Butter Gallery's "(zhǐ) - Paper:" Chinese Scrolls of Psychedelic Madness

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Hailing from Hangzhou, China, all of the artists are in their early 20s and are showing for the first time in America. Don't look forward to meeting them though, considered a flight risk, the four weren't granted U.S. visas. Suen noted that "Each have their own perspective on their own way of art making." They represent a new China and the imagination emerging from this rapidly evolving nation. Why paper, we asked? It was cheaper and easier to transport. All of the works were brought over in suitcases.

Butter, a relative newcomer to the area, usually exhibits what Suen described as "edgy art." "Paper" seems like an aesthetic departure from some of the former shows, which have included Tawnie Silva's blown-up plastic bag sculptures and graffiti influenced art by Ahol Sniffs Glue. Except for Art Asia, bringing work from China to Miami remains a nontraditional move.

"Paper" includes Zheng Tianming's bright portraits, some showing people with cats and without cats, cat heads emerging from spread legs, a dude shooting cats like guns. Qi Yuan uses Chinese ink on rice paper in Tangible Dreams, which depict erupting boob volcanoes, lotus vaginas, and general psychedelic madness. The Paper Airplane works by Su Xiangpan are both charming and simple, but not uninteresting. Guo Tiantian's colorful images on Chinese scrolls, Mountain and Sea, stand out with intensity in a mostly empty room.

The public opening is tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. and the work is affordable, so bring your checkbooks. It's definitely worth braving the Wynwood crowd for a gander. The exhibition is sponsored by ICFAC (International Chinese Fine Arts Council), and will be up until February 26.

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