Khan Academy Static

Video Title : Wang Peng: Performance as politics in China and beyond

Video Description : This video brought to you by Tate.org.uk Chinese artist Wang Peng started out as an abstract painter before turning to installations—at a time when installation and performance art was banned in China. And yet the artist flourished in what could be considered a hostile environment, using the restrictions imposed upon him to play with how far his art could go instead of simply giving in to the ban. In one piece, the artist and his fellow performers blocked the entrance to a gallery by building a wall of bricks in front of it. The next day, police tore down the wall in an ironic subversion, unwittingly taking part in the performance and symbolically opening the gallery back up. Underpinning Wang Peng’s work is a steadfast resolve to challenge the conventions and boundaries of art. "Your love of art should never be affected by politics,” he says. Do you think that an artist can be unaffected by politics but still engage with political and social issues? Learn more about Wang Peng's performance and politics here.

Video ID : x1a9bb492