artworkStepping into he 21st century, and driven by a process of grand reform and internationalization, China has made remarkable achievements in its economic growth in the short period of two decades and emerged as a global force. China is increasing its economic and cultural exchanges with all the countries of the world, expecting to witness a period of rapid industrialization over the next 15 years. Host city for the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing is the cultural and political center of China. Especially in recent years, the art market in the Chinese capital has expanded rapidly with growing interests from abroad and more importantly, with strong growth in the domestic market. New art centers and communities have been growing everywhere in the city, bringing vitality and creativity to areas that used to be peripheral and now house a unique concentration of representative galleries from China as well as USA, UK, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Italy, Korea…Gallery ExhibitionIn 2004, the China International Gallery Exposition(CIGE) was launched in Beijing, on the purpose of "Internationalism, Professionalism and Futurism", exhibiting galleries. After 4 years, CIGE is considered as the most international art fair in China and the most established art fair in Asia. In 2008 the record number of the galleries’ applications for CIGE has reached over 300. After a rigorous selection process,, CIGE 2008 will showcase 81 galleries including 33 newcomers from 22 countries and regions such as China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Philippine, Thailand, Malaysia, Israel, India, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, England, Italy, America, Denmark. CIGE 2008 is focusing on emerging art areas as Southeast Asia, Turkey, Russia…. The proportion of galleries who from out of China mainland is 80%, which has increased 20% in comparison with last edition; the scale of Asian galleries is 70%. Moreover, CIGE 2008 devotes a special attention to presenting the most interesting works of contemporary art now, welcoming and encouraging any form of art expression, including photography, video, painting, sculptures, mixed media, installations, prints, digital and net art, textile, design…artworkCIGE 2008 Special ProjectsUnderstanding the relevance of technology and globalization on the economic infrastructure of the art world, CIGE 2008 Special Projects invite galleries, artists, not-for-profit art organizations, museums, institutions and visitors to reflect on our contemporary digital visual culture.Mapping Asia：33 Young Asian Artists’Solo ShowsCIGE 2008 will presents a special exhibition: Mapping Asia, the exhibition of 33 Young Asian Artists solo Shows. To reveal the possibility and future of art through the international platform is one of the major theme of CIGE all the way. This brand-new art project will showcase the works of young Asian artists on a large scale for the first time by a series of solo shows. And CIGE 2008 represents the great panorama of the young artists in Asia and the trend of Asian contemporary art, meanwhile to help artists obtain more international attention. The participating artists are recommended by the galleries of the CIGE 2008. All participants were born since 1968 with Asian lineage or Asian culture background.Though all the 33 artists’ works originate from Asian culture, we can actually experience the profuse imagination, distinct living background and adventurous use of different materials when they’re exhibited in front of us, and the collective presentation this time has doubtlessly created a grand feast of originality and experimental study. CIGE is building up a platform for the artists to show their great potentials and talents to the collectors, museums, galleries and audience from all over the world. No matter of great international reputation or just stepping into the global field of vision, through these brilliant and experimental works we can surely believe that these artists will ceaselessly bring innovation and new experience for the art world in the future.artworkAlternative Energy: Multimedia Artists’ Solo ShowsAlternative energy features solo exhibitions of multimedia artists. In a contemporary world without boundaries characterized by speed, change, interactivity and connectivity, contemporary artists work with a great variety of media, using traditional techniques as well as experimenting new tools of digital culture. Alternative Energy presents video and mixed media solo projects by Chinese and international established artists. Alternative Energy is organized in collaboration with the participant art galleries selected by CIGE Organizing Committee.Subliminals: 6 Not-for-profit OrganizationsUsually Not-for-profit Organizations do not participate directly in art fairs, but definitely have a determinant relevance in the economy of the whole contemporary art system. The well appraised project Subliminals in the CIGE 2007 will keep going and even extend this year. As a platform, Subliminnals tries to discuss the mode which impulses today’s culture and the development of art. This exhibition will show the art projects from 6 art institutions both domestic and abroad. The participators are contemporary art institutions, art projects creating groups, private or public foundations and so on including artists groups, artists associations, creative organizations. The works or projects from such institutions relate to today’s culture very closely, what’s more, with no marketing purpose. Subliminals will provide every participant institution the separate space to show themselves, moreover to introduce their organic structure, operating system and functions. At the same time, all the art forms and the interactions among them will be welcomed and encouraged no matter photography, oil painting, multi-media, installation, performance or digital and internet art. Subliminals 08 as a gathering place at the entrance of the exhibition hall, an active promoter of contemporary cultural models, events and developments in art, presents not-for-sale projects realized by not-for-profit art organizations.artworkVideo Loops:Video Art ExhibitionVideo Loops presents video, film and documentary screening programs curated by Chinese and International museums and art institutions. The Video Loops project will last 4 days in 3 parts: on the first day, it will present the Beijing-based video works and the status of such form of art; on the second day, it will bring forth the video works from the whole regions of China; on the third and fourth days, it will show the video works from Europe and America reflecting the theme on Asia. Via the comparison of the video works from different countries and regions, the audience will recognize and reflect the differentiation of the dissimilar artistic techniques of video art from different culture background.CIGE x Milk present: BE@rbrick meets Chinese Contemporary ArtistsThis project has adopted the successful cooperative mode between the Japanese Medicom Toy company’s BE@rbrick and celebrities of the art world, participating artists and designers elected by CIGE and the fashion magazine Milk biweekly, and they create personal style art works on the 1000% white toy BE@rbrick, and then the toys will be displayed on the BE@rbrick meets Chinese Contemporary Art exhibition in CIGE 2008 from April 25th to April 28th , Medicom Toy company will produce a number of limited editions of the works for sale at CIGE., Furthermore the original art works of the 1000% BE@rbrick will be auctioned during the CIGE 2008 for Smile Angel, the charity foundation founded by Faye Wang and Li Yapeng.Talks:Art Biennials and Cities in AsiaSince the CIGE started four years ago, it has been bending itself to focusing on the shift of culture in contemporary art. In recent years, the rise of the Asian art makes the enhancement and growth of more and more Asian Biennales possible, and art Biennales now is of non-neglectable importance to the culture and the establishment of cultural figure of a city. CIGE 2008 Talks Art Biennials and Cities in Asia would like to reflect on the role of art biennials in the development of cities especially in Asia. Participants to CIGE 2008 Talks are artistic directors and curators from the Art Biennials taking place in 2008 in Asia. They are invited to present the edition of the up-coming biennial they curate in 2008, analyzing the impact each art biennial can bring to the city it takes place, and questioning if and how an art biennial can influence the development of its city and the life and imagination of its inhabitants.