Rutherford Chang (1979-2025), a US post-conceptualist artist known for obsessive collections of everyday objects, is the subject of a posthumous exhibition at UCCA Beijing. The show, titled "Hundreds and Thousands," features his best-known works, including "CENTS" (2017-25)—a solid block of 10,000 melted pennies—and "We Buy White Albums" (2013-25), an installation of hundreds of vinyl copies of The Beatles' White Album, whose sleeves were often marked by previous owners. Both works, along with four others, explore how identical objects accumulate unique narratives through time and circulation.
This exhibition matters because it brings renewed attention to Chang's conceptually rigorous yet tender practice, which blurred the line between collecting and art-making. Curated by former UCCA director Philip Tinari, who followed Chang's career for years, the show also highlights the artist's deep ties to China's art scene during the 2008 Olympics era. By presenting Chang's work a year after his death at age 45, UCCA Beijing underscores his lasting influence on conceptual art and the ways everyday objects can reveal hidden stories.