SHINE ART SPACE (SHANGHAI 1)

Mini Biography
Helpless
by Cai Zhisong

As most people of my age in China, I was a victim of mottos like “Set up a lifelong ambition”, “Realize your values”,“Struggleto change your destiny” since I was a child. With the fantasies for the future, I have been working very hard, not even once, had a bit of negligence. I was confident that all my efforts would be rewarded one day.

These so-called “ambitions” and “values” are actually no more than the advertisements for a journey to pursue “reputations” and “profits”.

Having struggled on this path for many years, in retrospect, I found myself being bruised and scarred. So Istopped and started to look around. I saw that the “fortune” that I was working so hard for, was a given for some people when they were born. But for some others, it was an unattainable goal until the time they left this world with a bitter regret even if they tried everything they could. There were others who had been kissed by Mother Fortune, and eventually saw their dreams come true, but they lost their own identity in the process and never lived in peace again. However, they were not regretful and believed that this is the significance of life. They were the successful examples for the future generations. They despised the losers and hurriedly resume their journey, without realizing when death arrives unexpectedly, it will take everything away without any mercy. They might never understand that their “success” had nothing to do with their “struggles”, but their promoting of the misconception would poison others beside themselves.

People are often confused by the ever-changing phenomenon, lost in the memories of the past and the planning for the future. They are not able to put away their hopes and fears, and settle down in the present, observing the nature of being with an eye of wisdom. So they try to get rid of things they do not like and grasp the things they are longing for. They jump into the abyss of pains without knowing it, as the moth is rushing into the flame. Few people can realize that the process of avoiding pains causes more pains. Driven by the fantasies, they are laboring and pursuing for the faulty values. They mistakeinstantaneousnessfor eternity; pains for joys, constantly fighting with the outside world, sometimes even in the price of one’s life. They may obtain temporary benefits, but the course of their life is no more than a series of comedies and tragedies.

In this fast changing world, many people have become public idols from their humble origin; many people in the high-ranking class have suddenly become prisoners. This is an endless circle, but people keep following the footsteps of the others, without knowing at the end everything will turn into dust and be lost in a gust of wind. Things happening in life are unpredictable and difficult. Like others, I have to deal with them at daily basis.

The strength of an individual life is very limitedand too weak tofight with the external power of the society. People often praise pines and cypresses for their being tall and straight, and use them as the metaphors for dignity and incorruptibility. But if we plant them into the cracks on the cliff, they will be deformed and twisted in order to survive, or they will die. No one likes to face death. This is the common outcome when the dignity conflicts with the need of surviving.

In my eyes, human history is a series of paintings of uncountable individuals struggling for life, sadness alternating with joy. I have never heard of immortal trees or immortal humans,but in their short lives, both have to endure different degrees of pains for relatively long period of time. That might be for the exchange of the smiles, which are as fragile as soap bubbles and disappear in the blink of an eye, because humannature has never been changed by the development of society or the improvement the economic status.

My heart is frequently burdened when I think of this! It is the reason that my care for life is far beyond my love for art. In a certain period of my life, I thought art was more important than anything else in the world. Many years have passed since then. Today, to me, it was only the ignorance of a youth.

When I am alone, I often feel helpless and guilty: I have already wasted 33 years of my life, but I have never been able to bring happiness and joy to people, nor speaking out with giant’s voice. I am just an ordinary being in the process ofsamsara. If I could use my meaningless skills to comfort the souls in pain or to inspire the viewers, I will be very satisfied

May 24, 2007

OVERVIEW

EXHIBITIONS(24)

by year by type

ARTISTS(35)

ARTICLES(0)

PUBLICATIONS(0)

MISCELLANEOUS(0)

REPRESENTED ARTISTS(9)

Cai Zhisong
Shenyang, 1972

Chen Weiwei
1981

Guo Jin
1964

Han Lei
Kaifeng, 1967

Lin Hairong
1975

Lu Cheng
Chongqing, 1979

Shen Xiaoton...
Chengdu, 1968

Xiong Lijun
Chongqing, 1975

Zhong Biao
Chongqing, 1968

EXHIBITED ARTISTS(26)

Cai Zhisong
Shenyang, 1972

Chen Weiwei
1981

Chen Wenbo
1969

Zhengjie Fen...
1968

Guo Wei
Chengdu, 1960

Guo Jin
1964

Han Lei
Kaifeng, 1967

Hong Lei
Changzhou, 1960

Hou Yong
Beijing, 1976

Ji Lei
Chengdu, 1972

Lin Hairong
1975

Mao Tongqian...
Yinchuan, 1960

Pan Yuliang
Yangzhou

Shen Xiaoton...
Chengdu, 1968

Shi Xinning
Yingkou, 1969

Shu Hao
Chongqing, 1973

Wang Ningde
1972

Wu Jialin
Zhaotong, 1942

Xiong Lijun
Chongqing, 1975

Yang Shaobin
Tangshan, 1963

Zao Wou-ki
Beijing, 1921

Zhang Huan
Anyang, 1965

Zhang Zongme...
Chongqing, 1964

Zhang Dali
Haerbin, 1963

Zhang Xiaota...
Chongqing, 1970

Zhong Biao
Chongqing, 1968

COLLABRATING CURATORS(3)

Lin Hairong
1975

Mao Tongqian...
Yinchuan, 1960

Zhang Xiaota...
Chongqing, 1970