Grace Li Wang Report of Art Scene in ChinaWhile the US population just recently hit the 300 million mark, it is a good gap comparing to China, which reached 400 million in the late 1940’s, then soared to more than 1. 3 billion now.
The coming out of China in the 80’s also facilitated the freedom to express, among many things, art. Historically the Chinese as a people have been among the most creative innovators and inventers; also the most artistic achievers and learned scholars and the most talented entrepreneurs throughout their five thousands years of documented continued civilization.
Aside from the population difference, today’s China is no longer in isolation; there was the time when people in China did not know when Americans reached the moon, or when the West did not know that schools in China closed for 10 years during that span of the Cultural Revolution – when China had gone mad during 1966 to 1976.
A Chinese-American artist, Grace Li Wang of Raleigh, North Carolina, recently spent 4 weeks in China during September and October 2006. She has successfully found and placed many of her art in various galleries and professional venues in some of the top art markets in the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou.
She reports that the superb caliber of the highly creative and expressively mesmerizing works are evident in the large and talented artists pool in these major cities in China.
Grace finds sometimes it is difficult to compare the Chinese contemporary art to the western version. In a way it is akin to the Chinese versus western medicine approach: acupuncturist for open heart surgery in China, versus using anesthesiologist for major surgeries in the West. Some Chinese contemporary work are expressed so very differently and yet so excitingly, sophisticated and exquisite.
Even back in October 2004, the Art Review magazine, an influential insider in the world of contemporary art, named China its next major player. The magazine was headlining Chinese contemporary art, and writes about the gallery owners’ talk about promoting contemporary Chinese art in art markets around the world.
These days, the spirit is high among the general urban population in China for the future of China. As young people aspire to visit the US, so are the “China! China! China!” beat and the shouts heard by Grace coming from the nearby tour operators: “The Next Century belongs to China !”
The days of isolation of China from the rest of the world is largely gone. As a major global economic powerhouse, the largest Asian trade partner with US, and with the upcoming Olympic game, China and its art and artist achievements are now commanding international attention and the upstart of art market shares.
=============================================================
Grace Li Wang has solo art exhibit and artist demonstration in Shanghai gallery
Grace Li Wang recently held a solo exhibition and artist demonstration in Shanghai, China. She exhibited her 32 works of the “RADIANCE” series, for 2 weeks at the well known art gallery in Shanghai:
“Room with a View Gallery” on the famed Shanghai’s majestic avenue, The Nanjing Road.
Opening Reception: 19:30, September 16th, 2006Exhibition Period: September 16th - September 28th, 2006 (15:00-23:00)Venue: The Room With a View, 12th F. No. 479 Nanjing Rd (E), Shanghai, ChinaFor more info: 021- 6352 0256. Director: Holly Zhao,
hollyzhao@online.sh.cn www.topart.cnThe Shanghai art gallery did extensive media work for her exhibit in September 2006: The gallery has done thousands of media contacts andcollected hundreds of those broadcasts on several CDs.
The Shanghai art critics wrote rave reviews of her work, and the reviews have been published in the highly regarded “Shanghai Artists magazine” – October 2006 issue, 2 pages of coverage.
There are other art review coverages in many Shanghai arts magazines in September and October 2006. In addition there are dozens of Shanghai based international art publications of various languages write ups with listings and writings of her art show and art images.
__________________________________
Grace Li Wang’s art shown at the SongZhuang, Beijing arts exhibits and auctions:Grace Li Wang exhibited her art at the highly regarded SongZhuang Arts Festival event in Beijing, China, Oct. 6 – Oct. 16, 2006, with her most recent works of 10 paintings on “Radiance”.
Her recent works of the Sun and the Sea have been inspired by her travels to the Mediterranean Sea in March of 2006.
Some of her art will also be in the private auctions settings for the worthwhile arts causes in Beijing.
This location is now home to a group of the renowned world class artists. Nearly 1,000 top Chinese contemporary artists live and work in the SongZhuang area. The nearly 1,000 artists, including painters, sculptors, performing artists, musicians, composers, writers, photographers and others are connected to the fine arts.
It has rapidly become a new center of international interest on China's contemporary art scene. These are artists who have paid their dues, and, because of this, their works are shown in top galleries and museums around the world, and their works are included in many premier private collections.
http://www.btmbeijing.com/contents/en/btm/October%202006/art/the%20secondhttp://www.chinasongzhuang.cn (off server for now?)
__________________________________
Grace Li Wang’s art is showing at the China National Academy’s new gallery in Hangzhou
Grace Li Wang is showing her art from “The Radiance Series”, at the new Art Gallery of the China National Academy of Fine Arts in Hangzhou on an on-going basis.
The new Gallery opened on October 1, 2006, and is the latest and the greatest of the art galleries in Hangzhou, China. It is showing the works of China’s top professional artists and the most revered professors’ works.
http://eng.caa.edu.cn/default.asp
The China Academy of Art in Hangzhou is the most influential academy of fine arts with the most complete range of degree offerings and programs of study in China. The Academy was founded by the renowned educator Mr. Cai Yuanpei in 1928. The academy has fostered many renowned artists who have become major artistic forces in China.
__________________________________
Quotes:"Radiance of Life is a central theme of Grace Li Wang's exhibit. Her work commands bold compositions and vivid colors. Grace's love of nature and appreciation of beauty are strong and her work show a tremedous amount of positive energy."
Holly Zhao
Gallery Director
Room with a View GalleryShanghai, China
www.topart.cn_____________________________
"Grace conveys the beauty and power of the Radiance of the Sun's intensity so dramatically and dynamically that one can readily see that passionate expression, as well as feel its powerful emotions."
Huang Ke
Art Critic
Past Director of Shanghai Artists Association
Former Chief of Art Theory at Shanghai Art Museum
