“Also the natural material I use – help figure of the source which the objects come from as well of the place where they will go back after their circulation through the society – are purifying elements to sacrifice those objects. (…) the natural materials are here to purify the objects after their utilisation, to sublimate a latent spirit; to provoc a new destiny to the fatal conclusion of these objects.” – Chen Zhen

Un Village Sans Frontiers, 2000

With these white alabaster’s organs enlightened in their interior and claimed by colossals surgical instruments, Chen Zhen still interrogated the relation between occidental and oriental medicine, the relation to the body, the therapy, the nature and the meditative condition. “A kind of mysterious and contemplative dance (…) which is going to create a transformation of the physical elements toward zen condition”

Zen Garden (model), 2000

Chen Zhen worked with Salvador de Bahia’ under duress. He realized 99 of those “light’ altars” for a big “noborder’ village”.

“When did this oriental custom “to thrive” become mixed with the occidental conventions, customers, religions?” We come along discovering an environment and elements tinted by east culture, but Silence Sonore is not a Chinese art show as Chen Zhen had obviated. It’s a Chinese, and above all human, artist’s bequest.

Fu Dao/Fu Dao, Upside-Down Buddha/Arrival at good fortune, 1997

A contribution by his bearing fueled by both a continuous migration between different geographic and cultural territories, and his reflection on the context that surrounds the production of a work of art, taking into account social, historic and political givens. Chen Zhen’s overall view of the world allows for an approach to art that runs counter to an art system in the west deemed to be overly conceptual and therefore detached from reality.

Chen Zhen exhibited in numerous international institutions, including the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, 1994 ; the Center for Contemporary Art, Kitakyushu, Japan, 1997; 1998; the Venice Biennale, 1999; the Ludwig Museum, Cologne; Gam, Turin, 2000; PS1, New York, 2003; CCC in Tours, 2003; and PAC, Milan, 2003.

Chen Zhen “Silence Sonore”
Date: October 1st, 2003 – January 18th, 2004
Place: Palais de Tokyo
Address: 13 avenue du President Wilson, 75016 Paris
https://www.palaisdetokyo.com