CCAA 藝術評論獎
我為什麼要設立2007年CCAA（中國當代藝術獎）藝術評論獎呢？活躍的中國藝術界顯然缺乏足夠的獨立藝術評論。過去，這種缺乏主要是由於一種未足夠加以區分的藝術運作體制——在整個文化領域內沒有獨立的媒體，而這些媒體也沒有任何獨立性。這種狀況對於維持一位真正獨立的作家的事業而言，並沒有提供足夠的資源。在蓬勃的藝術市場當中，藝術媒體的出版物、藝術書籍和展覽圖錄大大豐富起來。物質條件也大大改善了。然而大部分此類著作不得不迎合市場的需要。此外，中國國內的學術體系在為從事藝術評論事業而提供的特定課程方面，也一直進展緩慢。進入2010年，整體市場漸漸冷靜下來，但就出版物而言，基本還是維持著原樣。
另一個弱點還是在於對中國藝術屆的參與。市場幾乎唯獨只去驗證被認為是好的或壞的藝術。這種局面是由於沒有足夠的資源來平衡市場支配力造成的，例如實力雄厚的美術館機構能夠而且願意用他們的策展實踐來參與討論，特別缺乏那種獨立的分析和評論，後者旨在培養迅速增長的觀眾群體，這些觀眾要麼只是粗略地一瞥，要麼樂於視覺藝術投資。
藝術評論大獎希望從兩方面來指出這些問題，發起對獨立藝術評論的討論；因為對於推進中國的藝術創作而言，這是最為根本的，同時也進一步培養這一活躍領域的參與者。它也鼓勵能夠深入研究中國當代藝術、但卻得不到資金支援的獨立寫作。
王春辰作為2009年該獎項的得主，提交了一篇探討藝術介入中國社會這一主題的論文。在論文引序中，作者通過北京大批藝術區被拆除這一事件，指出在這些藝術區中所進行的藝術活動從未真正達成與社會的廣泛接觸。可以看出，在城市規劃面前，以及在不斷擴張著、 變動著的中國城市和社會中，藝術從未被列入優先考慮的範疇。藝術家採取何種形式的、具有何種意義的介入手段，去拉近存在於藝術與社會之間的距離呢？
王春辰對這一非常現實而複雜的問題的研究分析充分印證了國際評委在2009年CCAA 評論獎評選中遴選他的計劃提案時所給予的信任，該屆國際評委由徐冰（中央美術學院副院長）、邱志傑（中國美術學院教授）、理查德•懷恩（Richard Vine，《美國藝術》資深編輯）以及烏利•希客（CCAA 創始人）組成。
烏利•希客
CCAA中國當代藝術獎-評論獎創始人
CCAA Art Critic Awards
Why did I in 2007 establish the CCAA (Chinese Contemporary Art Awards) Art Critic Awards?
The vibrant Chinese art scene clearly lacked sufficient independent art criticism. In the past, this lack was due to an art operating system that was not differentiated enough – there was no independent media within the cultural domain, and no independence within these media. This situation provided insufficient resources to sustain a career as a truly independent writer. Then, in a booming art market, art media publications, artist books and exhibition catalogs abounded. Material conditions had improved greatly. Yet most of this writing had to cater to the needs of the market. In addition, the academic system inside China had been very slow in providing a specific curriculum for those wishing to pursue a career in art criticism. As we write 2010,the hype has cooled down a bit. Yet the issues remain largely the same.
Another weakness still weighs in on the Chinese art scene. The market, almost exclusively, validates what is considered good or bad art. This stems from insufficient resources to balance market powers, such as strong museum institutions capable and willing to participate in the discourse with their curatorial practice, and a particular lack of independent analysis and critique aimed at educating a rapidly growing audience that casts an eye on or is willing to invest in visual arts.
The Art Critic Award wants to address these issues twofold, by raising the discussion on independent art criticism which is so essential to advance art creation in China and to further educate the participants of this vibrant scene. It also seeks to encourage independent writing by enabling an in depth research project in Chinese contemporary art that might not otherwise have found financial support.
Wang Chunchen, as the winner of the 2009 award, has submitted an essay which looks at art intervention in Chinese society. Starting out from the abolishment of numerous art districts in Beijing he states that the art works created in these districts have never managed to make full contact with the society at large. As a result, be it in view of city planning or ideology in the ever expanding and fluctuating Chinese city and society, art has never made it on a priority list for consideration. What interventions have artists undertaken - and what could their means be - to close the diagnosed gap between art and Chinese society?
His essay on this very real and complex issue fully justifies the trust that the international jury consisting of Xu Bing (Vice President of Central Academy of Fine Arts.),Qiu Zhijie (Professor of China Art Academy….),Richard Vine (Senior Editor of Art in America….) and Uli Sigg (Founder of CCAA) put in selecting Wang Chunchen’s project as the winner of 2009 CCAA Art Critic Award.
Uli Sigg
Founder of CCAA Art Critic Award