On the afternoon of August 3rd, the dome of the ONEWAY Art Gallery was ignited by a wave of “rock and roll,” as an artistic extravaganza beyond imagination swept through Shijiazhuang. The inaugural exhibition of the ONEWAY Art Gallery, “Playing Rock in South Park—11 Years of Southern Art Exhibition,” officially kicked off amid the roaring sound of guitars and the heat of artistic passion.
The opening ceremony was attended by a gathering of distinguished guests. Notable figures from China’s art world, scholars, artists, and media representatives were present, including Yang Weimin, Editor-in-Chief of “Art Journey” and Professor at the School of Art and Humanities of Hubei Academy of Fine Arts; Su Yang, Secretary-General of the Venture Capital Center of the Chinese Culture Promotion Association, Founder of Mo Art, and Curator; Cui Qiang, Vice Chairman of the Hebei Provincial Artists Association and Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Design at Hebei Normal University; and Zhang Zhijun, Director of the Hebei Art Museum. Together, they witnessed this grand artistic celebration.
Curator Chen Lei
Yang Weimin, Editor-in-Chief of “Art Journey” and Professor at the School of Art and Humanities, Hubei Institute of Fine Arts.
Su Yang, Secretary-General of the Venture Capital Center of the China Cultural Promotion Association, Founder and Curator of Mo Art
Cui Qiang, Vice Chairman of the Hebei Artists Association and Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Design at Hebei Normal University
Zhang Zhijun, Director of Hebei Art Museum.
Artist Nan Fang reviewed his 11-year creative journey, which spans from the pop-inspired transformation of public images and mainstream cartoons to the creation and derivation of original characters. His exploration of subcultures such as skateboarding and street graffiti has extended into contemporary art experiments, giving rise to “Trend Archaeology.” Through collaborative journeys exploring ancient stone carvings and famous kilns for ceramic firing, he has integrated traditional Chinese craftsmanship into the motif of skateboarding, inventing a parallel universe with a “serious” chronicle.
“We aim to create an artistic ecological space where art truly comes to life!” said Mr. Du Zhenxing, Chairman of the Vincentaa Group, to which the ONEWAY Art Gallery belongs, outlining a clear vision for the gallery’s future in his speech.
The rock band “Horizon Band,” invited by artist Nan Fang, created a piece titled “Longzang Temple” for this exhibition—a resonance between the ethereal Zen essence of the millennia-old temple and the energy of rock and roll. They also performed their representative work “Where the Soul Resides,” which echoes the steel memory of Shijiazhuang and sings the urban declaration of Rock Home Town.
The inaugural exhibition features nearly 70 works, encompassing traditional Chinese craft media such as雕刻 (carving),瓷器 (porcelain),宣纸 (rice paper),水墨 (ink wash painting),玉器 (jade ware), and贴金 (gilding), while also integrating contemporary art forms like彩绘 (color painting),涂鸦 (graffiti),喷漆 (spray painting), and滑板 (skateboarding). During the artist-led tour, Nan Fang introduced the background, creative concepts, and artistic expressions of each piece, guiding the audience into the trendy yet attitude-filled rock world of South Park.
Unlike the “white cube” spaces of traditional art galleries, the ONEWAY Art Gallery is located on a historic industrial site. The remnants of the cotton textile industry from a bygone era have been transformed into “Zhiyin 1953,” once again converging with the local cultural character and reborn from the textile经纬 (warp and weft) into the rock rhythm of ROCK HOME TOWN. This is not just an art venue but also an experiment in urban upgrading. In the future, the ONEWAY Art Gallery will continue to activate public cultural spaces through contemporary art exhibitions, collection research, public education, creative derivatives, and high-end cultural experiences, aiming to become a contemporary art landmark infused with the city’s cultural DNA.
Exhibition View
