Wu Tsang's 'Sustained Glass' at Antenna Space Engages Black Resistance and Contact Improvisation
Antenna Space in Shanghai hosted Wu Tsang's solo exhibition titled 'Sustained Glass' from 23 September to 15 November 2017, inspired by the 2017 essay 'Leave Our Mikes Alone' by Fred Moten and Stefano Harney. This exhibition acted as an elegy, delving into social life during times of crisis. It showcased the 20-minute video 'We Hold Where Study' (2017), divided into four chapters that correspond to the essay’s subtitles. The opening featured 'Spooky Distancing II', with narration by Tsang and performance by boychild. The gallery was transformed with stained glass and lightbox installations that incorporated Moten and Harney's text. The venue’s history reflects leftist Chinese support for black resistance, connecting to W.E.B. Du Bois and themes of logistical capitalism and 'democratic despotism'.
Key facts
- Wu Tsang's solo exhibition 'Sustained Glass' was held at Antenna Space in Shanghai
- The exhibition dates were 23 September to 15 November 2017
- It centered on Fred Moten and Stefano Harney's 2017 essay 'Leave Our Mikes Alone'
- Featured video work 'We Hold Where Study' (2017) uses contact improvisation in four chapters
- Performance 'Spooky Distancing II' debuted at a Swiss church salon in June 2017
- Stained glass installations transformed the gallery, queering a devotional medium
- A line from Moten and Harney's essay was translated into Chinese for the show
- The venue was formerly a workers commune warehouse, linking to historical leftist support
Entities
Artists
- Wu Tsang
- Fred Moten
- Stefano Harney
- boychild
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Mikey Smith
- Alvin Li
Institutions
- Antenna Space
- ArtReview Asia
- Afro-Asian Writers Conference
Locations
- Shanghai
- China
- Switzerland
- Tashkent
- United States