MAB Society – What is it about the end of the world that makes it so appealing?

A few summers ago I interned at the Shanghai Gallery of Art at Three on the Bund. It was a wonderful experience and I learned so much working under the then-Director, Mathieu Borysevicz. Mathieu recently left SGA and set up MAB Society, a ‘no-space’ gallery that takes its names from his initials. MAB Society’s first show was held at the V Arts Centre in the Moganshan Lu Art District in Shanghai, and paid it a visit during my trip there.

Djamel Kokene, Museum of the World, 2012, LED, 40 x 300 cm

Hu Xiangcheng, Just what is it about the end of the world that makes it so appealing? 2012-12-21, 2012, Installation, 300 x 150 cm

What is it about the end of the world that makes it so appealing? looks at the much anticipated Apocalypse as predicted by the Mayan calendar, Kalki Bhagavan, the I Ching, Dresden codex, among others… As Mathieu writes: “this impending doom also brings with it a demented sense of curiosity, elation, dismissal and relief from the conundrum of contemporary reality. I mean just what is it about the end of the world that makes it so appealing?”

Olaf Breuning, 20 Dollar Bill, 2007, Digital Print, 160 x 200 cm

Chris Gill, Map of the End of the World, 2009, Oil and mixed media on canvas, 180 x 200 cm 

Zheng Wei, On the grassland, 2012, Artificial grass, pigments, Dimensions variable

More than twenty artists are involved in this group show, of which some who clearly have a great affinity with Mathieu. There were some works shown that I had previously come across whilst working under him, including Ouyang Chun’s Judgement Day, as well as the involvement of Girolamo Marri, MadeIn Company, Jean-Christian Bourcart and Olaf Breuning.

Ouyang Chun, Judgment Day, 2007, Oil on canvas, 320 x 105 cm

 

MadeIn Company, Safe House D, 2012, Installation, tent fabric, 210 x 140 x 320 cm

The title of the show is interesting to consider here too, referencing Richard Hamilton’s seminal work Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? which was produced for the This is Tomorrow show at the Whitechapel Gallery, and is often pointed to as the start of Pop and consumer culture. One can see that MAB Society’s exhibition also looks at the effect of pop and consumer culture on our world today.

Li Jinghu, Noah’s Ark, 2012, Installation, Dimensions variable
All the products shown in this assembly line of supermarket goods all feature motifs of animals (the cow on the milk, the Coco Pops monkey, etc...)

Yang Zhenzhong, Shi Qing, Untitled, 2011-12, Single frequency video, 5 minutes 45 seconds

Ma Daha, Second til Last Supper, 2012, Installation, Dimensions variable
The kind of pre-Apocalypse last hurrah dinner party as imagined by Ma Daha, empty cigarette packs, wine, junk food all included.

 

Gao Weigang, The Other Day, 2012, Oil on Canvas, 100 x 80 cm

Zhang Lehua, Leave Tomorrow’s Work for the Day after Tomorrow, 2012, Marker on canvas with LED light, 190 x 170 cm