Christensen Distinguished Lecture with Xu Bing | How Do We Make Art Today?

Xu Bing: How Do We Make Art Today?

徐冰：今天我们用什么做艺术？

Throughout more than forty years of artistic innovation, Xu Bing has earned global recognition for a practice that persistently probes the boundaries between key realms—language and perception, art and everyday life, the natural and the technological. Working across a wide range of media and conceptual strategies, Xu’s art continuously interrogates the evolving relationship between art and the society it inhabits.

In this lecture, Xu Bing will share his recent explorations at the intersection of art and emerging technologies, including the Xu Bing Space Art Residency Program (2024–), Space Art Projects, Artificial Intelligence Infinite Film (AI-IF) Project (2020–) and Unclaimed Paintings (2024–).

Through these diverse projects, Xu Bing utilizes unique perspectives to explore how artists today can respond to the rapid transformations brought about by digitalization and space exploration. As the definitions of art and artistic authorship continue to shift, this lecture circles back to a central inquiry: How do we make art today?

在四十余年的艺术探索中，徐冰凭借持续不断地对语言与感知、艺术与日常生活、自然与技术等关键领域边界的探问，赢得了全球性的认可。他横跨多种媒介与观念策略，其艺术实践不断质询艺术与其所处社会之间不断演变的关系。

在本次讲座中，徐冰将分享他近年来在艺术与新兴技术交汇处的创作探索，包括《徐冰艺术卫星创作驻留项目》（2024—）、太空艺术项目、《人工智能无限电影》 (2020—)、《看过即拥有》(2020—) 等创作实践。通过这些多样化的项目，徐冰以独特视角探讨当代艺术家如何回应数字化与太空探索所带来的剧烈变革。随着“艺术”与“艺术创作者”定义的不断变化，这场讲座最终将回到一个核心问题：今天我们用什么做艺术？

This lecture will be given in Chinese with English translation.

SPEAKER BIO

Xu Bing (b. 1955) is widely recognized as one of the leading conceptual artists of language and semiotics working today. He has always been expanding the boundaries of art with the inventive breakthrough in his artistic creations.

Xu Bing’s work has been shown at the National Art Museum of China, the Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the British Museum, London; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Spain; the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, D.C.; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; National Gallery of Prague, Czech Republic; and Museum Ludwig, Cologne. Additionally, Xu Bing has participated in the 45th, 51st, and 56th Venice Biennales, the Biennale of Sydney, and the Johannesburg Biennale, among other international exhibitions.

In 1999, Xu Bing was awarded MacArthur Fellowship, the highest creative talent award in the United States in recognition of his “capacity to contribute importantly to society, particularly in printmaking and calligraphy.” In 2003, he was conferred the 14th Fukuoka Asian Culture Award for his “contribution to the development of Asian culture.” In 2004, he won the first Artes Mundi Prize in Wales. Reasons for the jury's award: "Xu Bing is an artist who can transcend cultural boundaries, convert Eastern and Western cultures, and express his thoughts and practical issues in visual language.” In 2006, the Southern Graphics Council conferred on Xu Bing its lifetime achievement award in recognition of the fact that his “use of text, language and books has impacted the dialogue of the print and art worlds in significant ways.” In 2010, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humanities from Columbia University. In 2018, he was awarded the “Xu Beihong-Art Creation Award” by the Education Development Foundation of the CAFA.

This lecture is made possible by a generous grant from Carmen M. Christensen.

VISITOR INFORMATION

This event is open to Stanford affiliates and the general public. Space for this program is limited; advance registration is recommended. Those who have registered will have priority for seating. Admission is free.

Oshman Hall is located within the McMurtry Building on Stanford campus at 355 Roth Way. Visitor parking is available in designated areas and is free after 4pm on weekdays. Alternatively, take the Caltrain to Palo Alto Transit Center and hop on the free Stanford Marguerite Shuttle. If you need a disability-related accommodation or wheelchair access information, please contact Julianne Garcia at juggarci@stanford.edu.

Connect with the Department of Art & Art History! Subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.