Madeleine Aleman: Colourful China

Colourful China - Madeleine Aleman’s recently works in Kunming

TCG Nordica-UP Gallery, Kunming, China
Opening: 2008/11/1, 20:00
Exhibition duration: 2008/11/1–11/22
Tel: 0086-871-4114962
Add:TCG Nordica, Xibalu 101#, Kunming, Yunnan.
www.tcgnordica.com

My experience as an A.I.R at TC/G Nordica in Kunming, China August - November 2008

It is a great adventure for me to be here in Kunming, which also is my first time in Asia. My intention of coming here was to put myself in a completely new context in purpose to change and grow. It took me about one month to “land” and get an everyday-life. Not knowing any Chinese even going to the shop to buy food is a trial: What is hidden in this beautiful package, beans, nuts or something else? I really appreciate not understanding though, it forces me to be present and communicate in other ways than with words.

I am happy that I am participating in Nordica’s program for residency in many ways: To immediately have good housing and a studio near other artists, to have a lot of nice people that helps me to get things I need, to be introduced to artists, visit their studios and be invited to exhibitions and all that with interpreter! Also to follow what’s going on at Nordica’s cultural centre and now, last but not least, have the opportunity to make an exhibition to share the outcome of the residency!

Actually I had about 2 months of intense work in the studio, since the first was “landing” and the last will be some travelling. The work from this period is diverse. Since I want to share my process I am not taking away pieces to make it look more coherent. I started with the “Kaleidoscope-paintings”, something I felt was easy, wanted to integrate China with Sweden, then the first idea leads to next and so on… I wanted to use all my new impressions, my minority clothes, paper cuts and Chinese characters.
I get inspired every day when I walk from my home to the studio on Xiba lu, now even called “My street”. This lovely throng of people playing, cooking, washing, working…nice smiles from old and young, children waving their hands and says: “Hello!”. Smells from food, the bakery, colours of fantastic plastic, vegetables and clothes…I love Kunming!

Do you want to see more? Please visit my webpage: www.aleman.se

Thanks to all nice staff at Nordica, the lovely Kunming citizens and to you that visit my exhibition!
Special thanks to:
Luo Fei, for all interesting conversations about art, your lecture on Chinese contemporary art and that you took me to visit artists.
Tian Yao, for your help with so many different things, for interpreting, for bringing me on exhibition openings and other joyful events.

With love, Madeleine Aleman

>>>Madeleine Aleman’s CV

exhibition space

Madeleine Aleman

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am interested in integration and want to combine things that do not naturally exist side by side. Earlier I worked on gender, lately more on ethnic integration. It can, for example, be an African woman that needs water and therefore is placed by a Nordic lake or Arabic ornaments together with festival Swedish Star-boys. I even mix styles and techniques. I like traditional style together with kitsch – to integrate “high and low”. In second-hand shops I find touristic things from different cultures which I glue together into “Multi-cultic-objects” Twins also interests me. My siblings are twins and them always having each other, identifying with each other both fascinated and woke my envy as a child… I like the mirror effect, when objects are repeated and form patterns. Working a lot with twin-motifs developed the pictures into “Kaleidoscopes”. What happens if I double the twins? They became four and formed symmetric compositions, like the ancient tradition of Mandalas that exists in different cultures.

Ideas often start with something I see: a person, a thing or a view that stimulates my associations. Even the material can turn me on as well as a colour. I manifest my visual idea, trying not to analyse before I am done, because my mind is so adult-like and I want a more direct expression. My art does not have a message to the beholder. I only want to share my visual world and I am happy if it in someone arouses feelings of wonder, playfulness and hope.

artist website: www.aleman.se

MADELEINE ALEMAN

Born 1959 in Stockholm, Sweden. Lives and works in Stockholm and Dalarna.
Member of the Swedish Artists´ National Organization.

EDUCATION:
University College of Art, Crafts and Design, Stockholm 1996-2000
Nyckelviksskolan, Stockholm 1995-1996
The International Art School, Stockholm 1994-1995

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
Wahlmanska huset, Hedemora 2008
Gallery Ingela S, Stockholm 2007
The Music Museum of Stockholm 2001
Glasbruket, Stockholm 2000

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
Art Fair, Sollentuna/Stockholm 2007
Edsvik Art Gallery, Stockholm 2006
Art Gallery, Stockholm 2004
Rosendals Garden, Stockholm 2001
Gallery Gamle Ski, Oslo (three selected Swedish artists) 2001
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS:
TC/G Nordica, Kunming, China 2008 The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, England 2009
La Galeria, Barcelona, Spain 2009 Gallery Gora, Montreal, Canada 2010

PURCHASED BY:
Uppsala County Council, Sweden 2007
Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden 2006
The County of Ski, Norway 2001
Medborgarskolan, Stockholm, Sweden 2001

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE:
TC/G Nordica, Kunming, China, 4 months 2008
Can Serrat, Barcelona, Spain, 1 month 2009

SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS and AWARDS:
Stipendium, Helge Ax:son Johnsson Foundation, 2003
Stipend, Artist-in-residence, Can Serrat, Barcelona 2008

PROFESSIONAL:
Viktor Rydberg High School ,Aesthetic program, Stockholm, Teacher of Studio Art, 2003-
Folkuniversitetet, Studio Art School, Stockholm, Teacher of Studio Art, 1999-2006

Studio Art Workshop leader for Bildkraft, Stockholm, 2002-
Stadsmuséet National Museum, Stockholm, Leader for Art workshop for kids on “Tiljan”, 1997-1999
Featured in Swedish National Radio :”Tendens” P1, about “dreams and inner visions”, 2002
Certificated Art Therapist after studies at NIARTE, 2001-2004
Stagedesign assistent at The Royal Dramatical theatre, Stockholm, 1980-1982 and The Royal Opera house, Stockholm, 2002
Original illustrater, Visucom, Stockholm, 1980-1981

Lisa Tagesson in Kunming

Lisa Tagesson is a Swedish artist, she visited TCG Nordica(Kunming,China) from 2008.June.1 to Aug.31.
Here is the introduction from artist self about what her works about and what she has done in Kunming.

Words from Lisa:
I work with creating my own fabrics as well as with manipulating existing fabrics. I am interested in the integration of fabrics, the body and clothing. I create my own methods, using stitching to shape the fabric so that it has a special relationship to the body.

Important aspects in my work are craft work, knowledge of traditional techniques of costume-making and the Swedish tradition with connections to other countries. In my three month residencestudio at TCG Nordica, I worked with patterns made by pleating and folding techniques together with hand stitches and embroidery. I found a lot of inspiration in the textiles from Yunnan ethnic minorities.

I took part in Ms. Shasha’s project OVOP (One village one project) and hold a one day self portrait workshop with free embroidery.

CV LISA TAGESSON
Born 1981 Sweden

Education:
Gothenburgs University, HDK Steneby, Applied art, Master, Since - 07
Gothenburgs University, HDK Steneby, Textile -Garment - Design program, Bachelor - 07
Malmö Tillskärarakademi, Drawing-Garmentconstruction - 04
Östra Grevie, Adult Education collage, Textile - 03
Växjö Upper secondary school, Textile - Costume - 00

Solo Exhibition:
Kaleido, Uppsala - 08
Marstrand Town Hall, Gothenburg - 07
Gallery Olika, Dals Långed - 07
Baldersnäs Manor - 07
Bengtsfors Art Hall - 07

Group Exhibition:
TCG Nordica, Kunming, China - 08
Sockerbruket, Lidköping - 08
State Library, Malmö - 08
Angereds Culture Hall, Göteborg - 08
Lysekil Art Hall, Lysekil - 08
Bohusläns Museum, Uddevalla - 08
Gallery KHVC, Örebro - 07
Skövde Art Museum - 07
Lokstallet, Strömstad - 07
The New Storehouse, Dals Långed - 07
Röhsska Museum, Fashion Exhibition, Göteborg - 07
Bengtsfors Fair, Bengtsfors - 07
Steneby Art Hall, Exam Exhibition - 07
Gallery Olika, Member Exhibition, Dals Långed - 07
Steneby Art Hall, Christmas Exhibition 05 - 07
Formex Fair, Stockholm - 06
Weaving Fair, Karlstad - 05
Moheda Town Hall, Växjö - 05
Gallery Enformsak, Malmö - 03
Consert Park, Malmö - 02
Gallery Sigma, Växjö - 00

Schoolarship:
VGR Artist in Residence, China - 08
Foundation Hilda Selanders Fund - 08
J.L Eklunds Handicraft Foundation 05 - 09
EU - Contribute through HDK Steneby 07 - 08
Kaleido Exhibition Schoolarship - 07
K-money, Youth Culture - 07
Swedbank Foundation Schoolarship Fund 06 - 07
Adlerbertska Fund 05 - 06
Växjö Municipality Culture Schoolarship - 04

Workexperience:
OVOP Culture of Minority handcraft development, Workshopleader, China - 08
Malmö Opera, Costume Department - 08
Sciencefestival, Göteborg - 08
Gothenburgs University, Teacher: Body and Wolume - 07
Foundation Steneby School, Teacher: Smock and Embrodery - 07
Design with Care, Sustainable Design, Sewing Commission - 07
Rock Festival, Hultsfred 05 - 06
Christmas City, Göteborg - 05
Göteborg Party, Göteborg - 05

Sold work of art:
Bohusläns Museum Art Association - 08
Udevalla Hospital Association - 08
Lysekil Art Association - 08
Steneby Hands Art Association- 08

Member:
BUS (Image originators right)
KHVC (Art and handicraft center)
K - Merkt Konst (Artistgroup)
VMT (Textile Artist group)
FAOS (Female Artwork of Sweden)
Not Quite (Art Organization)
RUS (Craft Organization)

Represented:
Elle Interiör Magazine
Hemslöjden Magazine
Konst Hantverk Magazine
DN Newspaper
Uppsala Newspaper
Provins Newspaper
Dalslänningen Newspaper
Småland Newspaper
HDK Steneby Homepage
Kravallslöjd Homepage
Kulturungdom Homepage

More Lisa’s information please visit her website: www.svenskakonstnarer.se/galleri/LisaTagesson

Photo by Lisa Tagesson and Luo Fei

Artists in Recidents 2007

Artists in Recidents

TCG Nordicas international exchange report

The second half of 2007 has bees a busy interesting time with many international contacts between TCG Nordica and Scandinavia.

During 2007 TCG Nordica has had several Artists in Residence.

Artists who have worked in the studios, held courses at TCG Nordica and lectures at the different Universities of Kunming. One of the ideas is to be able to utilize the knowledge and skills of these artists and provide an exchange of experiences among the artists and opportunities to network.

Artist in residence

June .July

Susanne Cheng, Denmark Susanne came in the end of June on a scholarship from Aeropagos. Susanne worked with silkpainting and had two workshops in TCG Nordicas new opened and rebuilt location.

Tibor Csikos came from Sweden on a scholarship in cooperation with Västra Götaland. He ended his tree AIR months with an exhibition there he sold some of his works.

This summer Photographers from Yunnan Ye Ju Lan, Zhang Yong Ning, Chen Lin, Dekun Shen, Wang Yuhui, showed their Exhibition “Children of China” in a cooperation together with Västra Götaland´s project “Buskul” at Drottning Silvia`s children hospital. The exhibition is showing the different situations and conditions put on children growing up in contemporary China.

August

Love protection project

5 Swedish artists Anneli Linder, Christina Nyström Jansson, Elisabeth Johansson, Linda Thörnblad, Else Månsson met and worked together with 6 Chines artists, Dou Yu, Sha Sha, Shi Zhijie, Wang Han, Zhang Yi. They ended their experiences with an exhibition together. The exhibition showed a great variety of material as silver, oil painting, textile weaving print, textile and metal sculptures.

Liu Lifen, Mao Xu Hui and Luo Fei visited Sweden and Norway with an Art exhibition of Kunming artists at Bohusläns Museeum.

Chines artists in the exhibition was Chen Changwei, Chen Qili, Guo Peng, Lei Yan, Li Ji, Liu Lifen, Liu Deng, Luo Fei, Mao Xuhui, Shen Qin, Sun Guojuan, Tao Jin, Wu Yiqiang, Xue Tao, Zhang Qiongfei, Zhao Quanghui

September

Arne Revheim from Fredrikstad, Norge, came for one months and worked in our studio there he had an open studio exhibition with his drawings and ink paintings.

Wu Yanxi , Kunming, went to Sweden and Norway on a exchange project and exhibition.

Agneta Segerfelt, Sweden, came in August to October and worked with silk painting and oil painting.

Annica Stubbs, Finland, was AIR 3/4 of the time and 1/4 volunteer at TCG Nordica helping out with photo documentation, workshops and other practical things. She visited an lepra village together with Xincon and made some photo documentation.

October – January 08

AnnaKarin Svensson, Sweden, came in October for a months and had an exhibition together with Eta Hedman. The exhibition work was textile sculptures, silkscreen prints, picture embroidery and collage.

Kaarina Ormio, Finland, came in October and will stay to March 08

Her work is a film production and textile works. The exhibition is January to Mars.

Sopheap Piech and Chath Piersath from Kambodja came November to January invited by TCG Nordica.

Chat Piersath showed his paintings and poetry at TCG Nordicas HIV/AIDS exhibition in December.

Sopheap Piech Worked in our studio with bamboo sculptures and paintings and had his exhibition together with Kaarina Ormio in January.

Kristina Henrysson, Sweden, has been studying as an exchange student at Yunnan Art Institute 5 months. Kristina is a student at Royal Academy in Stockholm.

artist in residency

TCG Nordica is an international art gallery and culture centre nestled in the LOFT (the artist community) in Kunming, China. TCG Nordica’s Artist in Residence Programme is open for international artists to apply. We provide a rich cross cultural environment for the artist in residence to experience life in a different culture with opportunities to cooperate and dialogue with international artists and create something new. We hope that this exposure gives the artist a new understanding and inspiration. Our gallery has a contemporary feel with more than 500 m2 floor space. (Please check our website for the details of the gallery space). We also have art studios and guest flats available. An artist in residence position does not automatically include an exhibition, however you are free to make a separate application.

What We Offer
• Opportunities to meet with other artists and visit art institutions, galleries and museums
• Opportunities for arranging exhibitions
• Opportunities for printing brochures, catalogues and art books
• Guest studios and flats
• Help in locating art supplies and resources
• Translation help
• Culture tourism in Yunnan province
• Yunnan orientation

How to Apply
Applications for the Artist in Residence program should be sent to TCG Nordica Gallery’s curator 6-12 months prior to the applied residence dates together with the artist’s C.V. and a CD-Rom including samples of art work.

Please read these doc. below:
Artist In Residence Program
Before you come to China,we suggest you need to read this check list first.
download application form here .
And here is ours flat information.

Contact Information
Luo Fei
TCG Nordica, Gallery Curator
Xiba Lu 101, Loft
Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
+86 (0) 871-411 4692, 411 4691
gallery.curator(a)tcgnordica.com
www.tcgnordica.com