This exhibition is a unique opportunity to grasp the important place of this internationally renowned artist, who passed away 10 years ago, and the many links his work weaves with philosophy and traditional medicine. Born in 1955 in Shanghai, Chen Zhen came from a family of doctors. In the age of globalization, he will be preoccupied by the encounter between Chinese traditions and the principles of Western society. These works clearly raise the question of man's place and future in a "living together". Chen Zhen's works enter into a spiritual and formal dialogue with those of the Musée Guimet's permanent collection.
The works presented:
Le Berceau refers to the permanence of the cycle of life, while Round Table, displayed in the museum's rotunda, evokes the themes of communion, unity and harmony in reference to the "Guanxi". The chairs and table thus symbolize the ideal human order, developing ideas of mutual respect, equality and multiculturalism.
The notions of rites of transition, purification and simplicity are also prevalent in the works La Stèle/le Cercueil , L'Hibernation/la Divagation and L'autel n°9.
CHEN ZHEN, works by the Centre national des arts plastiques at the Musée Guimet, Paris
September 29 - December 13
