Tongji Philip Qian: Alloyed Commitments
September 12 - December 7, 2025
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
915 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637
Tongji Qian was born in 1989 and grew up in Shanghai, China.
In the first grade, Qian’s teacher gave him his “British” name of “Phil.”
When he came to the United States to study and play Ultimate Frisbee at Carleton College, people referred to him as “Phil.”
Early on in my conversations with him, I asked, “Should I call you Phil or Tongji?”
He answered, “Phil.”
Over the years, he found that “Philip” was more formally “respected” in the U.S., so “Tongji Phil Qian” became “Tongji Philip Qian.” And yet, to most, he is still Phil.
For governments, lawyers, and doctors, though, he is “Tongji Qian.”
September 12 - December 7, 2025
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
915 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637
Tongji Qian was born in 1989 and grew up in Shanghai, China.
In the first grade, Qian’s teacher gave him his “British” name of “Phil.”
When he came to the United States to study and play Ultimate Frisbee at Carleton College, people referred to him as “Phil.”
Early on in my conversations with him, I asked, “Should I call you Phil or Tongji?”
He answered, “Phil.”
Over the years, he found that “Philip” was more formally “respected” in the U.S., so “Tongji Phil Qian” became “Tongji Philip Qian.” And yet, to most, he is still Phil.
For governments, lawyers, and doctors, though, he is “Tongji Qian.”
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Tongji Philip Qian’s “Alloyed Commitments” explores notions of access, legibility, skill, and structure within and between the pieces on view.
The exhibition includes work with conservation-grade and found papers, handwriting, leather, t-shirts, wall painting, and video, among numerous other media.
Qian’s dog, Grappa, served as the camera operator for a two-channel video; his mother, Miki Meng, and his partner, Fan Ada Wang, were draftspersons for several drawings; Daylight saving time and the duration of lunch breaks each structured a series; and Qian engaged the sun in the selective (and ongoing) tanning of leather.
The artist’s presentation of the remnants of a store’s commercial/advertising campaign become the basis for a work that, in how it’s arranged in this exhibition, limits one’s ability to view a few other elements made entirely by Qian in the immediate vicinity.
Works are hung at eye-level as well as above and below.
A series is kept together, while others are shown piecemeal and/or in multiple locations.
What is “going on” in some works is “obvious” (to some and not to others). A few pieces are almost inscrutable, sometimes on purpose and otherwise by Qian going down a particular path.
In the artist's work, processes can share authorship, authorship can be highlighted and/or negated, and negation can be altered, celebrated, or overruled.
--Andrew Witkin, guest curator
The exhibition includes work with conservation-grade and found papers, handwriting, leather, t-shirts, wall painting, and video, among numerous other media.
Qian’s dog, Grappa, served as the camera operator for a two-channel video; his mother, Miki Meng, and his partner, Fan Ada Wang, were draftspersons for several drawings; Daylight saving time and the duration of lunch breaks each structured a series; and Qian engaged the sun in the selective (and ongoing) tanning of leather.
The artist’s presentation of the remnants of a store’s commercial/advertising campaign become the basis for a work that, in how it’s arranged in this exhibition, limits one’s ability to view a few other elements made entirely by Qian in the immediate vicinity.
Works are hung at eye-level as well as above and below.
A series is kept together, while others are shown piecemeal and/or in multiple locations.
What is “going on” in some works is “obvious” (to some and not to others). A few pieces are almost inscrutable, sometimes on purpose and otherwise by Qian going down a particular path.
In the artist's work, processes can share authorship, authorship can be highlighted and/or negated, and negation can be altered, celebrated, or overruled.
--Andrew Witkin, guest curator
Alloyed Commitments is presented by Logan Center Exhibitions and curated by Andrew Witkin. This exhibition is made possible by the generous support from the Ng Family Visiting Artist Fund, the Revada Foundation, Today Clothing, and Friends of the Logan Center. Additional support provided by the Department of Visual Arts, the Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts, Smart Museum of Art, and the Center for the Art of East Asia at the University of Chicago.
