Show of identity

In contemporary Chinese art, the term bentu, which translates as native soil, does not denote nationalism. Instead, it represents a dialectical concept that aims to reconcile the ‘local’ and the ‘global’ in a universalist and critical rediscovery of identity.

From January to August 2016, Louis Vuitton Foundation is welcoming 12 Chinese artists to exhibit their works including sculptures by Ai Weiwei and Huang Yong Ping alongside photography by Tao Hui and oil paintings by Liu Xiaodong.

‘The choice of works is not intended as an overview of China’s art scene, but instead seeks to highlight the transient nature and fleeting forms of Chinese art, which is rapidly changing and asserting itself through outstanding individuals rather than movements,’ according to a statement by the Foundation.