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hayumivv

Now have 5 different types of artists! quite fun! Wu Jianjun's art is terrific, using orange and green colors. Zhangwei uses a way of humorous to make ppl laugh Ankun made a peaceful work in this kind of crowded city Li Shiguang got talented skills and impressive ways of contrasts. Sun Qi's theme is dolls, sad but elegant dolls.somehow reminds us the kid's life

 

11 months, 1 week ago Updated See hayumivv's latest review »

hayumivv

Art+Shanghai was founded in October 2007 by four partners who share a long passion and involvement in art. Art+Shanghai has its pulse on the sprawling Chinese contemporary art scene. The Gallery is an intimate art space located on Fuxing Middle Road in the heart of the former French concession, Art+Shanghai is devoted to the promotion of established and upcoming Chinese artists with a focus on unique artistic style and high quality artwork. Art+Shanghai artists maintain an openness to embrace outside ideas while maintaining their own national identity and creating a rousing art scene. Though its network of partner galleries Art+Shanghai curates exhibitions in the US and Europe and likewise represents artists and artworks from abroad. Art+Shanghai aims to bring to the art world original visions, new ideas and shared knowledge though intimate gatherings with artists, critics and experts from various creative industries. In addition to mounting exhibitions the gallery aims to stimulate and celebrate the diversity of Chinese contemporary art by discovering new talent and fostering a dialogue between artists and the public. Artplusshanghai,is currently showing exciting works from the five following artists.

Li Shiguang Born in 1973 in Baishan, Jilin Province. His artwork is based on the principle of “assemblage/identification” utilizing both classical western and eastern imagery. Space and time are merged in absurdity in his artwork, where characters come across somewhat dramatic and poetic in appearance. At the center of the painting, the walls, people and set are each filled with a strong sense of realism and symbolism. It is with such elements that the artist tries to express a view of present-day culture. Today, human culture is highly integrated and the concepts of eastern and western culture as well as various races are gradually fading.

Sun Qi Born in 1979 in Anhui Province The artist creates a kind of language, or symbol to express his ideal epitome. During his own process of aging and maturity, affected by both education, environment, and the processes of self-observation and reflection, he deeply feels there are some adverse factors in children’s development including family, society and nature situations, which maybe directly or indirectly impact children's physical and mental health. Being involved in such kinds of situations, he unconsciously feels a sense of indescribable responsibility, which forces him to move gently towards his present view. His recent works are largely dominated by blue-violet hues. Blue-violet hue may at times make people feel lonely and somewhat mysterious, creating an environment and space that may appear bleak and cold. But people need this sort of contrast and uncoordinated sense of being, in order to allow being concerned with and reflecting. In regards to his passionate reflection on Chinese traditional culture and engagement with a perfect image, Sun Qi uses a corresponding traditional method to produce or enhance an aesthetic pursuit. Basically, he can only do his own thing that which he is thinking and that which embodies life meaning and value. He invites people to join this generation to create a brighter future.

Wu Jianjun

Born in 1966 in Sichuan province Jianjun, on its surface, can be understood as a name connoting military affairs. People with such names can be readily identified as males born in the 60's in mainland China. During his university years, he was already a poet, and he was often seen with other poets on campus Jianjun's hand writing is excellent. However, that beautiful handwriting is the script of a bizarre language. For instance, one poem is written about “newlyweds” and “pants”, it is uncertain whether it was the newlywed not wearing pants or whether there was no newly wed in those pants, nevertheless, it was strange: strange interior of a person with such a delicate appearance. Over the years, Jianjun continued to write poetry. Overall, Jianjun is a quiet introvert, living in his own delusional world. It is rare to hear him talk about poetry or paintings, but once in a while shocking words emerge in a low voice from his body, those sensitive and somewhat neurotic eyes send out sharp glimpses that make it almost impossible for you to listen to what he says. And, after is always a long period of silence. Nowadays he mostly dedicates himself to painting. When you visit Jianjun’s studio you can truly feel the surging blood beneath his peaceful appearance and see the eye-grabbing yellow, green or even bloody red, twitching, distorted and fantastic body-like images piled in the dark corners of the room. In his dream he becomes a strange bird, unable to fly, and in the end burned by an unnameable fire, you can even hear the sound of sizzling . . . is this a dream or an illusion? Moreover, is this the true spirit? This is when we realized that Jianjun is a true “poet painter”. . .

An Kun Born in 1968 in Suzhou, Jiangsu province An Kun, is a painter enjoying solitude, who in his unique and subtle way brings us to a peaceful world expressing to us his inspiration from life. An Kun particularly enjoys standing in front of the canvas pouring out his inspiration. Becoming an artist much like his contemporaries, he chose a life of poverty never feeling tired or alone, until now. He naturally shines through his latest series called ‘ZEN’ currently shown by Art+Shanghai. An Kun himself explains that the contemporary environment has too much blunder, thick color and shallow meanings that block people from thinking, leaving them at a loss. He prefers to stay in the studio by himself, working quietly and meditating with great composure, which demonstrates his natural otherworldly instincts. In the ‘ZEN’ series, there is a sense of fluidity like a flowing stream. He uses paintbrush to convey his thoughts about life. For An Kun if people can achieve a sense of peace from his art work, it brings him satisfaction ! With his unique personality, his work touches people’s hearts. With his sense of peace, people’s minds are purified if only for a short while.

Zhang Wei Born in Changsha, Hunan Province According to Zhang Wei, who doesn’t consider himself as an artist, his paintings are only “stuff “ that he does. What is interesting is that the word ‘stuff’ in Chinese is ‘Dong Xi’, literarily meaning “East and West”: a wonderful epitome of his artistic approach. His print and oil on canvas “Qi Baishi Vs. Marilyn Monroe” series (currently shown at the Art+Shanghai gallery) are based on the simple, whimsical watercolour figures of Qi Baishi, the renowned Chinese painter of the late 19th century whose artistic motto was “in speech, use words that people can understand. In painting, depict things that people have seen.” In the same spirit, Zhang Wei’s artworks juxtaposes Qi Baishi’s elegant, reserved scholars painted with refined, lucid brushstrokes, with gaudy portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Madonna: gleeful, voluptuous, and seductive. Growing up in an intellectual family in Changsha and always passionate about art, Zhang Wei enrolled at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 1978 to learn traditional water and ink painting, only to find out there were no techniques being taught in the classroom that he had not already mastered. So where could truly original creativity be unearthed? With a technique called digital collage, Zhang Wei engages himself in a playfully, nomadic meander traversing space and time. Monroe, the quintessential icon of pop entertainment culture, is ruthlessly inserted into backdrops of self-contained landscape of Qi Baishi’s delicate watercolour personages, who seem to be tantalized yet inevitably frustrated in their quests. Unlike the Political Pop or Cynical Realism genres of his contemporaries, Zhang Wei adopts a nonchalant stance when faced with issues of social reality, political agenda and criticism. For him “Qi Baishi Vs. Marilyn Monroe” is not a fight. It is merely a game. Who is the winner? Zhang Wei is not at all concerned to attempt an answer. “I don’t intend to invoke, mock or attack. Why should I? Each snow flake is falling exactly where it is supposed to be,” smiles Zhang Wei, quoting his favourite aphorism from Zen, an introspective Buddhist philosophy he has been embracing for years.

Art+Shanghai Gallery can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 1pm to 6pm and by appointment anytime. The gallery can be contacted directly to arrange a private viewing. Individual attention is of up most importance to this gallery.

 

11 months, 1 week ago

emilyc

Hidden in the back of a Shanghai-style longtang in the French Concession, but separated from the rest of the alley by a large wood paneled door, this gallery's exhibition spaces have been refurbished immaculately. A quaint courtyard out front distinguishes the gallery from many of its more sterile brethren throughout Shanghai.

French art director Jeremie Thircuir curates this Zhang Wei exhibition. Zhang is a contemporary artist who has dabbled in many media including graphic design and fiction writing. However, this show focuses on a single series called "Qi Baishi vs. Marilyn," which juxtaposes the American sex icon to the master calligrapher and artist, Qi, who worked unrecognized well into his 60s.

The style of the series combines a derivation of Qi's fanciful watercolor figures and contrasts this with voluptuous and at times lewd images of Marilyn. Using the digital collage technique, Zhang thrusts together images of the popular and the scholarly-–concepts that we think of as mutually exclusive. Forcing the viewer to reexamine preconceived notions of western and eastern icons, Zhang crosses barriers of time, space and culture to create a light and witty, yet thoughtful effect. Using oil on canvas, the artist distances his personal approach from the watercolor world of Qi and from the photography and film that made Marilyn famous. And so, even though he combines outside influences, Zhang simultaneously retains his own identity as an artist. by Melanie McGanney; "Art Review," CW Issue 5

 

7 months ago