The University of Melbourne's Buxton Contemporary has opened a new exhibition titled "Poetry goes no further than language," which examines the emergence of conceptual art in China during the mid-1980s and early 1990s. Featuring works by the Beijing collective New Measurement Group and Shanghai artist Qian Weikang, the show also includes a new commission by Victorian College of the Arts graduate Darcey Bella Arnold. Curated by Dr. Carol Yinghua Lu, Director of Beijing's Inside-Out Art Museum, together with artist Liu Ding, the exhibition brings previously inaccessible or little-known works to Australia for the first time.
This exhibition matters because it highlights a defining yet underexplored moment in Chinese contemporary art history, emphasizing the specificity and complexity of local art histories in an era of globalization. By presenting works that were lost or obscure outside specialist circles, it deepens cultural and intellectual exchange between Australia and China, reflecting the University of Melbourne's longstanding ties with the country. The show also demonstrates Buxton Contemporary's commitment to research-led programming that connects contemporary artistic practice with historical foundations.