Hyundai
Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech 2020: Play societies: wolves, lynx, and ants
Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech 2020: Play societies: wolves, lynx, and ants
Hyundai
About the Exhibition
CHEN Min and ZHANG Yehong’s Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech 2020 exhibition Play societies: wolves, lynx, and ants explored the theme “Social Intelligence” by illustrating the evolution of social intelligence in the digital age, from the rise of personal computers, through the internet's inception in the 1990s, to today’s smart device era.
The exhibition was divided into three allegorical sections—“Steppenwolf on the Info Superhighway,” “The Lynx Refuge Island,” and “The Ants Arcade”—employing wolves, lynx, and ants as metaphors for human society’s progression through media technology. Featuring artworks by 14 artists and game designers, it showcased a variety of interpretative forms, including video art, paper painting, multimedia interactive installations and video games to explore the concept of “play.” The exhibition integrated “play” as a behavior and a medium, asking whether there is a “pan-intelligence” that encompasses human, animal and artificial intelligence.
The first two parts of the exhibition delved into the technological myths from the “Info Superhighway” era, assessing the effects of information technology on the dynamics between society and the individuals in the Social Media age. The final part brings the artists’ reflections to the gaming scene—by revising game rules, using alternative and shared technologies, and intervening in daily life and production spaces with a sense of collectivism and cooperation, the exhibition opens up a space for ongoing discussion.
Participating Artists
Angela Washko
Chen Baoyang
Chen Xin + Huang Yuwen
Lao Jiahui
Loopntale
Molleindustria
Nicky Case
Pied la biche
Tang Chao
Yao Qingmei
ZhangWenxin
Zhao Bang
Zheng Da
Zhou Pengan
About the Curator
Chen Min is a curator, artist and translator. After studying in France for 10 years, Min returned to China to pursue a doctoral degree at the Institute of Contemporary Art and Social Thought at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. Her research interests lie in the issues of play and art, realism, and the narrative constructions of individual life stories in the broader context of natural history. Min’s curatorial work includes contributions to Inter-World-View 2019 in Hangzhou, the Zhijiang International Youth Art Festival 2019 in Hangzhou, and Je vous salue, Hypnos — Un voyage en Poésie-performance vers la nuit at Ming Contemporary Art Museum in Shanghai. She has published work in New Arts and China Photography. As an artist, Min has presented work in various prestigious venues, including the China Port Museum, OCAT Institute, CACP Villa Pérochon, France, Jimei X Arles International Photo Festival, and the Lianzhou Foto Festival.
Zhang Yehong is an artist, curator and the founder of the art brand United Grocery. He was shortlisted for the PSA Young Curator Award 2017 of The Power Station of Art. His artworks have been covered by many domestic media outlets, and also widely exhibited in the 7th Jinan International Photography Biennale Exhibition, The AMNUA International Photography Exhibition, The 3rd CAFAM Biennale Exhibition etc.
About the Program
Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech
Initiated in 2017 by Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Blue Prize has supported emerging curators through Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech in China and Hyundai Blue Prize Design in Korea. Since its launch, Hyundai Blue Prize Art + Tech has recognized and nurtured emerging curators in China, providing a platform to engage with the international art scene and develop innovative curatorial perspectives. The program has also served as a valuable training ground for curators across diverse fields. In 2025, the initiative evolved into Hyundai Blue Prize+, expanding its scope to transcend boundaries, cultivate interdisciplinary research, and foster transcultural conversations.
