“The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China” will run through Sunday, May 3, at two venues: Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., and Wrightwood 659, 659 W. Wrightwood Ave. (There will be a free public celebration Saturday, Feb. 8, simultaneously at both spots 3-7 p.m.)
The exhibit features 48 two- and three-dimensional works made from a range of unique materials, including melted plastic, paper-thin porcelain, cigarettes, desiccated Coca-Cola ash—and 300,000 iron nails.
Artists include Ai Weiwei, Cai Guo-Qiang, Xu Bing, Yin Xiuzhen, Song Dong, gu wenda and Lin Tianmiao. The exhibit opens 20 years after the Smart Museum’s first contemporary Chinese art project with exhibition co-curator and University of Chicago professor Wu Hung.
“The Allure of Matter” is co-organized by the Smart Museum of Art with Wrightwood 659 and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Seattle Art Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum.
Visit http://TheAllureOfMatter.org for more information about the exhibit as well as special events, such as workshops and readings.