Open House Exhibition Series

Open House is an ongoing series of pop-up exhibitions presenting new work by emerging artists from 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier Chinese cities for one afternoon in a space that is for rent, sale or slated for demolition. There is no equivalent of the American concept Open House in Chinese, but the term Yangbanjian (样板间) conveys a similar feeling where real estate is on display for public consumption. Open House is designed to give people an opportunity to interact with contemporary art beyond the black and white box in a gallery or museum. ChART commissions artists to create a new project based on the Open House model and each project is on view for one Sunday afternoon between 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Zhang Xiangxi, born in 1980 in (HomeTown) is a trained sculptor obsessed with perfection.  His work is clean, precise, intricate and meticulous.   His work deals with memory and acts as time capsules for different moments in his life.  Using the “old school” clunky television set as his frame, he installs different scenarios within them.  

Open House brings together art and people by placing work in spaces familiar and welcoming to the local community.   After visiting the Museum in July we were pleased to find a space housed on a colorful corner in the community.  Sandwiched between a real estate agency, a fruit vendor and the museum entrance, we chose a store front approximately 80 square meters.  High ceilings, a minimal renovation and full of office supplies and rat poop we knew this venue would work for our Guangzhou based artist.