CHAMBERS FINE ART
Beijing, China; New York, U.S.
Focus: Contemporary
Artists: Feng Mengbo, Hong Hao, Qiu Zhijie, Song Dong, Yin Xiuzhen
Christopher Mao, Founder And Director
What was your biggest show of the past year?
“Painting Is Collecting,” a three-part exhibition spread over 2012, starting in Beijing, continuing to Hong Kong, and finishing in New York. This ambitious body of work, which took two years to create, was Guo Hongwei’s second solo exhibition with Chambers. During Guo Hongwei’s first trip to New York City, in 2010, he spent time examining the collections at the Museum of Natural History and realized that the way rocks, plants, and animal specimens are collected and examined by scientists is very similar to the way he studies the objects he paints. This realization gave him a new perspective for looking at watercolors.
How has the gallery changed since its founding?
Since the gallery was founded in New York City in 2000, we have opened a second gallery in Beijing, as well as Artfarm, an exhibition/storage space designed by Ai Weiwei in Salt Point, New York. In addition, we are now participating at various art fairs, which was not part of our practice a few years ago.
What are your plans for the next five years?
We would like to extend our collaborations with other art institutions. For example, we are currently working with the Philadelphia Art Alliance to organize a Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen exhibition in Philadelphia in August. We are also collaborating with the Mindspring Foundation on a special project for Wu Jian’an.
What’s your favorite place to eat near the gallery?
My favorite place near the New York gallery is Cookshop. In Beijing, I enjoy having home-cooked meals in the loft on the second floor of the gallery.
What emerging artist are you excited about?
Zhao Zhao and Guo Hongwei.
