Alisan Fine Arts is presenting 'New Voices in Paris Now: Between Memory and Matter' at Alisan Atelier in Hong Kong as part of its 45th anniversary programme. The exhibition features four contemporary Chinese artists—Li Donglu, Qi Zhuo, Shi Qi, and Yao Qingmei—who currently live and work in Paris. Each artist explores themes of memory, cultural identity, and material transformation through diverse media including oil painting, eroded film, paper reliefs, and blown-glass sculptures. The show runs parallel to 'The Chinese Avant-Garde in Paris' at the gallery's Central location, both part of the French May Arts Festival.
This exhibition matters because it bridges generations of Chinese artists in Paris, connecting the post-war modernist masters with a new wave of contemporary practitioners. By focusing on how inherited materials and ideas are transformed within contemporary frames, the show highlights the ongoing dialogue between Chinese artistic traditions and Western modernism. It also underscores the role of diaspora artists in redefining cultural memory and identity through innovative material practices, offering a nuanced perspective on globalization and artistic exchange in the 21st century.