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BEYOND TRADITION: CHINESE CONTEMPORARY INK at CHRISTIE’S Christie’S Private Sales Introduces New Exhibition Category

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BEYOND TRADITION: CHINESE CONTEMPORARY INK at CHRISTIE’S Christie’S Private Sales Introduces New Exhibition Category PRESS RELEASE | N E W Y O R K | 6 FEBRUARY 2013 BEYOND TRADITION: CHINESE CONTEMPORARY INK AT CHRISTIE’S Christie’s Private Sales Introduces New Exhibition Category New York - Christie’s Private Sales will present Beyond Tradition: Chinese Contemporary Ink, its first exhibition of Chinese contemporary ink paintings in New York, from February 28 – March 22, 2013. Coinciding with the First Open and Asian Art week sales, the exhibition will feature 25 works by nine of the most prominent artists in the field, including Liu Kuo-Sung, Li Huayi, Liu Dan, Gu Wenda, Xu Bing, Yang Jiechang, Qin Feng, Zheng Chongbin, and Qiu Zhijie. The exhibition showcases the modern reinterpretation of a traditional art form in a select group of innovative contemporary works. Introduced at Christie’s Hong Kong in November 2012, in response to growing global interest, the works will travel between New York and Hong Kong as part of an ongoing exhibition, serving as an introduction to the quickly emerging Chinese contemporary ink category. Chinese ink painting has been central in the development of China’s art history, dating back thousands of years. Utilizing brush, ink and paper, and requiring studied skill and exceptional patience, ink paintings, like all art forms, are a product of their society, embodying and creating viewpoints, provocations and new horizons. Following a transformational century of significant political, economic and cultural change, China is actively redefining its identity and direction, subsequently affecting the trajectory of its contemporary art. While this era saw a great deal of artists adopting once discarded Western techniques, those who continued in the ink medium identified new ways to challenge the past and revive tradition, fusing traditional techniques with contemporary expression. Ben Kong, International Specialist Head of Chinese Paintings at Christie’s Hong Kong, commented: “In response to rising interest and global demand, we are expanding what the department offers to include a comprehensive timeline of work, from the classical and modern to the contemporary. As we grow, we also continue to innovate and this season, Christie’s Private Sales in New York will present work from a group of artists who breathe new life into the traditional ink painting medium. The upcoming exhibitions will introduce contemporary ink painting and build towards the development of an individual sales category at Christie’s. Contemporary ink painting has already received considerable interest in Europe and America, and is poised for success in Asia.” ABOUT THE ARTISTS LIU KUO-SUNG (LIU GUOSONG, B. 1932) Liu Kuo-Sung, a native of Shandong, settled in Taiwan in 1949. Having begun his training in traditional Chinese painting at the age of 14, he shifted his studies to Western painting at age 20. After graduating from the National Taiwan Normal University, he founded Fifth Moon Group to promote Chinese contemporary art with a Western perspective. By 1961, Liu refocused his energies on the ink and brush genre, which allowed him to better express his traditional culture; he saw this as his life-mission and responsibility. Liu continued to create art to reflect his new theories, at the same time he wrote academic works to promote such theories. Liu has taught at numerous institutions around the world, including Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Ohio, Tainan National University of the Arts, and National Taiwan Normal University. GU WENDA (B. 1955) Gu Wenda studied at the Shanghai School of Arts and Crafts and later received his master’s degree from China National Academy of Arts in 1981 under the tutelage of great modern painter Lu Yanshao. He taught at his alma mater after graduation until 1987. That same year Gu moved to the United States and since then, he has held numerous teaching positions and affiliations with institutions such as the University of Minnesota and Cooper Union, and has dedicated his time to creating ink paintings, large scale installations, and other art and design related projects. LI HUAYI (B. 1948) Li Huayi is a native of Shanghai. As a child Li was attracted to Chinese paintings and calligraphy and studied with Wang Jimei, the son of artist Wang Zhen. Later he studied under Shanghai school painter Zhang Chongren, who introduced him to the basics of Western art. During the Cultural Revolution Li worked as a propaganda artist for the Communist Party. In reaction to this experience he decided to seek a new artistic language. In 1982, Li left China for San Francisco and enrolled in the San Francisco Academy of Art University where he obtained a master’s degree in 1984. He currently divides his time between China and California. XU BING (B. 1955) Xu Bing graduated from the Printmaking Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, in 1977. In 1989 he participated in the pioneering and seminal Chinese contemporary art exhibition “China Avant-Garde” at the National Gallery in Beijing. A year later Xu became an honorary fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and began to exhibit internationally, gaining worldwide prominence as an artist and educator. In 2007 Xu returned to the Central Academy of Fine Arts as vice president. LIU DAN (B. 1953) Liu Dan was born in Nanjing and attended Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Painting Institute where he studied under renowned artist Ya Ming. Even though Liu was trained as an artist in China, it was in the United States where he began to associate himself with classical Chinese painting. In 1981, Liu moved to the United States, and the Chinese painting collections at various American museums gave him an unprecedented opportunity to learn about the splendor of classical Chinese art, thus urging him to re-connect with his own cultural heritage. QIN FENG (B. 1961) Qin Feng, a native of Xinjiang, graduated from Shangdong Art Institute in 1985. He then spent time in Urumqi and Beijing first working in research and publishing, then as a professional artist. In 1996, Qin moved to Germany under the invitation by the city of Berlin to serve as curator for the Sino-German Cultural Exchange programme and to teach at Berlin University of Art, HDK. In 2007, Qin began teaching at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing; and in 2008 he became a research associate at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. Qin Feng currently resides in Beijing. ZHENG CHONGBIN (B. 1961) Zheng Chongbin was born in Shanghai and attended Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts to study Chinese Paintings, where he taught for four years after graduating in 1984. In 1989 he was awarded the First International Fellowship to further his training at the San Francisco Art Institute, acquiring his MFA in 1991. He currently resides in San Francisco with a studio in Shanghai. QIU ZHIJIE (B. 1969) Qiu Zhijie graduated from the Printmaking Department of the National Academy of Fine Art in Hangzhou in 1992. His artworks appear in various media and formats, including oil painting, photography, video, and installation art. Qiu moved to Beijing in 1994 and since 1999 he increasingly took up exhibition curatorial work. In 2012 he became the curator for the Shanghai Biennial. He has dedicated much of his time to ink paintings and calligraphy since mid-2000s. The New York exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Inks follows the introductory exhibition held this autumn at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 22 to 27, 2012. The exhibition featured 18 works by leading artists in the field, and was met with a great deal of interest and enthusiasm. A launch reception and a panel discussion to commemorate the exhibition titled, “Ink: From Traditional to Contemporary,” was held as part of the Art Forum. Panelists included Pi Daojian, a leading scholar on the subject of Chinese contemporary art, and two of the artists featured in the exhibition, Liu Dan and Qiu Zhijie. To view highlights from the panel discussion, click here. Beyond Tradition: Chinese Contemporary Ink Public Exhibition February 28 – March 22, 2013 Christie’s Private Sales Gallery 1230 Avenue of the Americas, 20th floor Monday-Friday 10am-5pm PRESS CONTACT: Sara Fox | +1 212 636 2680 |[email protected] About Christie’s Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2012 that totaled £3.92 billion/$6.27 billion. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers over 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War and Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totaled £631.3 million/$1 billion in 2012, an increase of 26% on the same period last year. Christie’s has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie’s has led in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the Middle East, with successful sales, exhibitions and initiatives in Moscow, Baku, Beijing, Mumbai, Delhi, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai. With a presence in Hong Kong for 25 years, 16 years in Beijing, and 43 years in Japan, the company has a strong tradition of promoting Asian works of art and other international categories across the region.
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