This installation of 900 whole and broken porcelain bowls is by Chinese artist He Xiangyu, from his show at White Space Beijing. After seeing the jaw-dropping ceramics collection at the Shanghai Museum, I found that He’s piece seemed to gain meaning and poignancy: The pottery tradition is so extraordinary in China that it’s hard to see how contemporary art can compete. (As with all art in China, however, it’s very hard to tell if such a Western, outsider’s take has anything to do with the artist’s intentions, or with how Chinese people will read the work.)
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