You may choose to develop ideas based on the previous response paper (attached Paper_China_Today.pdf). For your final paper, you will write a 6-page essay (double-spaced, Times New Roman font 12) and address following questions:

Contemporary Chinese Art and Artists

10. 28. 2019

Contemporary Chinese Art and Artists

In your view, what is art?

In my view, I think art is an expression of human creativity and skills, mostly in the form

of visual items such as painting or sculpture. Art is a human depiction of a society in such a

powerful way that provokes emotion and as a result leaving a lasting memory. My understanding

of art is that it is not something that exists in the abstract. In many instances, artists intend to

make some communication or remember a significant period in history or even capture

individuals who had significant impacts on society. The fact that pieces of art may be associated

with specific periods in human history is an indication that a work of art will, in most cases,

speak about some important aspects of society. Thus, when artists are developing a piece of art,

their observations and experience will always have a significant impact on their work.

In many instances, art is unique to the cultures of societies in which it is developed. There

is Chinese culture, which means the piece of art is unique to the cultures and values of the

Chinese, or it depicts something about the Chinese people and the history. Similarly, French

speaks about the unique values and traditions of the French and their history. In this paper, the

primary focus is Chinese art with specific attention on the unique features which make that piece

of art ‘Chinese.’

What are the fascinating aspects of contemporary Chinese art (i.e., avant-garde? politically

provocative? cynical realism? bridging Chinese and Western cultures? etc.)?

There are many aspects of contemporary Chinese art, which makes it incredibly

fascinating. As indicated in the description of ‘art’ above, it is important to appreciate that pieces

of art will always the culture and traditions of the people. Thus, when looking at the Chinese

culture, it is naturally expected that the culture of the Chinese will define the pieces of art being

introduced. However, that is not necessarily true when one takes a critical examination of

contemporary Chinese culture. Thus, one of the fascinating aspects of contemporary Chinese art

is the bridging of the Chinese and Western cultures. As a Chinese, I can always easily tell when

there’s a traditional Chinese art piece in galleries but somehow can’t distinguish contemporary

Chinese art with others. When one takes a critical look at contemporary Chinese art, it will be

evident that the pieces of art do not speak purely about the Chinese culture, practices, and values,

but they have also significantly considered Western culture. In fact, there have been statements

such as “China going to the world," and this is an indication that Chinese art is today going out

of its way to incorporate western cultures1.

When one take s a careful look at the Chinese art, the idea that the modern global cultures

transcend domestic boundaries come into sharp focus. Unlike in the traditional set-up, when

Chinese artists were not well-traveled and were confined to the boundaries of China, it is evident

today that a significant number of Chinese artists have traveled widely, and they have been

exposed to many cultures across the globe. Besides, a significant number of Chinese artists have

had a taste of Western education, and that experience exposed them to western culture and

practices. When a Chinese artist who is trained in either Europe or the United States goes back

home and continues developing works of art, it is unlikely that their work will not have elements

of western culture.

Concerning artists, Tsao says that “As they encounter and participate in the culture of

global capitalism, they are playing an important role in the ongoing cultural decentralizing or

deterritorializing process of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries”2. The implication

1 Ames, Roger T., and Hsingyuan Tsao. Xu Bing and Contemporary Chinese Art: Cultural and Philosophical Reflections. State University of New York Press, 2011. 2 Ames, Roger T., and Hsingyuan Tsao. Xu Bing and Contemporary Chinese Art: Cultural and Philosophical Reflections. State University of New York Press, 2011.

of this statement is that China and its people have been experiencing some changes in recent

decades. Due to political and economic issues of the past, China was excluded from global

matters, and its people did not know much about the rest of the world. However, globalization

has played an important role in making sure that Chinese citizens interact with other cultures and

appreciate these cultures.

The introduction of technology and other scientific products into the realm of traditional

Chinese art is another aspect of contemporary Chinese art. China is one of the fastest-growing

technology countries in the world. Today, Chinese citizens are being exposed to technology at a

very tender age. Children start learning to use various forms of technologies at schools, and the

experiences which they gain from using these technologies have invaded even the production of

art. The use of technology in Chinese art has played a significant role in transforming the

traditional to what it is today. The use of technology in the development of Chinese art has

played a critical role in diminishing the authenticity of Chinese art and introduced elements of

western culture.

There are explanations that have been developed with regard to the infiltration of western

culture in Chinese culture. One of the explanations is that there was a time when Chinese

scholars, artists, and politicians were in confrontation with the western powers. For a long time,

there was a high level of confrontation between China and western powers. However, the

Chinese soon realized that the best way to address the conflict with the west was to adopt some

of the values and practices of the west. Thus, the Chinese realized that the incorporation of

western culture and practices would help to raise the profile and standards of the Chinese culture.

Among the artworks introduced by these artists, please name three artists that inspire you

the most and analyze the artistic-aesthetic style and philosophical meaning of their

respective works (i.e., painting, calligraphy, sculpture, installation, architecture, etc.)

China has some of the most fantastic artists in the world. Even with the incorporation of

western ideas and cultures in the development of pieces of art, it is notable that there are many

Chinese artists who have successfully maintained authenticity, style, and aesthetics. One of the

artists who have left a significant impression with his art is Fang Lijun, especially with regard to

his art titled, “This All Too Human World.” One of the most important aspects of this work is its

aesthetic value. In this piece of art, the artist has successfully managed to create a work that

incorporates several bright colors, which allow it to look attractive. The philosophical aspect of

this work also makes it impactive. The work has the image of a child who is seemingly being

threatened by a hostile environment. He uses bareheaded people to imply himself and the general

public. The child has been interpreted to be the symbol of the future. Thus, Lijun is creating

awareness regarding the future, which is being threatened by human actions.

Xu Bing is another example of artists who have made significant contributions to Chinese

art. In his piece of art like A Book from the Sky, the artist demonstrates the developments which

are taking place in the country’s art. The piece of art demonstrates the blurring lines between the

cultural and natural. It is a piece of art which shows that there are no differences among people

even when they come from different cultures. Fundamentally, the work promotes cohesion

among people irrespective of their cultural differences3.

3 Vinograd, Richard. "Making natural languages in contemporary Chinese art." Xu Bing and Contemporary Chinese Art (2011): 95-115.

Finally, Huang Yongping’s Book of Changes is another piece of art that I find

fascinating. The work concerns trigram patterns is a demonstration of the Chinese geomantic

traditions. It is essential to note that the piece of art was developed in France, and it captures,

quite prominently, aspects of Chinese and French culture. The beauty of this work is its ability to

gel the Chinese and French culture without compromising the authenticity of Chinese art4.

4 Vinograd, Richard. "Making natural languages in contemporary Chinese art." Xu Bing and Contemporary Chinese Art (2011): 95-115.

Bibliography

Ames, Roger T., and Hsingyuan Tsao. Xu Bing and Contemporary Chinese Art: Cultural and

Philosophical Reflections. State University of New York Press, 2011.

Vinograd, Richard. "Making natural languages in contemporary Chinese art." Xu Bing and

Contemporary Chinese Art (2011): 95-115.