The Labor of International Status

Davida Kidd at Art Labor - By Melanie, May 19, 08

Keeping tabs on the new Chinese talent (and their names) can be an exhausting exercise in Sisyphusian memorization, particularly in Shanghai where the market is continually re-saturated with emerging artists. As a foil to the overabundance of Chinese art, owner and curator of Art Labor Martin Kemble, is working toward creating a gallery with international texture. "I feel that introducing global perspectives is a requirement in any major city," he says.

Art Labor, a small gallery on Yongjia Lu, has exhibited Chinese and international artists during its two-year tenure. Previous shows include ink paintings by Chinese artist You Si -- the artist's first "China show" in two decades -- as well as NYC based japanese artist Yuichi Hibi.

As for the future? "We are going to have some real nutty shows later this year," says Kemble, "that will put us on the international hip list we hope."

Importing artists is not a simple matter in China where there is a laundry list of regulations with respect to permits, licensing and of course, shipping. But Kemble has a handle on the procedure and Friday evening saw the vernissage for Canandian multi-media artist, Davida Kidd at Art Labor. From families with strollers to the funky New York couple planning to bring vaudville to Shanghai, all sects of Shanghai flocked to view the Vancouverite's multi-media works from the show titled "Baggage."

The source material of "Baggage," which includes photography, painting and collage, and digital media is Kidd’s past-project "Core Dump," for which she arrested various surreal images dancing in her mind's eye and "dumped" them onto the three-dimensional space of a room in Vancouver. Deeply psychological works capture childhood innocence using portraits of young girls in pink and lace surroundings, but the perspective is infused with the dark undertones of adult knowledge -- innocence is impermanent -- purity is on the verge of destruction via forces from the outside world.

Technically, Kidd displays the profound patience of a graphic artist knitting together images on a computer swatch by swatch, as well as the playfulness of a creator. Kidd stimulates her artistic faculties as an avid collector... of all things. "I surround myself with bought and found objects some of which I will eventually select to work with." I imagine Kidd standing in a room, over-stuffed with garage sale items, trinkets popping out of every nook, a contemplative finger tapping her lips as her eyes rove over the selection, zeroing in on the perfect item for her next project.

When I mentioned my personal frustration with the China art scene to Kidd, she compared current trends in China to the pop art phenomenon in 1960s America. "Like pop-art, there is just so much contemporary Chinese work and you have to sift through really a lot," she remarked. "In twenty years the situation probably will have changed, Chinese Contemporary will be distilled down to its finest examples."

As for Art Labor, Kemble has a few plans tucked up his sleeve: "I want to exhibit work by guys from NYC like Nate Lowman, Dan Colen, Dash Snow," he says. "These guys want to come over here and show with us, but I am a bit afraid they will destroy my gallery, or be jailed, or both."

Baggage runs from May 19 through June 18 at Art Labor Gallery.

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