Reactivation 重新發電

Yesterday night I went to the Shanghai Power Station of Art to check out the 2012 Shanghai Biennale with a gang of J's and a few A's. :) The place is literally an obsolete power station that was repurposed into a contemporary art museum, a very cool concept that provided more than enough headroom for huge installations. Thanks to Jeff, we experienced something very different and eye-opening. Good times hanging out with a group of very naughty (or shall we say, spirited?) friends, who turned a BBQ debacle into an opportunity for unabashed hor dourves thievery.

The place was HUUUUGE! 

That installation on the left could have been easily 5-6 stories tall.

100 Arms of Guanyin // Huang Yong Ping

I thought this one was very interesting, the arms were holding both everyday and religious objects. Mundane and sacred, I thought reflecting our inner/outer search. Also interesting how Guanyin is deconstructed into just arms on a rack, also sacred but not.

Artists like to make statements on society and human nature. This one was about how everyone is interconnected to one another. I thought it looked like paper terra cotta warriors. :p

This light sculpture was fantastic.

Using some sort of computer program, the artist mapped out a falling feather though these sequential light rods. I think that it's supposed to be dynamic and shift, but I can't imagine how that'd work without becoming impossibly tangled. Love the concept though, wish I could have something like that in my future billion dollar mansion. ;)

Now THIS exhibit was my favorite -- the Mogao Grottos simulation. It had a very special place in my heart because I actually visited Dunhuang 2 years ago. This organization virtually mapped out the interior of Cave 220, which had never been open to the public before. There are sensors around the simulated cave as well as the iPad that you hold, and you can "walk around" the cave through an accurate 360 degree perspective. You can get up close and see all the drawing details, and even check out how the cave would have looked thousands of years ago when freshly painted. Aside from the obvious cool technology factor, I can truly appreciate the work that this organization is doing in preserving our history. It's a gift to mankind. :)

We'd NEVER be able to access this in real life.

And a last parting shot inside the power station's smoke stack!

Absolutely terrifying if you're afraid of heights, and also if you're not. O_O