Gu Xiong: The Course of Globalism

Rivers form territorial boundaries, house unique ecosystems, fuel power sources and are integral networks for trade and cultural exchange. For the artist Gu Xiong, these waterways are also a telling metaphor for the ebb and flow of what he calls an era of “global uncertainty.” In the exhibition “Red River,” Xiong presents a video installation and a series of photo works that track the economic and social flux of geographically diverse river systems: the Red River in Manitoba, the Qingxi River in China and the Rhine River in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. There is a definite collision of perspectives here as idyllic views of a river winding through the Canadian and European countryside give way to the heavy industry of urban passages in China. Xiong adds further cultural twists with a karaoke-styled version of the folk song “Red River Valley” performed by Chinese singers echoing through the gallery and a river of paper boats built by local Chinese immigrants flowing underfoot. An accompanying installation of archival video documentation and sketchbooks depicts the artist’s exile to the Chinese countryside during the Cultural Revolution. In all, Xiong weaves a cautionary tale of globalism that considers the lasting impact of large-scale environmental change in tandem with the complex dynamics of local and personal experience. (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd, MB)