Title of the Work of Art:

The Seventh Seal

Date of Creation:
2017
Period-Movement:
Contemporary Art, Conceptual Art
Technique:
Performance
Materials:
lego-type magnetic construction blocks, men in chemical defence
Dimensions:
Not Stated


Artwork Description:
The Conceptual Art section argues that contemporary art practices are fundamentally transforming the relationship between creators and audiences by eroding traditional boundaries and fostering a new, democratized mode of artistic production. This central thesis contends that art, once the exclusive domain of a select aristocratic few, is now increasingly accessible to broader publics, allowing both participation and authorship to be shared.

The figures clad in chemical defense gear gather a multicolored rain of Lego blocks from the sky, assembling them into shifting biomorphic superstructures. This performance evokes the twilight of history, a moment when the arduous dissolves into the effortless, and the act of creation, once the province of the bohemian few, becomes universally accessible. From primordial forms to the machinery of the present, the boundaries between invention and play collapse into a new, democratized genesis.

A concrete manifestation of such democratic art can also be seen in community projects where participants use open-source design to build public installations, reinforcing the idea that creation belongs to everyone and blurring the lines between artists, curators, and everyday individuals.

Nicholaas Chiao predicts an imminent internationalisation and democratization of authority within the art world, encompassing both curators and renowned artists. Recent advancements have enabled what was unthinkable before: the internationalisation of art and the unification of art markets. The growing number of art students and hobbyists is learning to master knowledge and techniques across art-related disciplines, including anatomy, perspective, color theory, painting, drawing, sculpture, performance, composition, language, and philosophy. This expansion of expertise and involvement illustrates the thesis that contemporary art practices are eroding traditional boundaries and fostering a more inclusive landscape for creative production. In this shifting landscape, copyright laws remain one of the few mechanisms safeguarding the distinct contributions of emerging voices. Anyone can do it - yes, but who invented it? However, genuine revolutionary innovation has become rare in the twenty-first century, unlike the Dada, Cubism, and Surrealism eras, which were marked by radical breakthroughs. Instead, contemporary practice more often emphasizes multilayered complexity, use of machines and technological advancements, and unconventional materials—developments that further simplify access while introducing new challenges for originality.

In the Conceptual Art section, Nicholaas Chiao’s conceptual works are unified by the simplicity of their concepts, the elegance of their execution, precise explanation, and a ruminant engagement with themes of death and terror, demonstrating how the democratization of the art world shapes both message and form.