《安慰剂》，是艺术家徐文恺新近完成的一个系列，包括《BDSQ》、《HAL》、《Text Format》，以及《Poor Mining》。与该系列共同展出的还有艺术家在2009至2010年间完成的另一个系列，《控制论》中的部分作品。以此，构成一个小型的文件展，旨在对这位年轻而活跃的媒体艺术家近些年来在创作行动中逐渐形构、稳定的思维技巧，作品建构、表达与呈现能力进行梳理和脉络化的认识，希望从中见晓这一独特个体的潜力。

在《控制论》系列中，艺术家企图重新看待和认识“数据”（data），这一来自于信息科技领域的对象，并最终透过《云.数据》（Cloud.data）、《水测》（Water Measure）、《博客考古学》（BlogArchaeological）等作品，对“数据”的存在与存在形态、数据的可感知性等做了有趣且机智的表达。而在最新的《安慰剂》系列中，艺术家将研究方向转向数据的“流动”（Stream），这种流动下诞生的新的结构，新结构所藴涵的视觉惯性以及安慰剂效应。

由此，展览的结构仿佛是“传”与“前传”。这种设定本身，是试图为艺术家某种强烈特性的认识提供研究线索：一种独特的作品建构方式（Construction Methods）；一方面是体现艺术家本人所掌握的特定领域的文化知识与其思考共生的艺术转换。

Placebo is a new series by Xu Wenkai, which consists of BDSQ, HAL, Text Format and Poor Mining. Together shown with this series are works from a different series, titled Cybernetics, made by the artist in 2009 and 2010. These works form a small documents, aiming at systematic and thorough examining the way of thinking, art making, expressing and presenting of this young and active media artist, so as to manifest his capability.

In Cybernetics series, the artist tries to reconsider data, the object of information technology inquiry, and comes up with an interesting and witty presentation on data’s existence, form, and perceptibility with Cloud Data, Water Measure and Blog Archaeology. In the latest Placebo series, artist turns to the stream of data flow, which engenders new structures, as well as the visual inertia and placebo effect.

Therefore this exhibition seems to be made up of a biography and a prequel of this biography. Such structure facilitates our understanding of artist’s distinct trait: on one hand, unique artwork construction methods, and on the other hand, the artistic conversion of artist’s know-how and thoughts in certain fields.