FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Chinese Toy Stories Rickshaws by Laurens Tan At The Opposite House

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chinese Toy Stories Rickshaws by Laurens Tan At The Opposite House (Beijing, October 2010) Red Gate Gallery is pleased to announce China Toy Stories: a sculpture exhibition by Laurens Tan at The Opposite House. Laurens Tan s current toy-like works have an impartial innocence and sense of play, which become a voice for his close and constructive observation of China s cultural drift in the evolution of globalisation. His compelling analysis of language is the basis for his sculptures, installations, industrial design constructions, his 3D animations and digital media. The three life size rickshaws on display at The Opposite House atrium are made of fiberglass, steel, plastic and baked enamel. Happy Toy comes with LEDs and a rotating sculpture of a tree bearing fruits with people under it. Alluding to the Chinese Happy Toy, perceived as too garish and in bad taste for the discerning home-maker, their kitsch cheapness gives the toy its fascination and idiosyncrasy. The AA battery operated colourfully lit toy plays corny Chinglish love songs. Like the rickshaw itself, the Happy Toy may also face extinction to make way for more modern tastes. Inspired by a trash collecting rickshaw at Xidan, the white rickshaw bears the Chinese characters of logic and intuition juxtaposed on each side of the object. LaJi 垃圾 (rubbish) is here phonetically linked to LuoJi 逻辑 (logic) while ZhiJue 直觉 (intuition) is mirrored on the opposite side. The coinage of LuoJi 逻辑 indicates that there is no existing Chinese word for logic. Birth is the title given to the red rickshaw with a carriage home to an army of little figurines. Part of the Depth of Ease Series women workers arise from the red egg transported on a rickshaw frame. The rickshaw is iconic on Beijing roads as a home-made people carrier, illegal and unsafe, but demonstrates the ingenuity of people s natural improvisational skills. The Chinese Text: Ji Du You Xian, a close translation of the Depth of Ease is a commentary on Chinese contemporary society and a reflection on China s cultural and economic current trajectory. It s also an expression of the structural beauty of the Chinese character. The Holland-born Chinese artist s studies in Chinese language are constantly interrupted by his inquisitive and interrogative nature - never able to accept meanings and contexts at face value. In search of a blueprint for identity, he uses language to uncover customs, changes in attitudes and values otherwise obscured from view. Beijing was once known as a charming bicycle city and Laurens contemporary twist on these traditional Chinese rickshaws effectively captures and bridges the fond memories of old Beijing with today s post-olympics urban wonderland. Says General Manager, Anthony Ross.

2 Birth From the Depth of Ease Series

3 Happy Toy Xidan Trash Rickshaw

4 About Red Gate Gallery Founded in 1991 by Australian Brian Wallace, Red Gate has been the platform for many of China s leading artists. Most Red Gate artists have been with the gallery for over 15 years and have accurately described the incredible change in China by addressing many of the toughest social issues with a critical and accurate eye. Hundreds of artists have participated in the gallery s highly acclaimed International Artist in Residence Program, truly developing an exchange opportunity for Chinese and foreign artists in Beijing. For further information, please contact: Brian Wallace Director of Red Gate Gallery China mobile: (86) redgategallery@aer.net.cn Website: redgategallery.com About Swire Hotels Swire Hotels has been created to manage intriguing urban hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United Kingdom, providing a luxury experience for travellers who seek individuality, style and personalised service. The Opposite House, Beijing, opened in 2008 and was followed by The Upper House, above Pacific Place, Hong Kong, in October Swire Hotels opened a 345-room lifestyle business hotel called EAST, Hong Kong in Hong Kong s Island East, on 25 January EAST, Beijing with 369 rooms, located within INDIGO in Jiangtai, will open in 2012.

5 Swire Hotels is creating a new collection of locally inspired and stylish hotels in the heart of great English towns and cities called Chapter Hotels. The first hotel in the collection will be launched in Q in Cheltenham. About The Opposite House The Opposite House is located in Sanlitun Village a vibrant new open-plan shopping, dining and entertainment destination developed by Swire Properties. The hotel s 99 guest studios include 9 spacious suites and a penthouse duplex with a 240sqm roof terrace. More than half of all the studios are over 70 sqm and all are strikingly simple with natural wooden floors and subtle touches of Chinese décor. For further information or high resolution images please contact: Juliana Loh Communications Manager The Opposite House Tel: julianaloh@swirehotels.com About Sanlitun Village Sanlitun Village, located at the junction of the Worker s Stadium North Road and Sanlitun Road in Chaoyang District, Beijing, comprising two sites with a total site area of approximately 53,000 sqm (over 566,000 sq ft), and a total floor area of over 136,000 sqm (approximately 1.47 million sq ft)* spreading over 19 buildings, including a 99-room intriguing urban hotel, The Opposite House. Built around the bustling hutongs of Sanlitun, taking inspiration from the courtyards and alleyways of Beijing's past and mixing it with its more worldly cosmopolitan present, the development will include over 200 shops, plus cafes, restaurants and bars, an eight-screen MEGABOX cinema, a unique cultural entertainment space and parking for more than 800 cars. For more details, please go to our official website: The retail portions of Sanlitun Village are jointly owned by Swire Properties and Gateway China Fund I, with Swire Properties holding an 80% stake and Gateway China Fund I taking the remaining 20%, while the hotel is wholly-owned by Swire Properties. * Gross floor area excludes car park areas