Cultural Empire Made in China by Adrian Cheng
The K11 Art Foundation affirms its ambition to shape a strong Chinese contemporary art scene.
Expansionism & Culture
‘Expansionism’ has always been an integral part of the human condition. That this is part of the art world is unsurprising, but what is unique about Cheng’s approach to this idea of expanding his already strong influence over the Chinese art scene is the truly massive scale on which it takes place.
The expansion of K11 is alike to any other industry monopolising a market, in this case the art scene primarily in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The young founder of this movement holds the ambition to ‘create’ a contemporary Chinese culture. As with any ambition, it is possible to be sceptic of the motives behind building an empire of this kind. And as with any monopoly, it is often worrying to think about how motives will drive the kind of influence it will have over the people who encounter themselves with it.
Could anything go wrong?
However, to what extent does the motive behind the building of such an empire hinder the impact on its audience? If the purpose is to spread art, and to impact audiences in some way, then motives should not be an issue. Bringing the likes of Monet to a Chinese audience will no doubt expand their horizons.
However, when a monopoly is established, messaging can be construed to influence audiences to suit the leader of the organisation. Monopolies are damaging to the multi-faceted art world, and to the world of opposing opinions and agendas. It must also be noted that hires such as May Xue by Anthony Cheng point towards establishing an artist elite within the organisation. He himself studied at Harvard, while Xue is an established figure in the Chinese art scene. Presenting a front such as this allows for stipulation that young and yet-undiscovered artists are being passed over for the established elite: and this is where motives must be considered in order to paint the full picture.
Art for everyone, everywhere
Appealing to millennials through ‘art malls’ is a smart decision by Cheng. It opens the world of art to a new audience, the young, and the future of the world, through a space where many from the millennial generation and generation Z already feel comfortable. It begs the question — is this the future, or is this an example of an industrialised art scene with no room for personal growth and spontaneity on the part of the artist?
In a world where the big industry prevails, will the growth of this empire reduce the possibilities for others to launch their own initiatives in China? Perhaps. Yet it is equally important to spread art, both internationally and locally, and to showcase pieces to a large audience. Cheng may have hit the spot; he has potentially changed the established institution of commercialism in malls to an environment conducive to spread the ‘universal language’ of art.
by Emma Cosmao
Feral Horses is the Stock Exchange for Art.
