Concept and Mission
Yuanfen 缘分 is a Chinese term often translated into English as "destiny." The
term comes from an ancient Taoist concept that views the cosmos as a piece of
fabric with people, time, places, things and events running along the threads
of the warp and woof. At the intersection of the warp and woof of the weave
is where yuanfen occurs.
Yuanfen New Media Art Space is a gallery in 798 that is the artistic embodiment
of yuanfen: the intersection of art and technology and the crossroads of new
media artists from the East and the West. There is no fixed definition of “new
media art;” it is constantly evolving as technology evolves and as the art world
and the public continue the debate prompted by the challenges and tensions
created when technology becomes integrated into the human creative process.
Yuanfen New Media Art Space exhibits work from artists that are at the heart
of the debate – those who are pushing the definition of art to its limits.
Yuanfen also serves as the platform where East meets West in the world of
new media art. Showcasing the works of established and emerging new media
artists from both China and abroad, Yuanfen brings a new dimension to the
ongoing artistic and cultural exchange between East and West and promotes
dialogue that is informing the development of new media art globally.