The Contemporary Art Scene in China

On Chinese Contemporary Art and the Future

Artists in their studio, the first picture is of Fanyourong is a recent graduate and she paints images of contemporary chinese women and sadness. Shen Hua, second picture is a successful artists and has held many exhibitions and many collectors and museums have bought is work. They are about local farmers and their daily lives. He feels it is important to represent them and the other China.

Third and forth picture is of Yan Shu, is a successful artists, born in China. With ref to Post Avant-Garde Chinese Contemporary Art, Four Directions of The New Era Wang Lin, art critic writes " No matter what, Yan Shu is definately not a painter that creates images. He never reproduces his own works. No matter whether he is involved in social issues or isolates himself from society, he puts his entire heart and soul in his painting. Yan Shu is able to move freely back and forth beween his private person and society; reality and dreams; paintings andwirtings; sketches adn conception, self-indulgence ad discipline. Yan Shu does as he pleases, and while this ofen surprises people, hey remain fascinated by his works". by Wang Lin

My journalists contact, Shifay based in USA who writes for Dim Sum, kindly sent me this link about the new developments and emergence of China and the arts. It is interesting to read that contemporary artist created works that related to impressions of communism and mao and their reaction to modern China.

For many years I have been actively involved with curating contemporary exhibitions for galleries, in the early late 1980's I was Visual Arts Officer for South London Gallery and in the 1990's I was Exhibitions organiser for Pitzhanger Manor Museum and Gallery. I curated one of the first group exhibition by Chinese artists based in UK, titled " Far From the Shore". I was aware in the 1990's of the work of Chinese artists and trend of movement. From mid 2007, still actively involved in the arts, I read many articles by uk press on the rags to riches artistic movement in China. The reality was the successful talented and lucky one's made millions and so did the western dealers and collectors and China was suddenly a melting pot for the most exciting art work. Who exploited who?Saatchi invested in 2000 and recently held a show from his China collection, which reflected the Post-Mao Era. The collection of work was made partly for a western audience and fulfilled many stereotypes of China.

What do I think of the trends - Young artists have had great opportunities and were picked up and exposed by the collectors and galleries. The oppression of communism before China opened up resulted in an underground arts movement that has gradually emerged and exposed the artists ideas in the west. How much of what is shown is controlled, I suspect in China artists works are carefully selected if shown in public owned government spaces. However small independent arts organisations, non government funded are more likely to have more freedom to show what they like. It is apparent from my interviews with artists that they are frustrated by Chinese society the lack of freedom to vote, the one party state and express views and frustration through their works.

It is my view, some of the younger artists may have lost their way and are responding to what the west wants to see and the economic art market. Other artists reject the trends and have the courage to paint truely what they feel. For example, the impact of people's life since the industrialisation of China and the destruction it has caused. Images that offend or challenge society and government policy etc will be barred and rejected from public spaces in China. Artists are aware they have to be careful.

Chinese arists have reached stale mate, perhaps too influenced by the economic western art market. With the global impact on art sales, this is time for them to reflect more deeply about their work, identity and culture. Its time they did more soul searching and bring out the best in their work. In future I hope that the economic downturn will bring about some new changes and trends in the art world and from China.

My next exhibition,China-UK Collaboration - I am currently researching and curating a show with 501 Contemporary Art Space with Chinese artists from UK and SW China based on a theme 'Global Migration'. I would like to use this exhibition as an opportunity for artists across to globe to create work about society, the impact on their lives and feel that the ideas they produce is independent from the Arts Market. My ambition is to create an exhibition that will be an exploration of new, exciting and fresh ideas and a cultural exchange.

If there are any interested partners who would like to collaborate with me and help sponsor this major exhibition, the exhibition will be launched late 2010 or 2011. It will tour China, Hong Kong, UK and other potential spaces subject to venues, funding and sponsors. You can email me at valeriechang106@hotmail.com if you would like more information.

Valerie Chang-Curator and Arts Consultant
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-11/how-china-conquered-the-art-world/