveal our claws, but are better off keeping thorns and guns under hidden from sight and out of use. 「Chronicity series no.20150701」(Lu Zhengyuan) looks like a victory flag, but under the cloth is a gun. Just like in this artwork, we should bury our thorns and our guns deep in our minds mind, with no need for fear or hate, let alone to point a gun at another person. ● Germany and China have each experienced different ordeals in their recent history, so these two nations share a degree of mutual understanding as well. Germany nowadays represents a new era of peace, full of multicultural diversity fueled by an accepting immigration policy. With over 50 ethnic groups, China itself is representative of a pluralistic society as well. Outside of China and Germany, countries around the world are being drawn ever closer together with advent of globalization. Our society is becoming a true global village where we respect other cultures and coexist with them. Today, we can say both China and Germany are countries leading an era of peace and of embracing diverse ethnic groups and culture. Now, we are beginning to prepare this project exhibiting diverse works of Chinese artists. They are all under 50-year-old and represent each genre of art including painting, sculpture, video and installation. Today I hope the peace song titled "Guns and Roses" of Chinese contemporary artists could echo in a coming era of peace.   I don't need one more war ■

Vol.20160306h | Guns and Roses-Chinese Contemporary Art展