Exploring Time and Circulation: The Art of Rutherford Chang

Rutherford Chang, a renowned US artist known for his post-conceptualist works, created art from everyday objects collected in large quantities. His notable projects include CENTS, a block of 10,000 melted pennies, and We Buy White Albums, an evolving installation featuring hundreds of copies of The Beatles' White Album. Chang's meticulous collecting practice explored time and circulation, revealing new narratives by placing identical objects in new contexts. These works, along with four others, will be showcased in the exhibition Rutherford Chang: Hundreds and Thousands at UCCA Beijing, a year after the artist's passing at 45.

Chang's keen eye for systems and construction led him to build his own systems through collecting White Albums, rearranging newspapers, and excelling in Game Boy Tetris. UCCA director Philip Tinari, who was part of the same artistic circle in China as Chang, praises the durational and relational aspects of We Buy White Albums, highlighting its conceptual nature and the interactive space it creates for viewers. The exhibition at UCCA Beijing will run from January 17 to April 12, showcasing Chang's unique approach to art and collecting.