SONG Ta is humorous in essence yet not vague. As reflected in his work “Campus Queens” in UCCA ON|OFF exhibition, his works often frankly question the conventional rules in society. The idea of “SONG Ta: the Art of Score 59.5” originates from his work “These Are Your Test Scores, and You Are Still Playing Around?”(2014). The work is about children who got 59.5, a score near the passing line is undoubtedly the most tragic outcome. It’s more depressed than zero or any other score. While they got such scores and still playing around, SONG Ta has more to tell. Who is the “most”? Is there exactly in the middle? Or is there absolutely normal? These are all imaginative and subjective. In addition, such tiny “difference”, or the feeling of being selected in a hierarchical and sequential world, runs through his creations.  

In this talk, SONG Ta will not only lead the audience to his works, but also to questioning sequences, including the talk itself. Fundamental answers to questions like “art is a questionnaire left by artist to audiences”, “why left-handed artists around us is less than expected?”, “rank and seating”, “the creative method of directly mentioning someone’s name” will emerge from questioning among guests and the artist. These interesting questions and questioning are effective in unfolding the absurd, usual reality. By using his unique humorous logic, SONG Ta reminds us to be vigilant to ubiquitous “systems”.

About artist: 

Song Ta, born in 1988, Leizhou city Guangdong province, is currently living and working in Guangzhou. His recent solo exhibitions include: The Loveliest Guy(2014), Oridin of Inequality(2013), My Ten favorite Doctors(2012), Gray Area(2011); group exhibitions include: Lunds Konsthall Sweden, The Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, UllensCenter for Contemporary Art, China Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Times Museum Guangdong, MarresCentre for Contemporary Culture, Institute of AshkalAlwan.

About guests:

Guo Juan, founding member and former Senior Editor of LEAP magazine, is an art critic based in Beijing.

Liya Han is a curator and writer based in Beijing. Now She works at Artforum.com.cn, and she is a member of Park Collective. 

Fiona He, Managing editor of Artforum.com.cn, she was the researcher for Mainland China of the Asia Art Archive from 2008-2014, and has been a freelance art writer and translator. 

 Ju Baiyu, Art critic, born in Hunan Provence, 1984, she holds double degree from Shandong University, School of Economic and Qing Dao University, School of Literature Major in Chinese Literature, She worked with Hong Kong Ming Pao Daily News Group as columnist for Ming Pao Weekly, andconsultant for MING magazine. Now she is columnist for Hong Kong Economic Journal. In 2014 she started the non-profit art institution “A307”

Luan Zhichao, editor of Art World, currently lives and works in Beijing. Her works range from criticism, exhibitions, publications to translations. Translated works including Five Sisters, Yvonne Rainer: Mind is a Muscle and Photography Today. 

Wu Jianru is a Beijing-based curator, she joined LEAP magazine as a senior editor since 2012.

Zhao Mengsha, Senior Editor of LEAP magazine, media practitioners. Now working and living in Beijing.