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The Luo Brothers: New WorkPresented by Sara Meltzer Gallery November 10, 2006- December 20, 2006Reception: November 10, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmLuo Brothers
Collaborating since 1986, the Luo Brothers’ translate the surge of East meets West into a visual language. Their imagery and techniques reflect a myriad of stylistic influences ranging from traditional Chinese to Western pop and is exemplary of the current cultural explosion in China. This new body of work is constructed from contemporary consumer culture, ancient Chinese symbolism and political propaganda. The Luo Brothers’ critical vision of a culture at the crux of a significant socio-economic shift manifests itself in the form of slick surfaced multi-layered lacquered panels; highly polished resin sculptures; traditional wood carved panels; and an illustrious portrait of a young Mao on the rise, the only oil painting on canvas in the exhibition. Their playfully cynical vision is a conglomeration of the components of Chinese society today. The combination of traditional symbolism with the logos and graphics of western culture heralds corruption by consumerism, but also offers a glimpse of a hopeful and prosperous future. Adding to their repertoire are new resin sculptures and carved woodcut relief panels with such shiny finishes they appear candy coated. The resin sculptures with highly glossed surfaces depict cherubesque Chinese babies frolicking and playing amongst cans of Coca-Cola and hamburgers. These bouncing babies, symbols of prosperity and success, illustrate the exuberant and merry nature of choice and the vision of a “new” China. Similarly, mixed media lacquered panels include images taken from traditional Chinese calendars and collaged with familiar logos and symbols of Western consumer culture. Situated in front of the emblematic red and yellow Chinese sunshine, these densely packed scenes juxtapose the old with the new in order to illuminate the exuberance and energy that has hurled Chinese society into its current state. The trio of brothers, Luo Wei Dong (b.1963), Luo Wei Guo (b.1964) Luo Wei Bing (b.1972), were all born in the Guangxi Province of China. All are trained artists and attended different art schools in China; Luo Weidong attended the Guangxi Art College, Luo Weiguo attended the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and both graduated in 1987. Luo Weibing, the youngest of the three, graduated from the College of Art & Design in Beijing. They began working together in 1986 in Beijing where they all continue to live and work sharing a studio where they collaborate on every aspect of all of the works they produce. Reviews of The Luo Brothers: New Work
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