Two-Dimensionality in Installation Art: The Case of Xu Bing, Wenda Gu, and Yang Jiechang

Installation art is a popular postmodern art genre that accommodates diverse mediums, styles, and social-political issues. There is, however, a lack of analysis of how the space in installation art affects its reception. This article examines the two-dimensional quality in early installation art by Chinese artists. Early Installation works reflect Chinese artists’ academic training, which is primarily in two-dimensional mediums—oil, prints, and ink. I argue that their uses of space indicate distinct aesthetic strategies, reflecting theatrical possibilities. The flat surfaces index how artists position themselves in relation to an international audience and develop biographic identities that are instrumental in their role as global migrators. Within these strategic conceptions of exhibition, Chinese experimental artists treat installation space less as a participatory platform which engages the audience, than as a powerful realm for monumental display with culturally specific details.