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Artist-In-Residence Exhibition
Ma Li
BITS EN ROUTE
26 February – 27 March 2016
Opening 25 February @ 19.00
OPENING PERFORMANCE @ 19.00 – 21.00
Private Screening
By Ma Li
ARTIST TALK
Migrating artists – How does it impact their practice?
A dialogue between Ma Li & Elana Katz
Monday February 29 @ 18.00-20.00
At Momentum Worldwide, Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin
Curated By Olga Wiedemann
Time based art is interwoven with the digital revolution as no other contemporary art field. Therefore MOMENTUM is very proud to present Bits en Route, an exhibition by MOMENTUM Artist-in-Residence Ma Li (1 Jan – 29 Feb 2016) People of Ma Li’s generation were born into a digital age, growing up and living with technology, often learning its language before learning the alphabet.
The digital age and, with it, pervasive technology have entered our lives almost entirely. Technology is integral to most jobs and most of our leisure time,. But what is our relationship to technology, and how does it change the interactions between human beings?
Ma Li is reflecting on these issues through her works. Technology changes our perception of various things, sometimes on a small scale, other times immensely. Therefore Ma Li raises the question: If technology dramatically changes our perception of distance, time and intimacy, what have we been missing? Or what do we gain? Urban life without technology through media, phones, apps etc. is almost impossible now. Every step of the way our personalized technology gadgets accompany us. Without them one might even be lost. Where is our destination?
Ma Li, living in the hub of technological inventions, the “tech city” of San Francisco, was inspired for this exhibition by her work as an Uber driver: a connection between two people made possible through the Uber app and creating a rather intimate atmosphere in the car. For a brief moment, Ma Li was part of the life of a complete stranger, who was chatting with her, talking with loved ones on the phone or having a conversation with another passenger. These interactions sounds created in this short intervention mirrorconvey so much, about the busy, fast and hectic urban environment we now live in.
These recordings and experiences are the basis for her 13 channel video installation. Having intimate moments created through these technologies, the piece also questions what makes us human by comparing the emotionless google voice of the navigation system to the authentic self-expression through movements by the traffic police. In this exhibition Ma Li continues her ongoing interest in creating an architectural language through a system of choreography. This 13-channel work includes elements of video, projection and sound, to create a completely capturing experience for the viewer.
For the opening night at MOMENTUM Ma Li will present Private Screening – a one-on-one performance – questioning the possibility of creating intimacy through technology. Join the artist for this unique experience!
Artist Bio
Ma Li (b. Fuzhou, China) is an interdisciplinary artist working with painting, sculpture, installation and performance. Using both traditional and nontraditional media, Ma Li formulates dreamlike worlds influenced in part by her background in choreography and upbringing in a collectivist society. Originally from Fuzhou, China, She has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Shanghai Dong Hua University, and an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute (2014). She has been awarded grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and Knight Foundation; a fellowship from La Napoule Art Foundation; and the Murphy and Cadogan Contemporary Art Award.
She has been a resident artist at Recology San Francisco, Vermont Studio Center, Elsewhere Museum, among others. Ma Li has exhibited her work in a range of museums and galleries, including solo shows such as Gathering Among Stars, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (2015); and Seeing, Peeping, and Scrying, Alter Space, Peephole Gallery, San Francisco (2015). Group shows include Zhong Gallery (Berlin), A.I.R Gallery (Brooklyn), Gallery 825 (Los Angeles), SOMArts (San Francisco), and Root Division (San Francisco), amongst others. Of note is inclusion of her work in the Nion Mcevoy Art Collection and reviews of her work in China Daily, VOA, KQED, and other leading publications.
MORE INFO HERE ON MA LI’S RESIDENCY AT MOMENTUM >>
Artist-In-Residence: Ma Li – Bits en Route (Video of installation)
“Migrating artists – How does it impact their practice?” A dialogue between Ma Li & Elana Katz
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