Gazing at Chang’an

This exhibition originated in Chang’an, also known as Xi’an. In November 2023, through the introduction of artist Cai Longfei, I met Professor Duan Shaofeng and Li Qiang at Zhaizi Space. After the New Year, we gathered again at Park Art Space in Beijing and decided to begin a cross-city art exchange. This led to the two exhibitions titled Gazing at Chang’an and Gazing at Wangjing. Zhaizi Space curated a group of Xi’an-based artists to exhibit at Park Art Space under the title Gazing at Chang’an, while Park Art Space invited Beijing-based artists to exhibit at Zhaizi Space in a show titled Gazing at Wangjing.

Beijing and Xi’an are two cities that share similar cultural characteristics. Artists nurtured in one city were invited to engage with the space and community of the other. By becoming observers of their own city, they may discover something new through distance. Coincidentally, both art spaces are…