Wang Quingsong is a 45 year old Chinese artist. In 2006, he was honored with the ‘Dialogue de l’Humanité’ prize for his work Vie Splendide (splendid life). Today, he is returning to Arles with his latest work entitled The Monument’s Story, an enormous oeuvre more than forty meters long. The Monument’s Story began in August 2009. Over 200 actors, covered in mud, were carefully placed in different holes carved out of the landscape. This composition represents the artist’s view on historical traces of former civilizations, and the cultural definition of beauty. ‘Chinese traditions are passed from one generation to the next with a number of documents related to historical characters, poetry, literature and mythological tragedies. During their reign, the people in power would tell their ‘story’, promoting their accomplishments. Each dynasty developed its own story, differing from their predecessors, the results typically inaccurate. The Monument’s Story will be exposed at the Trinitaires Church until September 04, 2011.
Ericka Weidmann
