WAZA is an emerging artist collective founded by Hu Ge (artist/director) (also known as Hu Fei 胡斐) in 2002, based in Wuhan, China. This collective is a platform for experimental new media art. From large-scale sculptural installations that incorporate photography, video, sound and new media technology to site-specific video and sound projects, this young effort is at the forefront of a new generation of local artists pushing the definition of art to a higher level.[1]
WAZA has participated in international festivals including: Sonar 11th Barcelona International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia (2004); Music and New media Conference at the Centre De Culture Contemporanea in Barcelona (2005); and the 37th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam organized by WORM in the Netherlands (2008). WAZA received first place at the Chang Zhou International Animation Festival (2005), and participated in Creative Experimental Media-an educational program organized by the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing (2008). WAZA held solo exhibitions at Beijing Tokyo Art Projects and Arario Beijing in 2008. The piece "the Floating Chinese Musicians" has already been toured around in different cities in China including Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing, the work also travels to New York as well same year in 2010 for an exhibition at Arario Gallery supported by PS1 and MOMA. Videos
Contents |
Floating Chinese Musicians is a sound installation and media archive of 30 folk musicians who are preserving a dying tradition while surviving on China’s periphery. Since March 2008, WAZA has concentrated on the reality within China’s inland regions and has had extensive contact with roaming folk musicians to document their lives, performances and creative process. After compiling an extensive archive of primary materials including photographs, sound recordings, video and text, WAZA has selected 30 musicians who roam the country performing in parks and public spaces to represent China’s migrant or ‘floating’ population. This project aims not only to preserve their voices and raise awareness about a disappearing art form, but also sheds light on one of the most controversial and sensitive social problems in modern China.
Since the beginning of China’s economic reform period, which began in 1979, the nation has embarked on a modernization campaign at an unprecedented rate. China’s race to modernize has focused on the first tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou while the inland regions have been neglected, leaving many people isolated from social and economic development. Floating Chinese Musicians brings these issues to light. Self-taught and influenced by growing up during the height of economic reform in Wuhan, a second tier city, WAZA is attempting to preserve a tradition while drawing attention to the ‘floating’ population that is being cast-aside.
Floating Chinese Musicians is created from recycled wood, mp3 players, speakers, sound recordings and a metal frame. It is a project conceptualized by WAZA and supported by Intelligent Alternative. The piece also travels to New York in 2010 for an exhibition at Arario Gallery supported by PS1 and MOMA.
Concert, the International Symposium of Electronic Arts 98, Liverpool, UK
Sonar 2004, 11th Barcelona International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art, Barcelona, Spain
Speaker, Music and New Media Conference at the Centre De Cultura Contemporania De Barcelona (CCCB), Barcelona, Spain
Beyond Experience: New China!, Arario, Beijing.
WAZA KUYA, Tokyo Gallery+BTAP.
37th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, WORM, Netherlands.
WAZA UHCMP (Unborn Heroes Cenotaph Media Program), Tokyo Gallery+BTAP
Creative Experimental Media, Ullens Center (UCCA)
There is No Story to Tell, Tang Contemporary Art, China
ShContemporary 08’, Shanghai Exhibition Center, China
Uncertainty, Yuanfen New Media Art Space, China
WAZA No Wave, Arario Beijing, China
Other Programs, Multi-Media Art Activity Week, Fine Arts Literature Art Center
Hello Sadness, Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok
International Guerrilla Video Festival (IGVFest) Dublin 2009, Dublin，Ireland
Open House: Post Space, ChART Contemporary, Beijing, China
Floating Chinese Musicians, Intelligent Alternative, Wuhan, China
Normality, Fine Arts Literature Art Centre, Wuhan, China
Warm Up, Minsheng Art Museum Inauguration Exhibition, Shanghai, China
Artist talk and film demonstration, Deutschland und China - Gemeinsam in Bewegung, China
Wherever Whenever[2], Big In China & Fine Arts Literature Art Centre, China
FAT ART 2010 Theme Art Exhibition, Today Art Museum & Modern Sky Entertainment, Beijing, China
"The Personal Dimension", Arario Gallery, New York, United States
"Extreme Lessons"[3]Osage Gallery, Hong Kong
Art Exhibition at the Yuen Long Town Hall, HKSAR, Hong Kong (Coming up in late March)
Visual Director, Variety Show at the China National Aquatic Center (Watercube) with the Chinese Water Sports Medalists, Viva China Sports, Beijing, China (Coming Up in April 1st and 2nd)
Pearlman, Ellen (9-2009). The Brooklyn Rail "Letter from Beijing". Brooklyn Rail. http://www.brooklynrail.org/2009/09/artseen/letter-from-beijing-dragon-eats-tail-chinas-post-olympic-art-conundrum The Brooklyn Rail.
Vartanian, Hrag (2009-08-31). "Some thoughts on China Transformation". Art 21 (Art 21 blog). http://blog.art21.org/2009/08/31/some-thoughts-on-china-transformation/.
Johnson, Ian; Sky Canaves (2009-10-01). "Artists test limits as China Lets (a Few) Flower Bloom, slide show page 14-15". The Wall Street Journal (The Wall Street Journal). http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125434842639453931.html#project%3DCARTIST09%26articleTabs%3Dslideshow.
Duff, Stacey (2009-11-22). "Floating and Theft in Wuhan". Yishu Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art. pp. VOL . 8, Number 6. http://www.yishujournal.com/YishuJournal/docs/currentissue/currentissue_v8n609.htm. Retrieved 2009-12.
Whittaker, Iona (2009-12-10). "CONVERSATIONS: A Response to Stacey Duff’s article “Floating and Theft in Wuhan.”". Redbox Review (Redbox Review). http://review.redboxstudio.cn/2009/12/conversations-a-response-to-stacey-duffs-article-floating-and-theft-in-wuhan//.
Wang, Xin (2009-06-07). "80 后 的 当 代 英 雄" (in Mandarin Radio Interview wit Hu Ge). RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK)). http://gbcode.rthk.org.hk/TuniS/www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/pth/walkman/20090607.html#aboutthis.
Pearlman, Ellen (2008). "WAZA No Wave". Time Out Beijing (Time Out Beijing). http://www.timeout.com/cn/en/beijing/aroundtown/feature/6586/waza-no-wave.html.
lin, jing (2008-04-03). "未来の英雄を紀念する" (in Japanese). CHINA SUPERCITY (CHINA SUPERCITY): pp. VOL . 66. http://www.chinasupercity.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=5190. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
International Guerilla Video Festival 2009 Dublin, premiere of WAZA's "Where is Who"