Meiya Lin (b. 1979, Xiamen, Fujian, China) is a prominent figure among a dynamic new generation of Chinese contemporary artists working in moving image, sound, and installation. Her work, The Times are Summoning, is featured in the exhibition There is no ‘I’ in Team — a landmark showcase presenting the vibrant, innovative practices emerging from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. This exhibition highlighted arguably the most prolific and vital segment of contemporary Chinese art at the time, emphasizing video, digital media, and immersive installations.
Lin’s practice draws heavily on digital media such as video and interactive installations, exploring complex tensions and binaries, as well as processes of deconstruction and reconstruction. Having graduated with a painting degree from Xiamen University’s Art Academy in 2003, she relocated to the Netherlands where she completed a master’s degree at the prestigious Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam in 2005. There, she specialized in video art and was soon invited to undertake a two-year residency at the highly regarded Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, further honing her distinctive voice.
Her work often delves into the fraught relationship between collectivism and individual aspiration in the context of contemporary China. Like many of her peers featured in the exhibition, Lin focuses on personal experiences and memories, capturing a nuanced vision of a society in flux. The rapid social and cultural changes shaping China form a critical backdrop to her practice, allowing her to probe how identity and community are negotiated in times of transformation.
The Times are Summoning specifically reflects on a vivid memory from Lin’s childhood, recalling the mass exercise drills that all children in China were mandated to perform under strict supervision by local authorities following orders from the Communist Party in Beijing. This work evokes themes of control, conformity, and the imprint of collective rituals on the individual psyche.
There is no ‘I’ in Team exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and several off-site venues activated and animated multiple public spaces, filling them with sound and moving image works that engaged with the specific atmospheres and functions of each location. Through works like Meiya Lin’s The Times are Summoning, There is no ‘I’ in Team offered a compelling and multifaceted portrait of contemporary China, foregrounding the voices and visions of its most exciting new artists. The exhibition underscored the growing significance of Chinese contemporary art on the global stage, highlighting its power to provoke dialogue, challenge perceptions, and connect disparate cultural worlds.
The exhibition was divided into four zones, each offering distinct artistic interventions that invited audiences to experience Chinese contemporary art in innovative ways. This exhibition marked the first major UK group show of emerging Chinese contemporary artists, conceptualized as a vital platform to introduce UK and international audiences to the dynamic contemporary art scene in China. At a time when China’s global economic and cultural influence was rapidly rising, the exhibition offered an invaluable glimpse into the diverse, often contradictory narratives shaping Chinese society today.
The show not only celebrated the rich artistic diversity and creative vitality of Chinese contemporary art but also served as a significant moment of cultural exchange and dialogue between East and West. Visitors were encouraged to reflect on the interplay between art, space, and social context while engaging with narratives that transcended national borders. There is no ‘I’ in Team brought Chinese contemporary art to the forefront of the UK art scene, fostering broader recognition and appreciation of the participating artists, many of whom have since achieved international acclaim. The exhibition successfully bridged cultures, opening up conversations about identity, modernization, tradition, and the complex relationship between individual and collective experiences in the rapidly changing world of contemporary China.
The participating artists offered speculative commentaries on societal shifts, addressing the nuanced tensions between individualist and collectivist cultural orientations, and exploring the layered conditions of history, tradition, and modernity through their personal perspectives. Their work critically reflects on how their artistic practices have been shaped by—and continue to respond to—the evolving social and cultural landscape of China today.
There is no ‘I’ in Team was curated by Keith Whittle and Keri Elmsly (UK), Pauline Doutreluingne (Germany), and Jian Jiang (China). The exhibition was generously supported by Culture 10 and the British Council China and presented in partnership with ISIS Arts, in cooperation with Newcastle City Council.
It formed part of CHINA NOW, the largest festival of Chinese culture ever held in the UK, as well as EAST’08, a world-class celebration of contemporary Asian culture in the Newcastle-Gateshead region. Following its debut at the Baltic, the exhibition toured to prestigious venues including the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London, and Program E.V. in Berlin, Germany, extending its reach and impact.
