The sky, stars, the sun, the moon and space are our everyday companions on the earth. They have also been the subject of humanity’s art, literature and culture for thousands of years.
For the last sixty years, they have taken on a further and fresh identity as planets and outer space have become the subjects of space exploration. Technology has liberated us to travel beyond the earth and into space.
“THE SIGHT OF THE STARS MAKES ME DREAM (Van Gogh)” explores how art has grappled with ce- lestial bodies since the 1960s, how our new understanding of outer space has required art to evolve, and why artists are so fascinated by gazing upwards.
This part of the 2023 Chengdu Biennale features works from artists across the globe (including Asian, American and European artists); shows how different generations of artists from the 1960s onwards have imagined life beyond the sky; mixes globally famous artists with emerging talents, and incorporates outer space themed works by Chinese artists from the 1960s onwards into the story of global art.
The exhibition features a mix of innovative digital and immersive works, paintings, and sculptures – some are awe-inspiring, while others are witty and hilarious.
This is the first truly global exhibition devoted to art and space, not centred on the United States. It aims to inspire and enlighten us on the everyday and the sublime, the body and gravity, spirituality and the material, the natural and human worlds, and reveal how art has had to change as it encounters worlds beyond earth.
Its ambition is to identify a “constellation” of works across histories and cultures, providing a fresh perspective on recent and contemporary art. We hope that “THE SIGHT OF THE STARS MAKES ME DREAM (Van Gogh)” will be a landmark exhibition and a highly enjoyable one.