Wang Qingsong

March 24, 2009 - June 14, 2009

: Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Production still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy of the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy of the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy of the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy of the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Skyscraper 2008 Still. DVD from 35mm film. 5:00 min. Courtesy of the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong 123,456 Chops 2009 Still. DVD from 35mm film. Courtesy the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Iron Man 2009 Still. DVD from 35 mm film. Courtesy the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Iron Man 2009 Still. DVD from 35mm film. Courtesy the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.; Wang Qingsong Iron Man 2009 Still. DVD from 35mm film. Courtesy the artist and Chinablue Gallery, Beijing.

Wang Qingsong is an influential contemporary Chinese artist known for his large-scale photographs which explore the political, social, and cultural issues of a rapidly changing China. The Hammer is pleased to present his newest work, Skyscraper (2008).

In Skyscraper, Qingsong employed 30 scaffolding workers from the countryside near Beijing during a month long production, to build a 35meter high ‘skyscraper’ out of gold-painted iron scaffolding. Using stop-action 35mm film he captures the entire process, but without showing the workers. China has been growing at breakneck speed but what is not always noticed, like Wang’s process behind his photos, is the immediate effect and sacrifices of millions of displaced and anonymous people. The end of the film shows fireworks exploding from the top of the skyscraper in a jubilant but dark celebration as we listen to three women sing a Chinese version of “Silent Night, Holy Night.”

Curated by James Elaine.

Hammer Projects is made possible with major gifts from Susan Bay-Nimoy and Leonard Nimoy and The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.

Additional generous support is provided by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Good Works Foundation and Laura Donnelley, L A Art House Foundation, the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs, the David Teiger Curatorial Travel Fund, and Fox Entertainment Group’s Arts Development Fee.