Artists have always employed the "re-", as in "rearrange," "reselect," "restructure," "represent," "reproduce," and "rectify." The tradition of "re-" in the age of mechanical reproduction can be traced back to the beginning of the last century, when Dadaists used collages, photomontages and assemblages to express their views on modern life. In the 1960s, Marcel Duchamp repurposed ordinary objects and turned them into art with his series of readymades. From there, appropriation art emerged and starting in the early 1990s, an increasing number of artists developed their own style by reselecting, reproducing, and restructuring daily objects.
In 2005, German art critic and philosopher Boris Groys wrote in his article "Multiple Authorship", that the definition of art today lies somewhere in between the practices of "creation" and "selection". Daily objects are selected by an artist, according to a process and criteria that is purely private, individual-minded, and subjective. Then, they restored, transferred to other media, and rearranged, installed, and presented in new context or narrative. The reality, according to "Multiple Authorship", is that the identity of the artist is transformed from "producer" to "assembler".
The Re-exhibition was partly inspired by a conversation with artist Yi Zhou at Flux Factory, a space for artists that is filled with "re" objects. For example, a screwdriver functions as a faucet handle in the kitchen, while a helmet, safety goggles and a mask combine to become a gala dinner light.
Another part of the foundation for the exhibition emerged from the rise of cross-disciplinary collaboration. The artists in "Re-" come from a wide variety of backgrounds (fine arts, contemporary art, photography, cinema, architecture, design, amateur practices, etc.), whose practices mix forms and genres without concern for artistic conventions. Artists participating in the exhibition clearly show interest in the concept of "Re-", or their creations are in line with the purpose and creative methods of "Re-". They work independently, but the final outcome will transform Flux Factory into a vibrant interactive space of installations.
