Interview with Ding Yi and his curator Alfredo Cramerotti at Château LaCoste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France

Installation view. Credit: Stéphane ABOUDARAM | WE ARE CONTENT(S)

By AURONDA SCALERA August 8, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Mr. Ding Yi. Your exhibition "Prediction and Retrospection" at Château LaCoste has garnered much attention. To start, could you explain the inspiration behind this exhibition's title?

D.Y: The title can be divided into two parts: "Prediction" and "Retrospection." I used a framework-type clue to show my works from the earliest series of Appearance of Crosses in 1988 to the recent ones related to constellation. This exhibition includes works from different eras and shows the experiments with various materials. My latest work, created four months ago, reflects certain clues and the latest thoughts I had towards the artistic realm.

Alfredo, as the curator, how did you approach organizing this exhibition, given its dual focus on prediction and retrospection?

What gave me the incipit for the curatorial rationale was this idea of the grid, which is indeed the basic structure for the digital realm today, the foundational element whereupon everything else is built, connected, experienced and circulated. That visual ‘digital matrix’ of his work is precisely the result not only of time mapping, but also of those societal codes that inform our lives now, when we are both physical and virtual at the same time.

Your use of the cross sign, whether a '+' or an 'x', is quite distinctive. What does this symbol represent to you?

D.Y: Returning to the initial stage of a symbol, these symbols have no meaning. In the long history of Chinese painting, all painting symbols and languages are meant to convey meaning. To avoid this cultural inertia, I dissolved the meaning of symbols like "+" and "x." This symbol has been in use for a long thirty-six years, and its meaning is no longer a proposition. The true significance of these works lies in how they form a picture, how they interact with the overall integrity of the image, and how they intersect with this era to further generate a new era of painting.

Alfredo, how did you decide to highlight the cross sign in the exhibition's narrative? and how they can be interpreted in a new language as an innovative code.

The mathematical pattern of the digital layers of our hybrid lives are both reflected (in retrospect) and anticipated (in advance) through the paintings presented in the exhibition - is a fascinating space/time traveling experience through the lens of non-representation. The works traverse cultural revolutions, economic booms, societal changes and technological achievement without really showing them specifically but evoking and suggesting them through the patterns created by the symbols x and +. It’s like when you open the ‘code version’ of a website page in your browser – you see symbols and ciphers and you know that they lead to visuals, texts, sounds, even if you cannot see them in that form. Ding Yi’s work are the same in that sense – and that’s what is thrilling about his work in relation to innovation and tradition.

Installation view. Credit: Stéphane ABOUDARAM | WE ARE CONTENT(S)

Your work is known for blending Eastern philosophy with Western aesthetics. How do you achieve this balance in your art?

D.Y: Eastern and Western aesthetics are two parallel systems, but in today's artist's vision, the key issues of Eastern and Western philosophy and aesthetics are about how to face reality and the future. My painting language is completed using lines. The relationship between light and dark, and between surfaces, is also shaped by the density of the lines. This is the characteristic of my creations. We all know that traditional Chinese paintings always regards "lines" as the most basic expressive language. In this respect, I hope to convey my "lines" merely as a very personal expressive technique. The true integration of Eastern and Western aesthetics is realized when an artist shows their independent vision of reality, the pursuit of cultural commonality, and the ability to create while recognizing the future.

The Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium at Château LaCoste is a striking venue. How does its architecture influence the presentation of your work?

D.Y: Oscar Niemeyer's architecture is transparent, hence greatly influenced by the natural landscape and light. I think a transparent space can create a unique exhibition. Many of my works exhibited this time correspond in color to the natural scenery outside the glass window, allowing viewers' lines of sight to extend beyond the exhibition halls. Some of my fluorescent works, with their radiant colors, form a potential connection with the strong sunlight of southern France. Additionally, in this exhibition hall, the works are distributed at right angles and in clusters, creating a linearity to form a richness of thoughts when viewing the works.

Alfredo, what challenges and opportunities did the Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium present for curating this exhibition?

The curatorial approach in terms of display solution was deeply informed by the architectural features of the Niemeyer Pavilion, and it was indeed a conscious decision to relate the works with the environment. During one of my early site visits, I noticed the lines of the joints of the concrete floor to be at odd angles, more like 60/70-degree angles than the customary 90-degree; and that gave me the idea for a framework, for positioning the works in the space, rather than on the walls, a part of the architectural volume. Furthermore, being a glass pavilion, the external walls are mostly made of glass panes, floor to ceiling, with a black joint running vertically to connect one with the other; that gave me the idea for the black frames designed to support the eight pairs of painting shown in the middle of the space, which pairing from a different era and body of work but having exactly the same size. It was a long conversation with Ding Yi’s studio to secure those ‘pairings’ as some belong to his private archive and are not usually available for exhibitions. The show was five years in the making, and I’m glad we got there in the end.

Can you discuss the significance of the 'predictive' element in your work?

D.Y: The latest works are related to constellations, which have been the theme of my creations in the past two years. The vast and unknown world strikes a strong interest in me, an interest derived from the many unknowns and indescribable elements we experience on the daily. Therefore, I hope to identify some areas that can be expressed in the unknown world through my series of constellations. "Predictions" means an unknown direction, not "lost," hence ultimately, I hope to find a spiritual pursuit and expression.

Installation view. Credit: Stéphane ABOUDARAM | WE ARE CONTENT(S)

Alfredo, from your perspective, what is the key message you want visitors to take away from this exhibition?

When I first encountered his work some years ago, my first thought was that we know a lot about optical art and abstraction from Western artists, much, much less from Asian artists. We do of course have movements like the Dansaekhwa artists in South Korea, but for the most, we refer to optical and abstraction through a Western lens. That was ‘undone’ for me by Ding Yi, whose work is well known in Asia but relatively unknown in Europe, for instance – and I discovered someone who not only work on non-representation from the beginning of his career, but actively has approached societal and cultural changes through this focused practice. It reminded me to the work of Giorgio Morandi, for instance, someone who did still life of cups, bottles and vases for most of his career and yet managed to transfer all the societal upheavals of Italy throughout his time. Different visuals, same consistency and focus. That was a sort of ‘wow’ moment for me, as a curator, and I hope it will be having the same effect on the visitors at Chateau LaCoste.

Finally, what's next for you after this exhibition? Are there any new projects or directions you're excited about? We will see this exhibition even in other venues?

D.Y: This exhibition will tour to Mostyn Gallery in North Wales next February, where I will have returned to Shanghai by then. I am preparing for a large solo exhibition at the Kunming Contemporary Art Museum next year. To prepare for that, I have already visited the minority areas of Yunnan twice, looking for connections between Yunnan's history and the Dong Ba culture of the Na Xi people. I am studying the relevant ethnic groups and cultures, as well as their unique scripts and images. I hope such an exhibition can form a relationship to local history and culture while opening new doors for my future endeavors. WM