The Piano Keys of Humanity: Wu Zhipeng’s Recent Work
Wu Hong

Wu Zhipeng’s artistic journey, initiated during the transformative late 1970s in Xiamen, China, unfolds against the backdrop of societal upheavals marked by the transition from the authoritarian Cultural Revolution to the market-oriented Reform and Opening era. This turbulent period left indelible imprints on individual psyches, creating profound shifts in political environments and cultural values. Having spent over three decades in Western societies, notably Australia, and traversing Europe, Wu developed an intercultural approach that dynamically engages with diverse cultural entities, transcending static juxtapositions.

In the face of the unprecedented challenges brought by the global Covid-19 pandemic since 2020, Wu Zhipeng reflects on enduring themes beneath the surface of incessant change. His recent works feature barcodes as a visual foundation, symbolic of the international common language in modern global trade. Resembling piano keys, these barcodes serve as a medium to evoke the intricate voices of humanity. Wu incorporates icons of fashion, consumerism, and pop culture alongside regional and politically charged imagery, temporally reconnecting with the pivotal late 1970s period. Amidst contradictory and evolving social circumstances, his art underscores the unchanged mechanisms of authority embedded in commercial, cultural, and political systems, resonating with collective human psychology and emotions.

The central question posed is: Who orchestrates the complex piano keys of humanity behind the scenes?

Wu Hong: Art critic, curator, managing director of the Songzhuang Contemporary Art Archive, and guest professor and graduate advisor at Jilin College of the Arts

Photographer: Louis Lim