A Story of a Merchant

kurimanzutto present A Story of a Merchant, a research-based speculative exhibition that intertwines personal narratives, travelogs, historical artifacts, newly commissioned artworks, fictional characters, and architectural interventions curated by X Zhu-Nowell and Chao Jiaxing

Taking inspiration from a conference held in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2022, co-organized by X Zhu-Nowell and the artist and writer Kandis Williams, this exhibition continues the quest to establish a shared language that challenges preconceived notions when exploring what Lisa Lowe refers to as "the intimacy of four continents." By examining the intertwined histories of indenture and colonial violence in Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas through the life trajectories of Chinese merchants, the exhibition illuminates the shared experiences of the Chinese diaspora across various regions. From the historic Tepito market in Mexico City and Chinatown in San Francisco to Barry Street in Kingston and Yiwu in China, the exhibition sheds light on these diverse landscapes. Using the fictional character of the Chinese Merchant, "SHUI Ma," as a hermeneutic tool, the exhibition charts a new cartography of complex geographies, exploring realms of fantasy, memory, conspiracy and recollection.

The exhibition brings together works by Kandis Williams, DING Yi, PENG Zuqiang, Miguel Covarrubias, Minerva Cuevas, HAO Liang, Richard Fung, YAO Qingmei, YANG Fudong, the artist group BirdHead, Bhenji Ra, Candice Lin, Damian Ortega, Haegue Yang, HU Yinping, TAN Jing, "SAN Yu," CHEN Zhen, collective BOLOHO, Gabriel Orozco, and Dr. Lakra.

— kurimanzutto