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Wings of Mexico
By Yang Lan Source:Global Times Published: 2015-11-12 19:23:01
A pair of golden wings recently attracted the public's attention outside the Long Museum West Bund on Shanghai's Longteng Avenue. Tourists and locals gathered around to appreciate this unusual artwork, some even posing with the wings like angels.
These are the Wings of Mexico, brought by Mexican sculptor Jorge Marín to Shanghai for a four-month exhibition, which has also been displayed in Singapore and will eventually go on to Hong Kong and South Korea.
The pair of wings is Marín's signature piece. It is exhibited permanently near the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City's most historic avenue. For Marín's forthcoming 8 Cities 8 Cultures project, he plans to place eight replicas of the wings permanently in eight cities on five continents across the world.
After arriving in Shanghai, Marín was very happy to see locals' enthusiastic reactions to his work. "I hope that people can get close to my work without needing an introduction next to it. They can use my work, connect with my work and become part of my work because it is interactive," said Marín.
Exchange and interaction
"Through his creations, Jorge Marín establishes a dialogue with the public by inviting the spectator to become part of his artwork. I am confident that the spirit of exchange and interaction generated by Wings of Mexico will help in getting Mexico and China closer," said Arturo Puente Ortega, the Consul General of Mexico in Shanghai at the inaugural ceremony of the work.
Marín entered the art field over 25 years ago. He is an internationally renowned sculptor and has become one of the key representatives of Mexican contemporary art. Using primarily cold materials such as bronze, he looks for the perfect balance in the postures of his figures as well as harmony with the surrounding space.
In most of his sculptures, no matter if they are on a boat, riding horses or standing on rocks, the figures usually carry a pair of wings. These winged figures have become a symbol of Marín's works, but Marín is also fond of masks, which he uses to depersonalize the sculpture and lead viewers to focus on the human body and its movements.
The Wings of Mexico project is supported by the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Consulate General of Mexico in Shanghai. Marín hopes that someday a wings replica will be permanently exhibited in Beijing or Shanghai.
"Cooperation and exchanges in art and culture are a cornerstone of our bilateral relationship with China," said Ortega. "It is our pleasure to continue working with local cultural institutions to strengthen our ties and foster Mexico's presence in Shanghai."
This is Marín's third trip to China, and through his visits he has become deeply attracted to the works of Chinese artists. "With more and more Mexican artists taking their works to China, I hope to see more Chinese artists exhibiting their works in Mexico," Marín told the Global Times.
These are the Wings of Mexico, brought by Mexican sculptor Jorge Marín to Shanghai for a four-month exhibition, which has also been displayed in Singapore and will eventually go on to Hong Kong and South Korea.
The pair of wings is Marín's signature piece. It is exhibited permanently near the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City's most historic avenue. For Marín's forthcoming 8 Cities 8 Cultures project, he plans to place eight replicas of the wings permanently in eight cities on five continents across the world.
After arriving in Shanghai, Marín was very happy to see locals' enthusiastic reactions to his work. "I hope that people can get close to my work without needing an introduction next to it. They can use my work, connect with my work and become part of my work because it is interactive," said Marín.
Exchange and interaction
"Through his creations, Jorge Marín establishes a dialogue with the public by inviting the spectator to become part of his artwork. I am confident that the spirit of exchange and interaction generated by Wings of Mexico will help in getting Mexico and China closer," said Arturo Puente Ortega, the Consul General of Mexico in Shanghai at the inaugural ceremony of the work.
Marín entered the art field over 25 years ago. He is an internationally renowned sculptor and has become one of the key representatives of Mexican contemporary art. Using primarily cold materials such as bronze, he looks for the perfect balance in the postures of his figures as well as harmony with the surrounding space.
In most of his sculptures, no matter if they are on a boat, riding horses or standing on rocks, the figures usually carry a pair of wings. These winged figures have become a symbol of Marín's works, but Marín is also fond of masks, which he uses to depersonalize the sculpture and lead viewers to focus on the human body and its movements.
The Wings of Mexico project is supported by the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Consulate General of Mexico in Shanghai. Marín hopes that someday a wings replica will be permanently exhibited in Beijing or Shanghai.
"Cooperation and exchanges in art and culture are a cornerstone of our bilateral relationship with China," said Ortega. "It is our pleasure to continue working with local cultural institutions to strengthen our ties and foster Mexico's presence in Shanghai."
This is Marín's third trip to China, and through his visits he has become deeply attracted to the works of Chinese artists. "With more and more Mexican artists taking their works to China, I hope to see more Chinese artists exhibiting their works in Mexico," Marín told the Global Times.
Mexican sculptor Jorge Marín
Arturo Puente Ortega, the Consul General of Mexico in Shanghai, speaks at the inaugural ceremony of Wings of Mexico.
The wings by Jorge Marín
Photos: Yang Lan/GT
Posted in: Metro Shanghai