Jacky Tsai: A Journey of All and None
08th Dec 2023
The Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning in Shenzhen is thrilled to announce the opening of Chinese contemporary artist Jacky Tsai's first solo museum exhibition in Shenzhen, China. The exhibition encompasses more than forty diverse artworks from the artist's two decades of vibrant artistic journey. As a multimedia artist, Tsai's work brings much-needed attention to traditional Chinese crafts. Using mediums such as lacquer carving, wood carving, and Su embroidery, the artist combines Western pop art elements with traditional Chinese aesthetics and craftsmanship.
Known for his “east meets west” artistic style and his skull series, Tsai has recently ventured into digital art. Named the “Artist of the Year” by the 2022 Digital Art Fair Hong Kong, he has been exploring the boundaries between art and the spectator. In this exhibition, visitors will see, for the first time, his new digital interactive artworks. These artworks will change imagery in response to visitor motions.
The highlight of the exhibition is a large-scale comprehensive immersive experience. In 2019, the artist created a special artwork on the exterior of the Eastern & Oriental Express, titled “Tiger Express,” in collaboration with the global conservation organization “Save Wild Tigers” to aid endangered Asian tigers. This exhibition marks the first time that this extraordinarily meaningful train carriage has been faithfully replicated within the confines of a museum. Stepping through the train leads you into a fully immersive “fantasy” space that encapsulates the artist's nearly two-decade-long career, transforming it into dynamic imagery. Using modern technology, the artist's aesthetic is brought to life. Each piece of music within this space is thoughtfully selected to harmonize with the artworks and their underlying stories.
The exhibition will also showcase the eight-meter-long canvas work “Parody of Jay's Music,” commissioned by Jay Chou, the Mandopop superstar. While maintaining Tsai's consistent artistic language, it seamlessly incorporates the nuances of Jay Chou's musical journey. Every detail represents the pinnacle of artistic diversity and cross-disciplinary integration.
