KnStudio

11.02 - 26.03.2011 - CHEN HANGFENG - curated by Cecilia Freschini

Chen Hangfeng

For the first time in Italy are exhibited the works of Chen Hangfeng, emerging Chinese artist who already enjoys a degree of visibility both at home and internationally.

The exhibition will display works from the series Logomania, where the artist, with irony, carries out a thorough investigation on the brakes consumerism that dominates contemporary society. Of particular interest are the carvings of paper, the famous “paper cuts”, where the artist cleverly incorporates a technique and a passion for thousands of years, adapting and raised with the reasons which are inherent in the new social fabric. Chen Hangfeng was fascinated by this ancient art since his childhood, when to decorate the halls during weddings or new years, this carvings were used as a simple, yet elegant decorations. Finished his studies at University College of Fine Arts in Shanghai, Chen chose to specialize in graphic arts instead of the more popular oil painting. According to the artist, this choice has allowed greater freedom of expression and the highest level of creativity. During his career as a graphic designer, Chen Hangfeng, realizes many logos for local fashion shops in Shanghai. The artist gets so closely with the commercial world and sees how can be powerful symbols that constantly surround us and how we can, throught them, control the desire to purchase. Once he has understood and assimilated to live in a world of “brand”, Chen Hangfeng creates a new series of work, installation, videos, paintings and “paper cuts” in which replaces the traditional symbolism with contemporary symbolism made of logos and references more immediate for us. If the traditional “paper cuts” is decorated with auspicious motif such as flower, animals which in Chinese culture have a precise value, the paper of Chen Hangfeng have similar designs but these are derived from an ironic play on joints of the most famous logos international. Looking carefully, you can recognize the symbol or icon of Adidas, Louis Vuitton, rather than the puma of the famous brand of shoes. And as happens in the best advertising campaigns, the message is not communicated explicity. Observing the work of Chen Hangfeng you are immediately caught by the perfect harmony of the composition so as not realize that the elegant figure of Phoenix, is nothing but the famous “comma” of Nike along with other brands.

Cecilia Freschini, Beijing 2011