Silo Dreams
Keyi Gallery, 15# Building, New Grain Warehouse, Shushan District, Hefei, China10/01/2024 - 11/17/2024
As the inaugural exhibition of Keyi Gallery in Hefei's New Grain space, “Silo Dreams” begins with the establishment of this special exhibition space - the shifting focus of silos built at the end of the century from storing grain reserves to the production of contemporary culture. The architectural transformation and scenario rotation of the exhibition space is a shift in the application of social space. The exhibition sees it as a projection of social activities and economic development transformation, specifically demonstrating the flow of postmodern labor and production relations under the dominance of the emerging technology industry, algorithmic logic, and the platform economy. It outlines and explores the current situations and challenges facing the contemporary city through non-linear connections between social relations and spatial structures. Gathering paintings, videos, sculptures, and site-specific installations by 12 artists, the exhibition analyzes and responds to the contemporary production and organization of social relations, based on drastic changes in the social production structure and its resulting spatial and temporal mobility, hoping to provide perspectives for interpretation, reflection, and tackling of socio-spatial practices that are present now, and will be more prevalent in the future.
The predecessor of New Grain, Anhui Mechanized Grain Depot, was constructed in 1992 as a collection of grain purchase, storage, processing, and commerce to promote grain reserves and circulation, responding to the social contexts and demands of the time. Nowadays, the 6 grain silos, as industrial heritage, have been repurposed as art spaces, and New Grain has been reconstructed as a new cultural and commercial venue in urban renewal. The translation of micro social life scenes symbolized by the functional alternation of the granary space becomes a representation of the changing social practice. The concrete wall with remaining rice husks stands as a monument to record the change of the times; The texture and significance of the space itself becomes an index revealing the social and productive change of the space. When the socioeconomic structure and labor relations become increasingly complex, flexible, and decentralized, the postmodern labor force and social relations of production are shifting towards the temporary and unstable. Regardless of the changing times and architectural functions, the special space of the granary, with its respect for the supremacy of labor, is always a fertile and romantic symbol for present discussions.
Artists: Chen Pai'an, Gong Bin, Jing Ao, Li Guanshuai, Li Penquan, Li Tao, Li Xindi, Li Li Ren, Song Long, Wan Chaoqian, Xie Linyou, Xing Wanli
Curator: Junyao Chen
Curatorial assistant: Sylvia Tan
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