Oliver Beer exhibits in a group show in Shanghai I Never Dream Otherwise than Awake: Journeys in Sound
Oliver Beer's work is appearing in the exhibition I Never Dream Otherwise than Awake: Journeys in Sound by the Centre Pompidou × the West Bund Museum Project until 17 September in Shanghai. The exhibition delves into the expressive potential of sound, particularly its capacity to circulate, to be ubiquitous and to define relationships.
With the development of technology, sound exploration is increasingly diversifying, moving to the forefront of artistic practice and expanding the boundaries of art through interdisciplinary inquiries. I Never Dream Otherwise than Awake highlights the fruitfulness of this cross-fertilisation over the last twenty years. While recalling the role of renowned pioneers in sound research, the exhibition showcases the range of practices developing today, moving fluidly from concerts to installations, from musical compositions to the development of new visual languages.
Oliver Beer's work is immersed in this sound exploration. His live performances, films, installations and sculptures reveal the hidden acoustic properties of vessels, bodies, and architectural environments. He explores the unifying potential of music that resonates across history, generations and cultures, as embodied in objects and spaces.
I Never Dream Otherwise than Awake displays an ensemble of nearly 15 major installations from the Centre Pompidou’s impressive new media collection, alongside selected audiovisual art works and sound sculptures from Chinese artists. Among the other artists exhibited are esteemed international pioneers in contemporary art including Francis Alÿs, Susan Philipsz, Gary Hill and Bill Fontana, alongside younger generations including Hassan Khan, Anne Le Troter, Yuko Mohri, Naama Tsabar, and Chinese artists active on the global stage, such as Zhou Tao, Liu Chuang, Tao Hui, Samson Young, and many more. This exhibition is one of the highlights of the 2024 Croisements 60 Festival organized annually by the Institut Français in China.
