大地上的“異鄉(xiāng)者”

　　對于中國人而言，基督教是一種異質(zhì)文化，教堂更是“異鄉(xiāng)者”。在不同的歷史階段，作為“異鄉(xiāng)客”的教堂在中國大地上以各種風(fēng)格和形式出現(xiàn)。上個(gè)世紀(jì)初由西方傳教人員建造的西式教堂依然有完整的保存。而今天，這種西方文化中最本土的部分在中國農(nóng)村地區(qū)的建造和呈現(xiàn)，卻產(chǎn)生了最為特殊的空間，當(dāng)?shù)剞r(nóng)民沒有去過西方，也沒有親眼見過所謂的神圣教堂，僅僅按照他們自己的良好愿望建設(shè)自己心中的教堂空間，即所謂的西方主義的心理想象，這正是藝術(shù)家曹原銘考察與創(chuàng)作中國鄉(xiāng)村禮拜堂系列作品的源點(diǎn)。從他的作品當(dāng)中，我們可以看到人們對于美好平靜的生活的向往，同時(shí)在祈禱中找到心靈的慰籍和歸屬。在這些“教堂”中，中國傳統(tǒng)建筑的諸多典型元素有著很多混合式的體現(xiàn)。同樣這也是中國傳統(tǒng)文化在社會最底層中的一次人文呈現(xiàn)。

　　開幕：2008年9月10日下午三時(shí)
　　展期：2008年9月11日至10月10日
　　地點(diǎn)：威海路696號9號樓202　周圍藝術(shù)空間
　　策劃：周圍藝術(shù)空間 明明
　　聯(lián)系：陳沂墨　13795319569

　　On view at AroundSpace, 696 Weihai Road, Shanghai
　　September 11 – October 10, 2008
　　Opening Reception: September 10, 2008 3 P.M.
　　Curator: Mingming Chen

　　In A Foreign Land

　　For most people in China, Christianity is an imported culture, and Christine church is also an alien appeared in native Chinese landscape. Nevertheless, “in a foreign land,” Christine church incarnates in different forms and styles at different times. There are well-preserved Western style churches in China built by Western missionaries at the beginning of last century. However, today, it is more common that many churches were built in countryside in China, where local people have never been to an authentic church in the West. They built churches based on their imagination and wills, and created a very special space for their faith. This is a start point and inspiration of Cao Yuanming's art. In his work, we can find that people are pursuing peace and comforts through their worship and prayer. These churches are mixed with multiple aspects of traditional Chinese architecture styles and it is an alternative incarnation of traditional Chinese culture in the grass roots level.

　　Opening: September 10, 2008 3 P.M.
　　On View: September 11 - October 10, 2008
　　Venue: Aroundspace, 696 Weihai Road, Shanghai
　　Curator: Aroundspace ming ming
　　Contact: Yimo Chen 13795319569