Exhibition Symptoms of Society opens at the Museum of Modern Art in Guangdog, China
The Guangdong Museum of Art, one of China’s most prominent art museums, is currently hosting the exhibition Symptoms of Society, a production of Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana. The exhibition's curator is Alenka Gregorič, artistic director and curator at the City Art Gallery of Ljubljana and CC Tobačna 001. The exhibition, on view from 27 May to 15 July, presents a unified image of the region and puts more than thirty artists, some internationally renowned and some from the younger generation, to the fore.
Blaz Peršin, director of Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana, emphasised, “The exhibition Symptoms of Society is a result of the last year’s Slovenian cultural expedition to China in which the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana also participated. It was one of the largest presentations of Slovenian art in China. The opening of this exhibition is an important opportunity for the presentation of our and other artists from our region in this part of the world. It is also proof that there is interest in China for artworks created in our region. This project means that MGML became a referential institution in the presentation of not only Slovenian, but of art coming from our whole neighbouring region. I need to emphasise that the exhibition is the continuation of our successful presentation in Istanbul, and that it is an amazing opportunity for integrating into global contemporary art contexts."
"Exhibiting in one of the most important museum for modern and contemporary art in China was a special challenge for our institution. A different cultural and historical context partially dictated the selection of works with which we want to present Chinese audiences with a deep insight into our region. The exhibition presents thirty-five artists of different generations and from ten countries. Symptoms of Society spreads over almost 1,000 square meters and its execution presented us with quite a few bureaucratic obstacles," added Alenka Gregorič, art director and curator of the City Art Gallery of Ljubljana and the CC Tobačna 001. The group exhibition Symptoms of Society focuses on a presentation of artworks from various generations, countries and media. Larger thematic sets developed during the exhibition process. They address different questions of contemporary societies – the city and its urban development, national and artistic histories, "common" art systems and history, politics, etc. Selected works represent a unified image of the region and put both internationally renowned and also emerging artists to the fore. The exhibition, which presents more than thirty artists from the region, has been supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Embassy of Slovenia in Beijing.
The exhibition presents the following artists: Marina Abramović and Ulay, Maja Bajević, Luchezar Boyadjiev, Jasmina Cibic, Nemanja Cvijanović, Lana Čmajčanin, Braco Dimitrijević, Vadim Fiškin, Tomislav Gotovac, Ion Grigorescu, Flaka Haliti, Ibro Hasanović, Irwin, Hristina Ivanoska and Yane Calovski, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Sanela Jahić, Dalibor Martinis, Radenko Milak and Roman Uranjek, Ivan Moudov, Alban Muja, Vladimir Nikolić, Adrian Paci, Neša Paripović, Lia Perjovschi, Dan Perjovschi, Anri Sala, Sašo Stanojkovik, Mladen Stilinović, Miha Štrukelj, Raša Todosijević, Milica Tomić, Sislej Xhafa and Katarina Zdjelar.