UCCA, in collaboration with the Flemish Theatre Institute, has invited internationally renowned artists Xu Bing and Jan Lauwers to discuss the role of contemporary art in society as well as the influence of international and intercultural exchange.

As two key figures in the contemporary art world whose work as circulated extensively around the world, Xu and Lauwers will share their thoughts on the impact of international mobility and intercultural interaction on the perception of their work and the potential of contemporary art in an increasingly globalized world.

Jan Lauwers' practice crosses many different artistic disciplines (music, film, visual arts, performance, writing) but maintains a strong link to the theatre. Together with choreographer Grace Ellen Barkey, in 1986 he founded Needcompany, an artists’ company in which a core group of actors, writers, musicians, and other artists produce artworks. They are key representatives of post-dramatic theatre, in which text is no longer central but becomes part of a performative aesthetic in which music, scenography, and other factors are treated as equally important.

Xu Bing is an artist and the Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. In 2006, the Southern Graphics Council awarded Xu Bing their lifetime achievement award for his “use of text, language, and books [that] has impacted the dialogue of the print and art worlds in significant ways.” Art in America listed Xu Bing in their annual Year in Review. He was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Columbia University in 2010.

Angela Serino

Angela Serino is an Italian independent curator and writer based in Amsterdam. She is currently working in residence at the Institute for Provocation with artist Maja Bekan on the project BODIES AT WORK.

Flemish Theater Institute

Embassy of Belgium in Beijing

Embassy of France in Beijing

Dragon & Horse Theater Company

Paper Tiger Theater Studio

Needcompany