Bigger not necessarily better in UCCA's 'On/Off' exhibition

One of the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art's (UCCA) latest exhibitions, "On/Off", which opened at the beginning of the year and will run until mid-April, has caused quite a stir.

Showcasing 50 young Chinese artists, this group show has prompted critics and collectors to question whether UCCA has been too "aggressive" in its effort to revive itself as a leading centre for Chinese contemporary art.

The centre in Beijing may be filled with artworks, but visitors can't help but feel an emptiness within. Some have questioned aspects of the show - curated by Bao Dong and Sun Dongdong - such as the curatorial direction and selection of the artists. I do not see any problems in their selection of artists, most of whom have well-established reputations, and there are some good works on display here.

Zhang Ding's Control Club (2013), for example, plays on ideas of sensory perception and will, constructing absurd scenes full of contrast. This piece is both a tower-shaped stage - built entirely from speakers - and a reactive sound installation, illustrating a world driven to chaos by excessive control.

In Home (2012), brothers Chen Yufan and Yujun take a stream near their home as a starting point, as a way of bringing the cultural and social experience of "Chinese returning to their hometowns from overseas" into the context of contemporary art.

Two paintings by Liang Yuanwei - Pisces (Left) (2011) and Pisces (Right) (2012) - refer to an incident in the artist's private life. The pattern comes from the same article of clothing, and the vast difference between the two paintings gives form to her ideas of mutability. Liang is a painter whose cold, strong compositions articulate a spatial relationship between colour and pattern. Her working method, which aims for one-time completion and allows for no errors, hints at an extraordinary level of self-control.

UCCA co-founder Guy Ullens and UCCA director Philip Tinari have put much effort into the art scene by investing extensive resources and effort into large-scale exhibitions such as "On/Off".