Artist Huang Yulong's new solo exhibition “The Outsider” will be held on February 26, 2023 at III SPACE, 4/F, Ping An Finance Center, Shenzhen.
Huang Yulong tells the story of being on the other side of the city from his personal experience. Through the backside elements of the prosperous city, he shows the qualitative change and contrast triggered by time. The artist combines graffiti, rats, flies, shanties and other symbols into the creation of graphic visual images and three-dimensional sculptures, which brings new art works and also allows the viewers to form a more layered in-depth thinking in terms of visual and auditory senses.
“Outsiders” is his first attempt to bring these ‘attitudinal’ works together in the same space, to look at the two sides of urban life from his perspective, to see how the environment changes people and to look at himself. Huang Yulong has always been persistent in realizing the integrity of his artworks, and he hopes that his works can connect with the public in a simple and direct form, triggering the viewer's thinking and resonance He is good at capturing the two sides of things, and applying these observations to his works. From the perspective of art creation, he believes that the coexistence and alternation of the old and the new is a kind of normality, some people will enthusiastically participate in new things, and some people will stick to their traditions. It is impossible to define what is good and what is bad, and there is no way to define the mainstream value orientation.
As an artist, he does not shy away from the friction and exploration between art and business, and as the environment changes, he also changes with it to interpret his works in the optimal form of presentation, which is a strong proof that his original intention is still there. Putting himself in different environments, thus realizing the change from an individual, an ordinary person to an “outsider”, Huang Yulong shuttles between light and shadow, and in the midst of the numerous changes, he turns his back and searches for the initial microcosm of the city - the city center at the beginning of the city lights reflected on the glass of Futian skyscraper in Shenzhen, as well as the weather-beaten bricks and tiles and those who have been living there for years behind it, and these are probably the “outsiders”. The existence of these realities is probably the “truth” perceived by the “outsiders”.
Huang Yulong, born in Anhui, China, is a young contemporary sculptor whose works always capture the typical forms of street culture directly and precisely, combining traditional and contemporary elements.
His works always capture the typical forms of street culture directly and accurately, blending traditional and contemporary elements, oriental and western aesthetics, and are full of reflections on life, inheritance, people and the objective world,human beings and the objective world.
Born in the 1980s, he grew up in traditional Chinese education and experienced the process of reform and opening up together with the whole country and nation. The changes in his family of origin and the rapid development of society have deeply imprinted his upbringing with the times. Growing up alone in a constrained environment, the emergence of hiphop culture unleashed his long-suppressed individuality, influencing his future attitude towards life and artistic creation.
Aware of contemporary global cultural conflicts, with an attitude, from the perspective of self-knowledge, not oriented to the current art environment and social values, with respect and love for life, Huang Yulong explores his own individuality by using a variety of media and materials to create his works. His works are full of national cultural confidence, internationalization and foresight. He also maintains the sincerity and temperature of his works.
