10/17 Wenda Gu

Time: 6pm, CFA 112

Wenda Gu was born in Shanghai and studied ink painting under the great modern master Lu Yanshao. In the early 1980’s he explored radical extensions of the traditional technique in a series of large semi-abstract works and environmental installations. Since moving to New York he has embarked on an ambitious series of installation works that stress the essential unity of human experience and community. In the United Nations series, Wenda Gu uses contributions of human hair to "weave" monumental banners of unreadable text in various scripts, with the intention of having a work in every country of the world. Wenda Gu’s current project is entitled Confucius' Diary, a performance work. In this piece the artist plays the role of a Tran cultural Confucius, dressed half in Chinese ceremonial robes and half in a tuxedo, leading a donkey through the city and meeting with leaders of business, politics and culture to discuss matters of importance to humankind.