The truth of art isn’t lying in cooperation but in saying ‘no’.
To say no is not to resist blindly, but to allow the human will to have space to live, and to let the conscience gradually become stronger and clearer. ‘…in the artist’s conscience, the Truth of Art is foremost.’ (Mark Rothko) True conscience is not a one-time justice, it is a mission of goodness that the artist always keeps honest with reality and life, and carries with him or her throughout life. In a world where the artist has a conscience, art will say no to shortcuts, and cannot give birth to plagiarism and imitation; art will say no to capital, and money cannot manipulate the direction of art; art will say no to discipline, and will not deliver the freedom of the will because of reward or punishment. Conscience is the driving force of art, the result of art, and art itself. Whenever and wherever conscience choices are made, there will always be pressures and challenges, but as long as there is art that says no, it deserves to be seen – and believe me, it is not about saying ‘yes’ to the world to survive. That’s what this exhibition is addressing: making the power of saying no visible.
The staunch refusers are often alone, but fellow travelers are still on this reverse path. This group exhibition about Saying No invites eight artists from different generations: XIE Deqing, DATONG Dazhang, GU Dexin, WANG Luyan, SUN Furong, LIU Yaohua, LI Binyuan and TONG Wenmin. Among them, are mysterious hermits, persistent resisters, and determined martyrs. Whether the ‘no’ they utter is fierce, playful, silent, or pathos, their art practices the path that makes the will visible: saying ‘no’ to approach the real ‘yes’. To construct another road away from absurdity and falsehood, a road that strives to get closer to freedom.