25 St. James's Street
London  SW1A 1HG

26 March - 18 May  2003

Sui Jianguo / Zhan Wang Legacy Mantle / Stainless Steel Scholars' Rocks  

Outside at the Economist Plaza we will be exhibiting new sculptures by two distinguished Chinese artists, Sui Jianguo and Zhan Wang.  At different locations in the Plaza will be sited two of Zhan Wang's Stainless Steel Scholars' Rocks, large polished steel forms, and Legacy Mantle, by Sui Jianguo, a monumental cast concrete Mao Jacket.

Sui Jianguo
Since 1997 Sui has been working on a series of Mao Suit works, that make direct reference to, and often take the form of, the government approved clothing introduced by Mao Tse Tung after the Cultural Revolution in China.  Always fabricated from solid, heavy materials these works present the Mao jacket both as an icon of cultural revolution and freedom as well as a symbol of restriction and limitation.  Sui says that none of the Chinese have truly taken off their Mao suits even though the revolutionary era is over.

Sui is currently Associate Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.  Since 1992 Sui's work has been shown internationally, including exhibitions in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India, Australia, the USA, the United Kingdom, France and Belgium.

Zhan Wang
Scholar's Rocks, translated to 'pretend mountains' in Chnese, are a now unused traditional form of courtyard garden ornamentation, used in ancient China to recreate in miniature elements of nature to be contemplated in private.  Zhan Wang for a number of years has been perfecting the technique of hammering forms from large rocks into stainless steel sheets to create unearthly reproductions of the rocks in this luxurious material.

Zhan Wang lives and works in Beijing.  His work has been shown widely in China and is being recognised internationally, including exhibitions in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Austria, France, USA and UK.

This exhibition is presented in association with The Red Mansion Foundation. The Red Mansion Foundation works on a not-for-profit basis to promote artistic exchange between Great Britain and China, through exhibitions, performances, publications, educational events and The Red Mansion Prize.  www.redmansionfoundation.org.uk

Catherine Shakespeare Lane  The Jacket 

During spring 2003 at The Economist Tower we will be presenting a unique project by British photographer, Catherine Shakespeare Lane.  Shot 30 years ago The Jacket features a series of 100 photographs of 100 men, some now senior figures in the Economist Group as well as some well know Soho celebrities, wearing the same leather jacket that was rescued from a Chelsea skip in 1973, standing against the same brick wall.

Soho figures such as the Bernard brothers, Jeffrey & Bruce, Frank Norman, Harry Diamond, The Colony Room owners and members, actors, including John Hurt, a couple of Lords, The Marquis of Queensberry, Alexander of Tunis and numerous other personalities from the years 1973-1976.  The Economist Group members, both current and former, represented in the photographs include Pip Piper , Robert Dunbar  and David Gordon (former Secretary of The Royal Academy and currently Director of The Milwaukee Art Museum).

Shakespeare Lane lives and works in London as a professional photographer.  Her practice, spanning 30 years has involved collecting found images and objects some of which are used as the subject of photographs, some of which are fused with photographs taken by Shakespeare Lane through careful selection, arrangement and presentation.  Her work has been show throughout Britain including exhibitions at The Royal Academy, Bradford City Art Gallery, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Southampton University, A22 Gallery, London and The Colony Room.

Photographic printing supported by Metro Imaging and mounting by Team Photographic

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