Wang Chang An
Wang Chang An 望长安 Group Exhibition of Beijing Artists
Date: 6 April - 21 April 2024
Venue: Park Art Space, 2-202, Building E, City One, Beijing, China
From April 6 to 21, 2024, Arthology had the pleasure of participating in a collaborative exhibition project titled “Wang Chang An” (Looking to Chang’an), presented at Park Art Space in Beijing. This project marked the beginning of an intercity dialogue between two independent artist-run spaces — Zhaizi Space in Xi’an and Park Art Space in Beijing — and exemplified Arthology’s ongoing commitment to experimental curatorial formats, regional collaboration, and emerging artistic voices.
The exhibition featured 23 works by 9 artists from Xi’an, including Bai Zhuoyu, Cai Longfei, Niu Tong, Pi Kai, Qiao Xiangwei, Yao Haolan, Yang Zijing, Zhang Peixiaogang, and Zheng Xinhao. All of these artists either live in Xi’an or maintain deep ties with the city, and were nominated by Zhaizi Space as representative voices of a new generation. The works on view spanned painting, installation, and mixed media — offering a snapshot of the conceptual energy, poetic sensitivity, and social imagination found in Xi’an’s contemporary art community today.
Curated by Yang Zijing, with exhibition direction by Li Qiang and academic support from Duan Shaofeng, the project explored the possibilities of exchange — not merely through discourse, but through physical relocation of artworks and spatial contexts. The title Looking to Chang’an captures this double gesture: both as an outward gaze from the capital city and as a symbolic return to roots, history, and identity.
For Arthology, this project aligns with our belief that contemporary curating should foster mobility without dislocation — that regional perspectives deserve to be seen not as peripheral, but as critically generative. We were honored to serve as executive curator alongside Synonym Lab, supporting the exhibition’s production and institutional communication.
This exchange is part of a two-part series: while Wang Chang An brought Xi’an artists to Beijing, a second exhibition titled Wang Jing (Looking to Beijing) will take place at Zhaizi Space later this year, featuring young artists from Beijing.
By supporting initiatives like this, Arthology continues to cultivate interregional links, spotlight underrepresented voices, and foster sustainable practices for emerging curators and collectives across China.
We look forward to more moments where spaces — and perspectives — can meet.
