Ouyang Chun

Born in 1974 Beijing, grew up in Xi’an, lives in Beijing
Graduated in Art Education from Xi’an Academy of Fine Art 1995
Exhibition ‘The Mortals’, ShanghART Gallery, Shanghai, 2019
Photo by Alex Wang
Courtesy ShanghART Gallery
www.shanghartgallery.com
@shanghartgallery

欧阳春

1974年生于北京, 成长于西安, 现居住于北京
1995年毕业于西安美术学院艺术教育系
展览《凡夫俗子》香格纳画廊, 上海, 2019年
摄影 Alex Wang
图片来自香格纳画廊

The Mortals

We call the generation from the cultural revolution the Lost Generation. More and more, we reveal this unique period in mankind history. One man’s will and one group’s decision failed one whole generation. Instead of going to school, the young adults worked in the fields or factories. Sadly but luckily, we now talk about this generation.

Almost in the same period, in the 60′ and 70′, the Third Front Movement happened. In the western and southwestern of China, massive industry and military construction took place in the remote regions. 

As a result, universities, factories and military bases, which were from the important cities and coastal zones, were ordered to move to these hidden zones. Many engineers, technicians, militaries, professors and their family, therefore, immigrated to an unknown and unexplored area. 

Ouyang Chun’s father worked at Mechanical Engineering Institute of Beijing. During the Three Front Movement, the entire institute moved to Xi’an. Professors and families from Beijing lived and worked together. This place was like an ideal socialist utopia. But the ‘selected’ and ‘protected’ community was isolated from the local people. Even after decades of life there, they hardly integrated themselves into the second hometown. 

Once the Three Front Movement ceased in the 80′, the infrastructures were abandoned, as well as these people. The consequences affected not only this generation but also their children, grandchildren. They have been uprooted passively, where do they belong now? 

Ouyang Chun’s exhibition consists of the installations made from the furniture and objects, which he collected from the ruins of the university residence building. Before, he lived there with his family. The exhibition is to memorize these people and their life. This history will last in the artwork, as in the films of the director Wang Xiaoshuai.