Qiu Zhijie

each framed

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Netherlands, Amsterdam, Christie's non-selling exhibition; Amstelveen, Canvas International Art; Amsterdam, Artesia; Den Bosch, Vanderven & Vanderven Oriental Art; Utrecht, Mees Pierson Private Banking Office; Heerlen, DSM Head Office; France, Bordeaux, Chateau Palmer, East Asia Fine Arts Collections, 2007, 2008, 2013 (exhibition titles variable)
Netherlands, Rotterdam, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Dai Hanzhi: 5000 Artists, 2014

A Strange Heaven: Contemporary Chinese Photography, Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, China, 2003, cover & p. 97
Qiu Zhijie, Gao Songyin ed., Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House, China, 2007, pp. 72-76

These works are in good conditions with occasional surface abrasions visible under raking light. There are minor wear in handling around the corners and edges. Please note that they were not examined out of their frames.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The resplendently cosmic five-panel Constellation has its roots in a participatory installation work by Qiu Zhijie—an internationally influential artist, critic and curator who recently curated the Chinese Pavilion “Continuum – Generation by Generation” at the 57th Venice Biennale. For the participatory installation, Qiu Zhijie invited viewers to use their hands to roll and mold clay into balls that resembled planets in the solar system. These were photographed and digitally arranged into images, which were displayed on lightboxes in an installation that enabled audience members to view the work in detail via an indoor telescope. This allowed them to view in close detail each personalized clay ball marked with individual hand imprints. The present five-panel work, with its rich palette and whimsical aesthetic, exhibits Qiu’s acclaimed commitment to multi-media works that knows no bounds, spanning photography, sculpture and performance, amongst others. The motif of the solar system encapsulates the artist’s exploration of the tension between forces of destiny and self-assertion, or the relationship between individual agency and the forces of the universe. With its roots in the installation piece, Constellation also epitomizes Qiu’s explorations in collaborative and participatory practices, and is exemplary of the artist’s highly experimental and wide-ranging conceptual oeuvre.