There is no ‘I’ in Team, a group exhibition at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and venues across Newcastle, a unique opportunity to see the work of an extraordinary and vibrant new generation of Chinese artists (mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau), working in moving image, sound and installation art, arguably the most prolific and strongest type of work being created in China at the time.

The exhibiting artists offer a speculative commentary on changes in China. Reflecting on the substantial differences in individualist and collectivist cultural orientations and exploring complex regional contexts and conditions, history, tradition and modernity derived from their personal experiences while critically reflecting on and simultaneously traversing their world of China now. Capturing a distinct vision of contemporary China whilst also reflecting on how artist’s lives and practices have developed and been informed by they’re rapidly changing social and cultural surroundings. 

Curated by Keith Whittle, Keri Elmsly, Pauline Doutreluingne, Jian Jiang (China), the exhibition includes work by artists exhibiting for the first time in the UK; Meiya Lin (CN); Jin Shan (CN); Dead J (CN) + Chen Xiongwei (CN); Peng Lei (CN); Huang Rui (CN); Cheng Ran (CN); Sheng Jie (CN); Meng Jin (CN); Song Tao (CN); Gao Yu (CN); Sun Xun (CN); Wu Junyong (CN); Joyn:Viscom (CN); Tsui Kuang Yu (TW); Chen Xiaoyun (CN); Gao Shiqiang (CN); Zhang Ding (CN); and Qiu Anxiong (CN). 

Three artists (Hung Keung, Sheng Jie and Meiya Lin) and curators were in Newcastle for the opening event, and series of artists talks over the course of the four day opening of the exhibition.

There is No I in Team, is generously supported by Culture 10, The British Council China and presented in partnership with ISIS arts in cooperation with Newcastle City Council. Part of CHINA NOW, the largest festival of Chinese culture ever in the UK, and EAST’08, a world-class celebration of contemporary Asian culture in Newcastle-Gateshead. The exhibition subsequently toured to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.