 weeping changes in China's society that started 20+ years ago laid fertile ground for China's contemporary art to take root. As a witness and participant to these changes, I have first-hand experience of the ups and downs of Chinese contemporary art’s evolution from a small, marginalized circle to its position today of nearly displacing conventionally-accepted mainstream art. This process of development undoubtedly both excites and delights people. However, with the popularity, fashionableness, and commercialization of Chinese contemporary art, devoted followers are beginning to worry that the creative impetus of its development – the spirit of artistic innovation, independent thinking, and social criticism – is gradually waning behind a prosperous wake of the art market icons.
In this context, the organizing committees of the “Art Basel Miami Beach International Art Show” and “Design Miami” invited me to curate an exhibition embodying the current situation of Chinese contemporary art. To me, this is actually a great challenge. This exhibition should not only embody my new awareness of the current situation of Chinese contemporary art, but should also reflect my judgment about its future direction. These judgments are based on promoting the health and lasting development in China of Chinese contemporary art, and from this base it can become a truly great power with deep influence on the international contemporary art scene.Today, Chinese contemporary art is rarely referenced without mention of its commercial value in the same breath.
Even though commercialization has already spread throughout the realm of Chinese contemporary art, there are a number of exceptional Chinese contemporary artists in this realm from whom we can see the real charisma of contemporary art. They and their works continuously explore and push beyond, beyond with sincere thoughts, independent spirit, in accordance only with the logical expression of their internal environment.
Zhou Chunya’s “Green Dog” has its origins in the thorough research of both Chinese and Western art and culture. Liu Wei’s paintings are a continuous exploration of the inner heart, showing how a contemporary artist can take responsibility for the language of his individual memories. Xu Jiang’s early devotion to German philosophy and art came from the perspective of traditional Chinese culture, similar to today’s focus on the Chinese-ness of a painting. Zeng Fanzhi’s works from the “Hospital,” “Meat,”“Mask,” and most recently “We” series relentlessly mine the natural outcome of people’s state of existence. Zeng Hao's paintings of miniature people are a modern microcosm of the state of Chinese literati and materialism. Gu Dexin’s works began with the early conceptualist collective, the “New Measurement Group,” with projects ranging from experiments kneading meat to installations of apples, always revolving around the question of humanity. Liu Jianhua’s shift from Pop ceramic sculptures to conceptual creations developed out of a period of time spent introspectively observing the changes in China’s societal values. Wang Jianwei’s video and installation works contemplate people, existence, and time’s dimensions. Wang Qingsong chooses to contrast images from the past and present in order to observe, imitate, and satirize our times.
These are nine artists – painters full of conviction, conceptual artists full of thought. Although their individual experiences are diverse, these artists’creations all reflect the gyrations in Chinese society and culture. No matter whether past or present, their creations contain profound thoughts and choices that are both original and appealing. Their works have deep Chinese cultural roots, yet at the same time, they are without a doubt transcultural and of the highest artistic and critical standards. In Miami, their art is a manifestation of the strength of Chinese contemporary art, as well as part of a significant dialogue with international contemporary art.
The notion of "beyond" is fundamental to artistic innovation, especially today, when Chinese contemporary art faces so much opportunity and challenges for development. It is crucial to break through and identify history’s milestone images in order to seek out the source of the spirit of artistic creation. This does not simply relate to the artistic life of each artist; more importantly, it points to the future direction of the whole of Chinese contemporary art. I believe that only by engaging true and powerful contemporary art with the realities of Chinese society can the value and significance of Chinese contemporary art reach its most complete aspiration.
Liu Wei, Landscape 1, 300x250cm, 2007
Liu Wei, Landscape 2, 300x250cm, 2007
Xu Jiang, Winter Landscape (Part), water color, 58×78cm×27 2005
Xu Jiang, Winter Landscape(Part), water color, 58×78cm×27 2005
Zhou Chunya, Green Dog,320x220cm, 2007
Zhou Chunya, Doberman and T63,320x220cm,2007
Zeng Hao, Daily Life, 300x240cm, 2007
Wang Qingsong, UN Party,170x280cm,2007
Wang Qingsong, UN Party - 2,170x280cm,2007
Zeng Fanzhi, Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 2007
Zeng Fanzhi, Fire, Oil on Canvas, 200×200cm, 2006
Gu Dexin, A Great Pathway To Heaven, Installation, 2007
Wang Jianwei, Spider, video, 2003
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