Helen Binet presents her solo exhibition in Shanghai

Established in 2012 in Shanghai, The Power Station of Art is widely known as the first state-run museum dedicated to contemporary art in mainland China. In fact, numerous artistic exhibitions are showcased in diverse ways in Shanghai museums. Among these museums, the Power Station of Art is currently presenting Hélène Binet’s personal artwork in the past 30 years from April 19 to July 21. By presenting more than 100 works of analogue photographies, this exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of Binet’s accomplishments throughout her career. 

Born in Sorengo, Switzerland in 1959, Hélène Binet was raised in Rome in her childhood. She began to study photography after she entered the Institution of Design and worked at the Grand Theatre. After graduation, she moved to London and married Raoul Bunschoten, a professional architect. Being strongly influenced by her husband, Binet gradually switched her focus to architectural photography and headed to Berlin to start her first art project. Through her experiences of traveling, she developed an interest in taking photos of natural landscapes and classic Asian architectures. After finishing the John Hejduk’s Housing Project in Berlin, Binet successfully discovered her distinct photography style that continues to define her work today – her works are sharply composed and highly simulative to viewers’ imagination about space. 

The exhibition centers on summarizing Binet’s 30-year career by displaying her iconic work and changes in her artistic views throughout her lifetime. Binet divides all of her work into groups of two or three to form “dialogues” that feature various themes. For instance, in one of the pieces presented, she focuses on the sharp contrast between light and shadow formed in building façades. In the other picture placed at the other end of the showroom, she delivers a couple of Swiss mountain views to visitors through the formation of surface structures. By looking through the contrary artwork displayed in the exhibition, visitors can understand the artistic motives and themes of Binet.

The Power Station of Art also presents other exhibitions such as Luis Chan: PSA Collection Series, Thonik: Why We Design, and The Challenging Souls: Yves Klein, Lee Ufan, Ding Yi this spring. The address for the Power Station of Arts is 678 Miaojiang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, 200011. For additional information, please visit this website: http://www.powerstationofart.org/en/

Featured Image – A photography taken by Helen Binet – Photo Courtesy of Helen Binet

By Amy Kang