Concrete Playground

The People's Republic of China has really chilled out and let its hair down over the last few decades. Sort of. Not really. But they have relaxed just the teeniest, weeniest, bit and Chinese artists have responded by exploding with the most exciting Contemporary Art anywhere in the world.

Chinese born Guan Wei is no exception. Wei lives in Australia now but he trained in China and his meticulously detailed paintings reveal a rigorous formalism and training that our apathetic Sydney art schools could only dream of.

His paintings and sculptures are funny, subversive and charming. They explore the contrast between our two countries. Australia is a weird place viewed through Guan Wei’s eyes. Sea monsters, crocodiles, indigenous tribes and fleets of ships figure heavily. Sort of like 16th century Chinese maps, imagined by Steve Irwin.

His new show Fragments of History opened at Kaliman Gallery this week, coinciding with the launch of his new publication Other Histories: Guan Wei's Fable for a Contemporary World. On Saturday September 26 Kaliman Gallery will host a panel discussion between Guan Wei, John Mcdonald and others (2:30-4:00pm), followed by an exhibition viewing.