During Art Rotterdam 2024, CHAxART Gallery will present seven selected works by Rotterdam based Chinese artist He Jing with the title of “Made According to a Carpenter’s Square”.
This series of works delves into the intricacies and complexities of memory, cultural boundaries, identity, and the interplay between originality and replication. Through installations encompassing sculpture, ready-made, photo, video, sound, and writing, Jing He intertwines personal experiences with extensive research to offer a multifaceted perspective on the captivating visual and social phenomena of our time. A central theme of the exhibition revolves around Jing He’s exploration of the renowned Arc de Triumph in Paris and its surprising replica in Kunming, China, where the artist was born and raised. This encounter with the shanzhai building—referencing the term elaborated by Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han—inspired Jing He to investigate the nature of appropriation. The legitimacy of reproductions and their prototypes, as well as their impact on perceptions of authenticity, is a focal point of her examination.
In her recent works, Jing He reflects on the concept and paradox of identity while navigating the process of applying for a longer stay in the Netherlands and taking the Dutch Integration Exam, which familiarizes foreigners with Dutch rules and cultural habits. Challenging Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s call for immigrants to “Act Normal, or Go Away,” Jing He’s thought-provoking artworks courageously offer a powerful counterpoint to the campaign slogan. The exhibition’s title emphasizes Jing He’s critical observation and understanding of “norms.” In ancient Rome, a norma referred to a carpenter’s square, a tool used to measure right angles; consequently, the term normalis meant “made according to a carpenter’s square.”