Liberation is an exhibition growing out of an ongoing discussion with Carol Yinghua Lu and Liu Ding following the blocked use of a selection of social-networking and self-publishing websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube in China. This exhibition takes the form of a visual art exhibition as well as a series of events and a blog discussion among the curators of the exhibition and invited guests. It proposes a close look into the openness and potential of the Internet world as well as its susceptibility to power and political manipulation and ideological controls.

Internet networking is an important facet of our lives. We have grown increasingly dependent on, involved in, if not completely addicted to the world of the Internet. We keep ourselves informed, connected and entertained on the Internet. Internet networking utilities like Facebook make it easy and fast for people around the world to communicate with each other and develop an ever-growing network of acquaintances, friends and friends of friends. There are over 350 millions Facebook users across the world. The immensity of its database makes it applicable to functions of a more public and pragmatic nature. We use it for promotion, publishing and campaigning for professional or political purposes. While the Internet opens up new territories and possibilities, it also generates necessities for drawing limits and boundaries and new forms of information control with its openness.

Recently censorship by the Chinese government has been getting stricter. This has led to Google, the world’s leading Internet searching engine, considering shutting down Google.cn and its offices in China. This recent activity makes our discussions timely and necessary.

The discussion between the curators and artists will be open for public viewing on a blog http://virtualcommunity.chinese-arts-centre.org/

Co-curated with Carol Lu and Liu Ding
Preview: June 24, 2010
June 25 – August 14, 2010

Venue: Chinese Arts Centre
Market Buildings
Thomas Street
Manchester
M4 1EU

http://www.chinese-arts-centre.org