Song Dong’s Communal Courtyard

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

Transforming the AGO’s Signy Eaton Gallery into a series of snaking walkways and small rooms reminiscent of Beijing’s traditional communal living spaces, the exhibition Song Dong’s Communal Courtyard invites visitors to lose themselves inside a unique installation of 100 vintage Chinese wardrobe doors.

Evocative of the contemporary urban experience from Beijing to Toronto, in which traditional architectures and ways of living together are being threatened by rapid growth, this thoughtful, playful and materially rich installation—itself titled Wisdom of the Poor: Communal Courtyard—invites audiences to reconsider how we might hold onto some elements of tradition while radically reimagining them for the present.

This installation has changed with each presentation, coming to life each time as a home for other art, and for all those who visit. For Communal Courtyard’s debut at the AGO, Song Dong selected works from the gallery’s collection — works by Murray Favro, On Kawara, Sol Lewitt, René Magritte, Claes Oldenburg and Andy Warhol — which encourage a dialogue about notions of "public" and "private." The AGO has also programmed a series of in-gallery residencies by local artists, who will transform the space in new and intimate ways.

Song Dong is a Beijing-based multidisciplinary artist and leading figure within the Chinese avant-garde. The work presented in Song Dong’s Communal Courtyard is part of the artist’s long-running series The Wisdom of the Poor and makes its Canadian debut at the AGO.

Wisdom of the Poor: Communal Courtyard is a gift from the Martin Z. Margulies Foundation, Miami and will remain in the AGO’s collection.

This exhibition is organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario and included with general admission.

ARTIST TALK

Wednesday, January 27
5:30 pm
Baillie Court
Learn more

PUBLIC OPENING

Wednesday, January 27
6 – 8:30 pm
Walker Court

DROP-IN WORKSHOPS

January 27 – March 12
Wednesdays 6-8 pm
Thursdays 2-4 pm
Fridays 6-8 pm
Saturdays 2-4 pm
Learn more

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

Basil AlZeri
March 30 – April 23

Peter Chin
April 27-May 14

Eventual Ashes with Red Slam Collective
May 18-June 4

Bill bissett and artists of Workman Arts
June 8-25

Annie Wong
June 29-July 16

Learn more

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宋冬的大雜院

2016年1月30日 ― 2016年7月17日

《宋冬的大雜院》展覽將安省美術館（AGO）的Signy Eaton Gallery幻化成一系列蜿蜒走道和小房間，讓人聯想起老北京傳統的共式生活空間；更讓觀眾迷失於以100扇舊式中國衣櫃門組成的獨特裝置藝術之中。

這個以《窮人的智慧：大雜院》為題的裝置藝術充滿心思、玩味，且質感洋溢，令人們憶起從北京，以至多倫多的當代城市體驗，當中的傳統建築和人們共同生活的方式，正受到急速發展所威脅。這個裝置藝術旨在讓觀眾反思，如何在迎合現今急速發展的同時，又可保留一些傳統的元素。

宋冬居於北京，是中國現代前衛的跨領域藝術家和代表人物。今次展出的《宋冬的大雜院》，是其長期巨作《窮人的智慧》系列之一，並選擇在安省美術館作加拿大首次亮相。

《窮人的智慧：大雜院》是邁阿密的Martin Z. Margulies Foundation饋贈，將留作安省美術館的固定藏品。

本展覽由安省美術館主辦，已包括在普通門票之內。

由3月30日開始，直至7月16日，您更可在《宋冬的大雜院》內觀賞，其他駐場藝術家的表演和作品。演出時間：星期三晚上6時至8時、星期四下午2時至4時、星期五晚上6時至8時，以及星期六下午2時至4時。表演乃免費入場。空間有限，敬請提前到達。

《宋冬的大雜院》展覽及駐場藝術家表演皆採用英語。