This weekend, tour Fang’er Village in Longhua District to view a contemporary art exhibition presented by the Reith Culture Arts Center.

The exhibition at the centuries-old Hakka village triggers a conversation between historical traces and contemporary contexts by connecting folk life and modern information from various dimensions, and tries to find out the inner logic of the resulting evolution.

He An’s “Miss You. Please Contact Me” light installation.

The artists use contemporary art to interpret topics like human migration, cultural identity, clan relationships and ecological crises. The participating works are placed inside the old houses and courtyards. Strolling in the village, viewers can discover clashes of old and new culture, changes of dialects, exploration of deities and religions, as well as joys and sorrows, through the artworks.

Shenzhen artist Deng Chunru is exhibiting his cage-like light installations that reminisce on a rural lifestyle. A graduate from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Deng is a practitioner of cultural and artistic reconstruction in rural communities. He now lives and works in New Who Art Village, one of the most active art villages in Shenzhen.

Zhou Jinhua’s painting is hung beside a window, through which visitors can view the village. 

He An’s “Miss You. Please Contact Me” light installation is inspired by a message that often appears on online chatting. The artist made this installation, which also includes his mobile phone number, in Shenzhen, a city full of migrants, to invite passersby to call him.

Tong Dazhuang drew a series of abstract paintings. The vibrant colors in the paintings generate a contrast with the old gray walls in the village. “I am trying to describe some human inner sentiments, dispositions, feelings and mysterious depths of psychological worlds,”said the artist as he described his works.

Yu Tong creates a scene of vitality intertwining with time and changes by making his artworks float above a dim courtyard. Zhou Jinhua’s paintings of window views present observers a broader realm of landscapes. Some paintings are hung beside windows through which visitors can view the village landscape.

Dates: Through March 9

Venue: Fang’er Village, near China Printmaking Museum, Longhua District (中國版畫博物館附近方二村)

Metro: Line 4 to Niuhu Station (牛湖站), Exit B (Cao Zhen)