Shenzhen's cultural temperament has always defied simple categorization. It lacks a heavy historical foundation and the artistic orthodoxy shaped by long-established academic systems, yet it continuously forges new expressive pathways amidst its rapid development. The ongoing "R&B: Zhang Dali & Hei Yiyang Dual Exhibition" at the OCAT B10 Pavilion provides a highly persuasive lens through which to understand the city's cultural structure. On the afternoon of December 27, OCAT launched a public program titled "Art and Design Chat," moderated by curators Zhang Yuxing and Shu Yang, and designers Zhao Lixing and Yang Zhen. Participants in the dialogue included Zhu Rongyuan, Luan Qian, Yan Weixin, Dai Yun, Hu Zhen, Xu Qiaosi, Gao Jiangbo, Wang Yefu, Zhu Decai, Zhu Chen, Nan Dao, Liang Daohong, He Yue, Ma Shenguang, Zhang Dali, and Hei Yiyang. The conversation revolved around themes such as art, design, the city, and the artistic practice of R&B.
A keyword repeatedly mentioned during the exhibition and its public discussions is "non-standard." Urban planner Zhu Rongyuan pointed out that Shenzhen's development does not follow the linear logic of traditional urban planning and industrial succession, but is rather a process of constant trial, error, and layering. This non-standard mode of growth has profoundly influenced the city's mechanisms for cultural production. It is within this urban structure that design and art have not formed clear boundaries. For designers to engage in artistic practice is not a transgression of identity, but an almost "natural" outcome. The creative paths of Zhang Dali and Hei Yiyang have evolved in sync with the rhythm of Shenzhen's urban development: professional experience, real-world pressures, and generational memories are continuously transformed into creative resources.
Yan Weixin, Director of the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art & Urban Planning, used the relationship between "points, lines, and planes" to describe the connection between art, design, and the city. In this structure, the "R&B" exhibition is not an isolated art event, but a starting point. Design, as a methodological "line," connects the life experiences of creators in Shenzhen, ultimately forming the "plane" of urban culture.
This assessment was echoed by several art administrators. Luan Qian, who has long been involved in building Shenzhen's art ecosystem, believes that Shenzhen is the most convincing city when linking the three words: art, design, and city. From the OCT Art & Design Gallery as China's first design-themed museum, to the inaugural Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of UrbanismArchitecture in 2005, to the OCT-LOFT cultural park establishing itself as a brand focused on creative design, contemporary art, and avant-garde music, Shenzhen's cultural development has always advanced in tandem with art, design, industry, and urban renewal. The significance of "R&B" lies not in attempting to create a "Shenzhen style," but in using two highly individual case studies to demonstrate how urban culture is generated: not through top-down planning, but through natural growth emerging from countless concrete practices.
Artist Dai Yun noted that while it is difficult to find so-called "pure artists" in Shenzhen, it is precisely the inclusion of other forces that makes the city's art ecosystem exceptionally vibrant, constituting its distinctive feature. Curator and critic Xu Qiaosi believes that the interplay between art and design is a unique cultural characteristic of Shenzhen. The coexistence of designer and artist identities is a phenomenon within the city's cultural and artistic scene. Curator Gao Jiangbo pointed out that the biggest difference between the works of Zhang Dali and Hei Yiyang and those of other artists is that their creative process itself is infused with the nourishment of design, which is also an influence they have absorbed from Shenzhen's urban culture.
Zhang Dali's response to the historical context of "xia hai" (venturing into business) in his works, and Hei Yiyang's extreme utilization of highly standardized media language, subtly resonate with the urban experience of Shenzhen. As curator Zhang Yuxing remarked while moderating the talk, the relationship between art, design, and the city in Shenzhen is "accompanying"; they do not explain each other, but grow together on the same timeline. They have already grown into a large tree, and this state is also the source of Shenzhen's strength. In this sense, "R&B" is not merely an exhibition about two artists, but a cross-section revealing how Shenzhen continuously nurtures cultural expression amidst uncertainty.
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