K11 Art Foundation

Exposure to new ideas and cultural contexts is pivotal to the careers of artists who aspire to connect with the global community. With a shared commitment to supporting artists’ pursuit of work away from their daily routines and encouraging engagement with different cultures, in 2018, K11 Art Foundation (KAF) and The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) launched a collaborative artist-in-residence programme that allows one Chinese artist to take up short-term residence in London and an RA Schools alumnus in Greater China every year.

In March 2019, KAF played host to German artist Martin Gross, who graduated from RA in 2017 and the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig in 2013, in the K11 art village in Wuhan. Gross spent eight productive weeks in a lively neighbourhood of local and visiting artists and curators. A curious explorer, he often spent his days wandering in dense networks of buildings and busy traffic, taking in all the sights and scenery that the populous city offered. Once known as ‘the city of a hundred lakes’, Wuhan also captivated him with its inland urban lakes—not just the tourists’ favourites like Donghu Lake but also those that have vanished or shrunken amidst rapid urbanisation. Gross weaved his observations and experiences into a group of new drawings and installations, on view at his solo exhibition Paradox Lake. While inspired by the urban typography of Wuhan, Paradox Lake is an imaginary place where noises in the city are muted—where viewers can be distracted momentarily to slow down to catch glimpses of the changes in their surroundings. As the works reflect what are made unnoticeable by the buildings packing around, the exhibition displays Gross’ interest in the fabric of society, sheds light on the locals’ relationship with the city and its constantly renewed landscape.