22 Exhibitions


PERCKHAMMER’S PEKING A Photographic Documentation of China’s Capital


Te focus for this exhibition is the work of Heinz von Perckhammer (1895-1965). A prominent South Tyrolean photographer and photojournalist, who grew up in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Perckhammer travelled to various regions of China and documented daily life, rituals and architecture in images that display a Westerner’s curiosity for Chinese customs and culture. Today, the illustrations in


Perckhammer’s publications are of great historical value since they document the beginnings of China’s modernisation and social change in Beijing during the early years of the Republic. For the aspiring photojournalist, the 1920s presented an era of transformation, and the 1,500 photographs taken by


Lama Temple Yung-ho-kung (Yonghegong Lama temple), Peking, plate 67, Berlin: Albertus-Verlag, 1928


Perckhammer constitute an archive of extraordinary scope and diverse subject matter. Although the publication includes only 200 images,


Peking offers a compelling account of the artist’s fascination with various subjects, such as the Imperial Palace, religious architecture, city views, street scenes, and glimpses of daily life. Tese subjects fascinated the artist and encouraged him to document his experiences. Te peak of his professional


activity occurred at a time when photography had gained wider practice, with increased opportunities for regular exhibitions, and graeter recognition in China. Tis work propelled his career when Perckhammer returned to Europe and began working as a photojournalist for the Berlin-based illustrated weekly Die Woche in 1929.


• Until 2 February 2025, University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong, umag.hku.hk


CHINA A New Generation Of Artists


Further to the various events celebrating the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between France and China, the Centre Pompidou is organising, in collaboration with the West Bund Museum in Shanghai, the exhibition China: A New Generation of Artists. Showcasing a group of 21 artists who are mostly in their forties, they come after a highly successful first wave of artists from the mainland that includes the likes of Yan Pei-Ming, Wang Keping or the late Huang Yongping and Chen Zhen, who have taken the spotlight. Following in their footsteps is no easy undertaking considering these


artists have already secured their place in the history books of Chinese contemporary art. As the title of the exhibition


indicates, the Centre Pompidou and the West Bund Museum are focusing on the next generation of artists, providing an overview of their practices. Tese younger artists have grown up at a time when China underwent massive changes, leading to new economic standards and cultural customs, aspects that are reflected in their works. In addition, the extensive use of technology has also led some of them to incorporate video and AI. While artists like


Cui Jie, Sun Xun, abd Hao Liang have been widely exhibited and have already gained recognition, most other artists are yet to be discovered by the global audience. Covering all media, the exhibition displays the immense artistic diversity presently found in China. Since the international focus has recently shifted towards Korea and the Middle East, the show comes at a timely moment, underlining that artistically, new seeds have been planted.


Olivia Sand


• Until 3 February 2025, Centre Pompidou, Paris,


centrepompidou.fr


Forbidden City, Peking, plate 105, Berlin: Albertus-Verlag, 1928


THE PIONEERS OF MODERN VIETNAMESE ART IN FRANCE


Tose following the French auction market will be familiar with the names and works of Lê Phô (b 1907), Mai-Tu (b 1906), and Vu Cao Dam (b 1908). With Mai-Tu being the most sought after, all three artists are admired for their unique style, a result of the establishment in Hanoi in 1925 of the Indochina Fine Arts School. Following the desire of a local self-taught artist to create a higher institution providing artistic training, the French artist Victor Tardieu was appointed the school’s first director, introducing his students to Western techniques and encouraging cultural exchanges, ultimately leading to the creation of a modern Vietnamese art. In addition, he played a notable part in making sure his students would be exhibited locally and abroad, providing them with broad exposure, namely through the colonial and universal exhibitions taking place at the time. What makes Lê Phô,


Mai-Tu, and Vu Cao Dam true pioneers is that, unlike their peers, they decided very early on to go to France to pursue their careers with Lê Phô arriving in 1931, followed by Vu Cao Dam the same year and finally Mai-Tu in 1937. With the impact of the global context – the Second World War and then the Indochinese War - all three artists had to rely on


Femme à sa coiffure by Mai-Thu, Nice, 1942, colours on silk, private collection © Comité Mai-Thu, ADAGP Paris, (2024)


their work in order to make a living in France. Tey thus further developed their practice with paintings on silk based on a romantic presentation of Vietnam. If Lê Phô and Vu Cao Dam


experimented with other styles later in life, the three pioneers remain best known for their more traditional pieces


featuring scenes of daily life or portraits of locals in Vietnam. Te thoroughly documented exhibition is a rare opportunity to follow these celebrated artists, whose stories remain


largely unknown and untold. Olivia Sand


• Until 9 March 2025, Musée Cernuschi, Paris,


cernuschi.paris.fr something to read?


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