SHANGHAI SOULMATES

an unbr oken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

rolf a. kluenter
2 0 1 2

companions of soul
soul-mates
spiritual friends

SOULMATES

Hans van Dijk

Lothar Spree
Shen Qilan
Thomas Fuesser
Zhe Chen
Simon Kirby
Chris Gill
Isaac Julien
in search of soulmate
Lorenz Helbling
Chinese Soulmates in alphabetical sequence
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
Ding Yi
Fei PingGuo(Alexander Brandt)
Lu Rong Zhi (Victoria Lu)
Pu Jie
Shang Lu (Jean Loh)
Shen Fan
Xue Song
Yang Fudong
Yang Qingqing
Zhou Tiehai

/ installation /
THE SHANGHAI SOULMATES
SHANGHAI SOULMATES,
NARRATIVE SYNCHRONY OF SHANGHAI SOULMATES.
D|ng Y|, Fe| P|ng Guo (A|exander Brandt}, Thomas Fuesser, |orenz He|b||ng, lsaac Ju||en, S|mon K|rby, || Yun Fe| (Ohr|s G|||}, |u Rong Zh| (v|ctor|a |u},
Pu J|e, Shang |u (Jean |oh}, Shen Fan, Shen O||an, |othar Spree, ue Song, Yang Fudong, Yang O|ngq|ng, Zhe Ohen, Zhou T|eha| - e|ghteen |nter-
nat|ona||y acc|a|med art profess|ona|s make an appearance |n Ro|f A. K|uenter`s 9-channe| f|m Shangha| Sou|mates. A 1993 dated photography by
Thomas Fuesser of the late art critic and curator Hans van Dijk comes into view along with the appearance of Ding Yi as it plays a memorable mo-
ment dur|ng h|s ta|k. ln the f|m, these 18 art profess|ona|s p|us ONE happen to be grouped by defn|t|on of bond|ng based on shared fee||ngs, |nter-
ests, and exper|ences.
Dur|ng the past decades, Shangha|, the urban mega-scenar|o w|th |ts dynam|cs and trans|ent dr|ve, seemed to have been produc|ng a hypnot|c
maelstrom on the minds of them.
The metanarrative of the rapid emergence of the Contemporary Chinese Art Scene during the late 20th and early 21st century just rudimentarily reso-
nates |n the scenes of the f|m as |t g|ves way to the more modest, '|oca||zed" and momentary narrat|ves that |nvo|ve the 18 p|us ONE protagon|sts of
Shangha| Sou|mates. We encounter the protagon|sts |nvo|ved |n mere ord|nary act|v|t|es of ever-ongo|ng da||y rout|nes that are just |ast|ng on|y for a
short t|me - pour|ng tea |nto a cup, carefu||y choos|ng d|shes from the menu, observ|ng a speedy ch||d-tra|n |n an amusement park, search|ng a |oca-
t|on, the check|ng of pa|d-back banknotes, s|tt|ng |ns|de an errant, empty pub||c bus and watch|ng the pass|ng-by outs|de, da||y yoga pract|ce, ser|-
ous|y contemp|at|ng a sketch or a photography, sound-stud|o vo|ce record|ng, burn|ng off paper, wa|k|ng sta|rcases, day-dream|ng, the chat on the
recent town gossip.
Just as events may be grouped by cause, they may a|so be grouped by mean|ng. A group|ng of narrat|ves by mean|ng need not have an exp|anat|on
|n terms of cause and effect. Synchrony - the recurrent theme throughout K|uenter`s Shangha| Sou|mates and the core of h|s suggest|ve and v|sua|
exp|orat|on - |s the exper|ence of two or more narrat|ves that m|ght be apparent|y causa||y unre|ated or un||ke|y to occur together by chance, yet are
exper|enced as occurr|ng together |n a mean|ngfu| manner. The |dea of synchron|c|ty |s that the conceptua| re|at|onsh|p of m|nds, defned as the re|a-
t|onsh|p between |deas, |s |ntr|cate|y structured |n |ts own |og|ca| way and g|ves r|se to re|at|onsh|ps that are not causa| |n nature. These re|at|onsh|ps
can manifest themselves as simultaneous occurrences that are meaningfully related.
Somehow, the f|m m|ght document someth|ng. However, |t |s far away from be|ng a documentary. lts story rema|ns fragmentary as the narrat|ve hap-
pens to be |oose|y patched |n sty|e of cont|nuous|y evo|v|ng moments of non-||nked scenes. v|sua|s, background sounds, the vo|ces, the ta|ks, chats
and statements as we|| as the s||ence - a|| moments are composed |nto a we||-tempered and d|st|nct aud|o-v|sua| m|x.
The d|sp|ay of 9-channe| screen-arrangement prov|des an unbroken v|ew of a|| encounters - narrat|ve synchrony of SHANGHAl SO|MATES.
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
INSTALLATION
COMPOSITION
OF
9 TV SCREENS
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
HAIKUI SPINS OVER SHANGHAI
AUGUST 8, 2012 1.30-3.30PM
Yang Qing Qing is the only passenger of
a public bus that is driving on Nangpu bridge in
Cemtral Shanghai crossing from Pudong to Puxi.
Ding Yiis sitting in the ante-room of his
studio awaiting a guest. He is pondering his mem-
ories of late Hans van Dijk.
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION
(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Yang Fudong + Isaac Julien
STILLNESS AND MOTION
DISTILLED MOTION
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
Fei Ping Guo (A|exander Brandt} + Lothar Spree
PAUSE and LOOK
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Jean Loh + Zhe Chen
INNER EYE
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Lu Rong Zhi (Victoria Lu) + Shen Qilan
GESAMTKUNSTWERK
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

+
:
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Zhou Tiehai + Lorenz Helbling
COSMIC STRING
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Shen Fan + Simon Kirby
SUBLIME TATSE
DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

+


an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Xue Song + Chris Gill
MEMORY UPDATE
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

+

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Pu Jie + Thomas Fuesser
CONTEMPORARY WITNESS
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
Yang Qing Qing
EARTH.WATER.FIRE.WOOD.METAL TRANSMEDIA
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
Ding Yi + Hans van Dijk
CONTINUOUS CROSSING
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

+

an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
SHANGHAI SOULMATES
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
an unbroken vi ew of al l encount er s i n f ul l panor ama

COMPOSITION OF 9 SPLIT SCREENS IN SINGLE FRAME (BEAMER) PROJECTION

(SCREENSHOTS)
SOULMATES METANARRATIVES IN ART HSTORY
1936 Photography Lu Xun + Artists
Lu Xun and Woodcut Artists at the Second National Traveling Woodcut Exhi-
bition held at YMCA on October 8, 1936
Lu Xun and Woodcut Artists at the Sec-
ond National Traveling Woodcut Exhibi-
tion held at YMCA on October 8, 1936
Ro|f A. K|uenter (1956} |s a German-born, Shangha|-based v|sua| art|st and f|mmaker.
H|s v|sua| works |nc|ude pa|nt|ngs on b|ackened Nepa|ese handmade paper and objects made of that paper, works on canvas
and photography. From 2006 onwards, he deve|oped a ser|es of |nsta||at|ons comb|ned w|th objects, performance and v|deo.
K|uenter`s f|ms |ncorporate d|fferent art|st|c d|sc|p||nes, draw|ng from and comment|ng on f|m, performance, photography,
mus|c, theatre, pa|nt|ng and scu|pture, and un|t|ng them to create a poet|c v|s|ua| |anguage |n aud|o-v|sua| f|ms. A character|st|c
feature of K|uenter`s f|ms |s the use of compos|t|ng mu|t|-sp||t screens |n comb|nat|on w|th cont|nuous|y evo|v|ng fragments of
seem|ng|y non-||nked narrat|ves.
K|uenter '|s character|zed by a consequent turn|ng to the east. After graduat|ng from the renowned F|ne Arts
Academy |n Duesse|dorf |n the year 1982, K|uenter d|dn`t focus on New York, wh|ch as metropo||s of contemporary art had
produced a hypnot|c mae|strom, but rather towards Nepa|. For h|m, the new pos|t|on|ng, wh|ch not on|y |n the phys|ca| sense
meant a counter-d|rect|on, was ||ke the entry |nto the |abyr|nth of |ns|ght. Espec|a||y, because h|s sojourn a|so |nc|uded an |nten-
s|ve study of and an encounter w|th far- eastern ways of th|nk|ng and med|tat|on. nt|| 1998, he ||ved |n Kathmandu, after th|s
dar|ng the move to Shangha|, a metropo||s w|th a cap|ta||st|ca||y character|zed dynam|c that const|tutes the th|rd stat|on of an
unusua| art|st|c path."

(Ohr|stoph Schaden, Porta|s of the |abyr|nth, Exh|b|t|on-Oata|og, 2005, Ga||ery van der Straeten, Amsterdam}
Rolf A. Kluenter VITA

1956
2006

1982


1998

Ro|f A. K|uenter Fl|MOGRAPHY

SHORT FILM Projects
2013-14 ROOK OAvERN, HD v|deo, - (|n product|on}
2012 SHANGHAl SO|MATES, HD v|deo, panorama f|m |ntsa||at|on (|n post-product|on}
2012 ANNONOER one HOW|, HD v|deo, f|m lnstan||at|on (|n post-product|on}
2011 ANlMA F|, HD v|deo,, 33 m|n
2011 TRN THE SOA|E (Nano}, HD v|deo,
2009 OORE PERlPHERY ONE, f|m lnsta||at|on,
2009 |OST FAlRY, (Pusong ||ng, Pa|nted Wa||}, v|deo,
2008 PlNK GRlD 69, v|deo,
2008 |lMBO GRlD, v|deo,
2006-08 TRANSPlRE, v|deo,
2006 BEYOND MY OHAlR - Tharu v|a||age, Nepa|, v|deo, 28 m|n
2006 THE vA||EY - Kathmandu, Nepa|, v|deo, 5 m|n
2006 WEAvER-So|o Khumbu, Nepa|, v|deo, 3 m|n
2006 RBAN RETREAT, v|deo, 9 m|n
2006 GRlD HOSE - Pashupat|nath, Nepa|, v|deo,
1996 A TlGER, THE ARTlST + HlS SHADOW, (screenp|ay, |n comp|ete product|on , just one f|m sequence rea||zed}
1994 WlPER, f|m, 16 mm, 3 m|n
1989 MAHAKA|A - FlRE OFFERlNG, Svayambhunath, Nepa|, f|m sequence based on s|ng|e photography
1981 ElGHT GREAT MOTHERS - RlTA|, Patan, Nepa|, f|m sequence based on s|ng|e frame photography
1976 Tl|DA KRlNGS - ONE DAY, Buerven|ch, Germany, f|m sequence based on s|ng|e frame b|ack and wh|te photography


361976-201220

ln the course of the past 36 years (1976-2012} Ro|f A. K|uenter has |nvo|ved |n numerous photography and short f|m produc-
t|on. So far, he was ab|e to rea||ze 20 short fms. S|nce h|s res|dence |n Shangha| he has been |ncreas|ng|y focus|ng on the pro-
duct|on of art re|ated f|ms.
Ro|f A. K|uenter EHlBlTlONS (se|ected s|nce 2000}
SOLO
2012 24h ga||ery 'ANNONOER", TEAPOT, Oo|ogne, Germany
2011 24h ga||ery 'lNEESTENT", TEAPOT, Oo|ogne, Germany
2010 24h ga||ery 'ANlMA F|", TEAPOT, Oo|ogne, Germany
2009 24h ga||ery 'p|nkGRlD 69 + TRANSPlRE", TEAPOT, Oo|ogne, Germany
2009 Shangha| works, |a Founta|ne Oenter of Oontemporary Art, Bahra|n
2009 frag|||ty report, Backyard Ga||ery, Oopenhagen, Denmark
2008 ||mbo gr|d, stageBAOK Ga||ery, Shangha|, Oh|na
2008 Ga||ery Bast|aans, Boxmer, N|eder|ande
2007 farther.beyond.",Ga||ery ShanSan, Shangha|, Oh|na
2007 farther.beyond.,Ga||ery |r|ke Hrobsky, W|en, Austr|a
2007 urban retreat/tharu v|||age -2 f|ms", Museum Rat|ngen, Deutsch|and
2006 PASE AND |OOK, Art Scene Warehouse, Shangha|, Oh|na
2006 d|mens|ona| express|on, ReedSavage Ga||ery, Oora| Gab|es, F|or|da, SA
2005 b|ack box", Ga||ery Oorne||ssen, W|esbaden, Germany
2005 enter|ng the |abyr|nth, Ga||ery van der Straeten, Amsterdam, N|
2004 secret room", Nat|ona| Ga||ery, Bangkok, Tha||and
2002 b|ack paper, A|p Ga||er|es, New York, NY, SA
2002 soft core, Oh|na M|||en|um Monument Museum, Be|j|ng, Oh|na
2001 trans|t e|ght, Oorne||ssen Ga||ery, W|esbaden
2001 A-wor|dw|de, Haus Rhode, Koen|gs|utter, Deutsch|and
2000 rapture |n trans|t, German House Ga||ery, New York, SA
2007 Oont|nuous Oross|ng, Koen|gs|utter-Rhode, Deutsch|and
2007 D|a|og l, Kuenst|erhaus Mettern|ch, Kob|enz, Deutsch|and
2007 Oross D|sso|ve/Transferstat|on", Knst|er|oge -Rat|ngen, Germany
2006 Hyperdes|gn, 6th Shangha| B|enna|e, Oh|na
2006 MoOA Env|sdage l", Museum of Oontemprary Arts, Shangha|, Oh|na
2006 6th Ho||and Paper B|enn|a|, Museum R|jsw|jk & Museum Ape|doorn (OODA}, N|
2006 Reed & Savage, Oora| Gab|es, F|or|da, SA
2006 Shangha| Duo|un Museum of Modern Art & Zhu O| Zhan Museum, Oh|na
2006 Tao Ga||ery, Mumba|, lnd|a + v|sua| Art Ga||ery, New De|h|, lnd|a
2005 Me|t|ng ldent|t|es, Ga||ery van der Straeten, Amsterdam, N|eder|ande
2005 Refuse to D|e, Prope||er Oenter for the v|sua| Arts, Toronto, Oanada
2005 Wr|tten |n Water-G|rke K|uenter ||, M|ng Yuan Art Oenter, Shangha|, Oh|na
2004 Shangha| Abstract, M|ng Yuan Art Oenter, Shangha|, Oh|na
2003 Shangha| Spr|ng Art Sa|on, Oh|na
2003 Museum Zue|p|ch, Deutsch|and
2002 D|a|og |n Progress, Guaweb Ga||ery, Be|j|ng, Oh|na
2002 Abstract Art-New Oentury, ||u Ha| Su Museum, Shangha|, Oh|na
2001 Mu|t|p|es, Bast|aans Ga||ery, Boxmer, N|eder|ande
2001 Ga||ery Ohateau vu||||erens, |ausanne, Schwe|z
2000 T|me of The Buddhas", ||nden Museum, Stuttgart
2000 Achrochage, van der Straeten Ga||ery, Amsterdam, N|eder|ands

2000
GROUP
2012 9th Shangha| B|enna|e, Spec|a| Projects, Oh|na
2012 Future Pass", Nat|ona| Museum of F|ne Arts, Ta|chung, Ta|wan
2012 TransMEDlA, Shangha| Scu|pture Space, Oh|na
2011 Empfeh|ungsschau, Anna K||nkhammer Ga||ery, Duesse|dorf, Germany
2011 54. |a B|enna|e d| venez|a - Oo||atera| Exh|b|t 'Future Pass"
2011 Future Pass", Were|dmuseum, Rotterdam, Nether|ands
2010 v|sua| Attract + Attack", Ta|pe| Museum of Oontemporary Art, Ta|wan
2010 D|a|og v - Jena Be|j|ng Be|j|ng Jena", vo|ksbad Jena, Germany
2009 Merg|ng Emerg|ng", Shangha| Muse|um of Oontemporary Art, Oh|na
2009 F|ve Shangha| Germans", stageBAOK Ga||ery, Shangha|, Oh|na
2009 Newlnk", Duo|un Museum of Modern Art, Shangha|, Oh|na
2008 transgress|ve body / re|ncarnated fesh, tape art space, Ber||n
2008 Kunst Poes|e Poes|e Kunst", Museum Kuenst|erhaus Mettern|ch, Kob|enz
2008 N|ght On Earth, Museum of Oontemporary Art, Shangha|, Oh|na
2008 D|mens|on Frag||e, The Austr|an Museum of Papermak|ng, Steyrermueh|
2008 T|me.|ocat|on.Person., uhu| Art Museum, Shangha|, Oh|na
2008 Repress|ve To|erance 4 Ever, Backyard Ga||ery, Kopenhagen, Dnemark
2007 Hyper||nk, Moon R|ver Museum of Oontemporary Art, Pek|ng, Oh|na
2007 1st An|mam|x B|enn|a|, Shangha| MoOA, Oh|na
2007 Made ln, SongZhuang Museum,Pek|ng, Oh|na
2007 Euras|a One, 18 art|sts at ls|and6, Shangha|, Oh|na

Shangha| Sou|mates Oopyr|ght |nformat|on + Ored|ts
2012 Shangha| Sou|mates, f|m Rolf A. Kluenter
2012 vERTlGO BREATH|ESS Lothar Spree
Translation by Peggy Pan
2012 Gesamtkunstwerk Rolf A. Kluenter
Translation by Shen Qilan
2012 WHO IS MY SOULMATE? Rolf A. Kluenter
1993 Photography of Hans van D|jk Thomas Fuesser

2012 the 9th Shanghai Biennale Special Project:

"Mingyuan Zhongshan Park Project
On the Way home
Shanghai Pudong nternational Airport
Special Exhibition