China and her art have fascinated other parts of the world for ages. In its contemporary manifestation, starting with what is now known as the 85 New Wave, the Chinese art scene exploded into global awareness after China‘s economic and cultural opening toward the end of the twentieth century. An important cross-cultural component was Robert Rauschenberg and his 1985 ROCI China exhibition in Beijing that offered many Chinese artists a new perspective on contemporary art and influenced their approach to artistic expression and creative style. What may not be fully appreciated is the continuing impact and significance of the long and rich tradition of art education and technical mastery on Chinese contemporary art.
Selected works of eight artists, ranging from time-honored ink and oil to whimsical sculpture and installation art, show the impact of Chinese tradition on their work over the last 25 years. Their art stands on its own, not imitation or rejection, but grounded in Chinese culture, not breaking from it but showing what makes them unmistakably themselves.
Chen Qingqing 陈庆庆 (*1953, Beijing) creates fiber art and installations. Representative for Chinese ink painting are Zhang Zhaoda 张肇达 (*1963, Guangdong) with a large-scale abstract painting inspired by calligraphy, Shi Jianguo 石建国 (*1964, Hebei) with fine brushwork with rich coloring and Ren Sixian 任思娴 (*1966, Hebei) with freehand ink-wash painting. Gao Xiaowu 高孝午 (*1976, Fujian) is known for bronze sculptures conveying concern about society in a gentle manner. Working in oil, Zhang Linhai 张林海 (*1963, Shanghai) weaves memories of his hard childhood and the Cultural Revolution with current events, Wang Zhidong 王志东 (*1962, Sichuan) pictures the loss of belonging due to the rapid urbanization and Jia Lin 贾琳 (*1982, Sichuan) captures passing moments with a sense of time and space.
