Tony Cheung – “Eastern Palace for Pleasure”

Tony l’ho incontrato dal vivo qualche anno fa al Forte Prenestino. Era uno dei nomi su cui c’era più curiosità per l’edizione del Crack! Festival di quell’anno (credo 2013). Aveva allestito uno spazio pieno di stampe meravigliose – il suo è uno stile che pesca dall’illustrazione tradizionale cinese, con suggerimenti forniti dalla pop art e dalla fumettistica giapponese – e se ne stava lì, silenzioso e un po’ timido, aspettando di conversare con chi fosse interessato ai suoi lavori. Quando mi sono avvicinato gli ho fatto i complimenti e poi ho comprato tre o quattro cartoline che ritraevano delle ginnaste – presumibilmente studentesse liceali – che con il corpo riproducevano la lettera iniziale di parole (inglesi) come “Justice”, “Work”, “Zero Retribution”. Parole sensibili – “Sensitive Words” è infatti il nome di uno dei suoi progetti – che sono costantemente passate al vaglio della censura cinese, che tiene sotto controllo anche l’intero web. La sua è una critica ironica, dissacrante, ma senza pietà e riguarda tutte le aberrazione che la società cinese sta conoscendo e, contemporaneamente, cercando di nascondere sotto il tappeto: condizioni di lavoro terribili, distruzione dell’ambiente, cancellazione della tradizione, culto del potere e del denaro, imbavagliamento dei media etc. Un esercizio costante e schiacciante del potere che viene rappresentato allegoricamente attraverso rapporti sessuali forzati, umori, simboli di morte, pratiche di dominazione e violenze corporali, anche molto sanguinolente. Ci va giù pesante Tony, ma la posta in gioco è alta.

Nicola Gerundino

Belconing Time, 2017

Print 75 x 106 x 0.2 cm

Tony Cheung, class ’87, is an illustrator and designer of Guangzhou, a city in Southern China commonly known as Canton.

In 2011 he graduates from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA) and begins his artistic career with the “Sensitive Words” project. This project was born in 2008 and investigates the subject of Chinese censorship, using the keywords that allow the Beijing government’s network filtering mechanism to systematically detect unwelcome discussions about politically sensitive issues, which are finally filtered and censored.

This barrage begins since 2008, a year of strong changes for modern China: the earthquake involving a large part of the country with many deaths, Westernization, Olympic games and Facebook and Youtube censorship for fear of the Chinese government of a revolution like the Jasmin Revolution in Tunisia.

 Girl-and-devil-giclée-printing-on-paper-80x56-cm-730x490.

China is now one of the world’s greatest superpowers, but there are infinite contradictions within it, one of the most obvious is the coexistence between ancient culture and Chinese education and the new industrialization and globalization. These contradictions are the basis of Tony’s illustrations, which reinterpret some characters and aspects of Chinese society in ironic and satirical terms.

Mao, Stalin, Marx are transformed, made new and bizarre and at the same time iconic, using a style that blends American pop culture between the ’50s and’ 60s, manga and dictatorial culture up to touch upon classical art Japanese.

The colors are strong as well as the images that contain eroticism and sensuality together with a strong satirical vein.

 Blood-connection

Tony, who still lives and works in China, where control of the authorities is still very strong, gives us a cue for interpreting his work ethically. The Chinese Taoist philosophy of WuWei (action without action) develops a concept of “emptiness” as a way to reach the cosmic order and inner peace. For Taoism, excellent action is what is achieved in the absence of motives and in the void of purpose, leaving each action to be produced by following its own spontaneous nature. Man therefore does not have to aspire to actions that are too big and complex, but he must keep in harmony with nature so that the world follows its natural evolution.

Likewise, Tony doesn’t call himself an activist, his work is an expression of his vision that must let the spectator be able to reflect independently.

 Dream Devourer, 2017
80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

ode-of-happiness.

 fantastic-four

 poster-for-Crack-festival-2013

The Virginity of China, 2017

Print 75 x 106 x 0.2 cm

 Immortality, 2017
Print 100 x 70 x 0.2 cm

 China's Broken Dream, 2017

  Print 54 x 41 x 0.2 cm

 Cheers For The Time, 2017 

  Print 56 x 80 x 0.2 cm

Tony Cheung – Hulan, colors silkscreen, 27×27 cm

 Tony Cheung – We are so happy, giclée printing on paper, 80×56 cm

 Tony Cheung – Godess of blockage, giclée printing on paper, 80×56 cm

 Tony Cheung – Daily superstition, ink on paper, 247 x 188 cm

 Pure Revolutionary Lineage, 2017

56 x 80 x 0.2 cm

 

The Iron Man, 2017

95 x 71 x 0.2 cm

 Brave New World, 2017

27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

Mountain of Girls, 2017
54 x 27 x 0.2 cm

  Brave New World, 2017

27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

 Sensitive Style, 2017

56 x 80 x 0.2 cm

 Modern Spring Palace, 2017

56 x 80 x 0.2 cm

 God of Demolition, 2017

80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

 The Temptation of Young Pioneer, 2017

80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

 The Mail Sent To Taiwanese Kids, 2017

80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

Outrage of Ladies, 2017
80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

 Bloody Youth, 2017

Print 80 x 56 x 0.2 cm

 Woman on Trash, 2017
27 x 54 x 0.2 cm

 Nurse in Labor, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

 No Entry, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

Self Devourer, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

 Walking Ghosts, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

Vortex, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

 New Generation, 2017
27 x 27 x 0.2 cm

...a suivre...