Chinese Art Research Articles

K11 alternative diplomacies: Penetrating the global arts markets

This article explores structure, motivations and cross-cultural mechanics of operations of alternative cultural diplomacy in China, performed by K11. The K11 Art Mall franchise, opened in Hong Kong in 2008 by Chinese billionaire Adrian Cheng, has established its visible presence in the global arts markets by supporting contemporary Chinese artists and sponsoring major international arts residencies and large-scale events and exhibitions. Deconstructing and exploring the neo-liberal multilateral nature of K11 diplomacy, the research questions how K11 operates and navigates the international communication complexities within the global arts market. It analyses how this diplomacy is different from government-led bilateral cultural diplomacy of China and why it creates less frictions and contradictions on the international level. The article reveals that the rapid integration of K11 into the international art market is a combination of different factors. Beyond the economic power of K11 to sponsor major international events in collaboration with prestigious partners, it also possesses more flexibility and tolerance to navigate the normative environments of the ‘epistemic community’ of the global arts world, which do not always work well with national authoritative regime’s pressures. However, positioning itself as an apolitical player with a global vision, K11 is dominating a niche within the national art market, where it does not compete with state authorities. Moreover, it generates a high economic and cultural capital in China by nurturing contemporary Chinese arts and raising their prestige and value on the international level.

Rebranding China through facsimiles: A study of mubanshuiyin reproductions in PRC’s art diplomacy and soft power building, 1952–79

In September 2022, China Central Television released a five-episode documentary about Rongbaozhai, one of the oldest stationery companies and art galleries in China, to celebrate its 350th anniversary. This was part of the global propaganda aiming to reintroduce traditional Chinese cultural brands and their products under Xi’s art and culture policy of ‘telling China’s stories well’. One of the episodes is dedicated to the woodblock facsimiles of traditional Chinese paintings (mubanshuiyin) that Rongbaozhai produced in the 1950s and 1960s following Mao’s literature and art policy. However, the perspective of the storytelling is almost entirely focused on technical details. Little has been mentioned about these exquisitely crafted prints’ political function as specimens to demonstrate PRC’s cultural orthodoxy to traditional Chinese arts and crafts and its resolution of restoring Chinese cultural heritage. Drawing on archival materials, memoirs of former employees and a case study of the first mubanshuiyin reproduction – zanhua shinü tu (Court Ladies Wearing Flowered Headdresses) – this article traces the development of this unique art form during its golden age when it was marketed as both diplomatic gifts and souvenirs and a paradigm of collective craftsmanship by proletariat artisans. As a frequently used gift-giving practice for culture promotion, this article also unveils the contribution of mubanshuiyin reproductions to China’s soft power building and early art diplomacy from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Impact of Uli Sigg and CCAA on Chinese Contemporary Art International Development

This paper provides an overview of the development of contemporary Chinese art, highlighting important milestones such as the 798 Art Zone and the 85 New Wave Movement and examining the impact of globalization on the Chinese art scene. Next, the paper explores the personal background and collection philosophy of Uli Sigg, a prominent art collector who has played a significant role in the development of contemporary Chinese art. Siggs involvement in the establishment of the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (CCAA) and his role in connecting foreign capital with Chinese artists are discussed. Additionally, the paper examines the influence of Sigg on the international development of contemporary Chinese art through initiatives such as the M+ Museum and the Sigg Prize. The paper points out that Sigg has made an important contribution to the international recognition and exchange of Chinese contemporary art through exhibitions. Finally, the paper concludes by comparing Siggs contributions with those of other contemporary Chinese art collectors. It is noted that Siggs contribution is not only in art collecting but more importantly, in his cross-border thinking and global vision, which has had a profound impact on the development of Chinese contemporary art.

Integration of Chinese and Western Art in Late Ming Dynasty: Imitation and Innovation with Wu Bin as an Example

The late Ming Dynasty witnessed an art exchange between two distinct civilizations, the East and the West, which served as a microcosm of globalized art history in China. In the context of numerous Western religious paintings introduced to China by Jesuit missionaries during the late Ming Dynasty, whether Chinese artists who painted in ink at the time borrowed Western painting techniques in their paintings has become a subject of discussion among contemporary scholars. To further explain the integration triggered by this artistic exchange, the research analyses the attitudes of Ming society towards foreign painting. Furthermore, the study conducts the visual comparison methodology to identify the elements of Western painting that were incorporated into Chinese painting during this period, centering on the works of artist Wu Bin (1550-1643) and employing specific information as corroborative substantiation. The results of the study indicate that late Ming society did not exhibit overt animosity towards Western art and that Wu Bins paintings contain discernible Western painting inspirations. Yet, these factors did not impede the prevalence of indigenous artistic and aesthetic inclinations in his oeuvre.

History of artistic and pedagogical education in China in the twentieth century

This article examines the experience of artistic and pedagogical education in China in the 20th century. This problem is highly relevant, as it is an important part of the history of culture and society in China. The study of the education system in this area allows us to understand not only the influence of Chinese traditions on the development of art education, but also how Western methods and adaptation to them influenced Chinese culture and education. It also provides an opportunity to analyze and evaluate the Chinese education system and its role in modern Chinese society. The article also discusses the influence of Western methods on Chinese education and the role of art and pedagogical education in the development of modern Chinese culture. Special attention is paid to the study of the contribution of Russian artist teachers of the realistic direction P. P. Chistyakov and K. M. Maksimov to the development of the methodological system and teaching activities, which formed the basis of Chinese art and pedagogical education in the twentieth century. The study shows that the Chinese system of art and pedagogical education continues to develop, while maintaining its uniqueness and national identity

Synthesis of the European and Eastern Traditions in the Landscapes of the Chinese Artist Wu Guanzhong

The article analyses the features of the iconic works of the Chinese artist Wu Guanzhong, whose work signifi cantly infl uenced the development of oil painting in China in the 20th and early 21st centuries. The artist’s work is considered in the context of the infl uence of the European tradition on the development of Chinese painting. The emphasis is placed on the artist’s understanding of the traditional landscapes of China. The phenomenon of mixing painting traditions, which contributes to the formation of the artist’s unique creative method, is explored.

The Corpse and Humanist Discourse: Dead Bodies in Contemporary Chinese Art

In the 1990s, a notable trend in contemporary Chinese art was the use of human corpses as material for installation art. These works were called derivative and societally harmful by critics and have been dismissed as anomalous in more recent scholarship. This paper will demonstrate that the use of corpses was the continuation of a a decade-long attempt to free art from a perceived unhealthy relationship with society through ridding the human body of ideological meaning. I argue that the use of dead bodies marks a metaphorical end to this preoccupation within the contemporary Chinese art world and paved the way for a fundamental shift in the way artists approached society as a whole.

CA-GAN: the synthesis of Chinese art paintings using generative adversarial networks

CA-GAN: the synthesis of Chinese art paintings using generative adversarial networks

The occurrence and development of traditional Chinese painting of the regional Xin Jinling school and its prominent representatives

This article explores the emergence and development of the Xin Jinling school of traditional Chinese painting, focusing on its notable representatives. The main objective of this study is to investigate the school's formation, development, and the artistic features of works by renowned artists such as Fu Baoshi, Qian Songyan, Ya Ming, Wei Zixi, and Song Wenzhi. The scientific novelty of this research resides in determining the role and significance of the regional Xin Jinling school in Chinese art history and assessing its influence on contemporary Chinese art. Employing research methods such as historical and iconographic analysis, a historical and biographical approach, formal and stylistic analysis, and comparative analysis, the study delves into the school's main representatives. This article examines the geographical and chronological scope of the Xin Jinling school while elucidating the historical, sociopolitical, and cultural contexts of its formation. It also outlines the school's development trajectory, significantly impacted by China's political landscape during the twentieth century. Furthermore, the article scrutinizes the creative paths and artistic attributes of the school's primary representatives, analyzing the commonalities and distinct features of their works. These artists captured the spirit of their time and the everyday lives of the people, demonstrating a profound appreciation for nature. They devoted considerable attention to plein air activities, with each artist employing a unique creative approach. In conclusion, this article underscores the importance of the Xin Jinling school within the annals of Chinese art history. The findings of this research enhance our understanding of contemporary Chinese art by studying the Xin Jinling school of traditional painting as an integral component of China's artistic heritage.

The generalized dice similarity measures for comprehensive evaluation of graphic design effects based on color psychology with t-spherical fuzzy sets

Traditional Chinese art is vast and profound, with various colors having rich meanings. The combination of colors can vividly and intuitively represent various characteristics of things. Fully reflecting the characteristics of traditional Chinese folk art in graphic design can achieve extremely strong expressive effects. In current graphic design, the artistic colors of traditional Chinese folk art have not yet been fully displayed, and there is a lack of understanding of the profound connotation of traditional Chinese art. The graphic design industry has a very broad development space. The comprehensive evaluation of graphic design effects based on color psychology is a classical multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems. In this work, we shall present some novel Dice similarity measures (DSM) of T-spherical fuzzy sets(T-SFSs) and the generalized Dice similarity measures (GDSM) of and indicates that the DSM and asymmetric measures (projection measures) are the special cases of the GDSM in some parameter values. Then, we propose the GDSM-based MAGDM models with T-SFSs. Then, we apply the GDSMs between T-SFSs to MAGDM. Finally, an illustrative example for comprehensive evaluation of graphic design effects based on color psychology is given to demonstrate the efficiency of the GDSMs. The main contributions of this paper are summarized: (1) some novel Dice similarity measures (DSM) and the generalized Dice similarity measures (GDSMs) of T-spherical fuzzy sets(T-SFSs) are proposed; (2) The weighted Dice similarity measures (WDSM) and the weighted generalized Dice similarity measures (WGDSMs) of T-spherical fuzzy sets(T-SFSs) are proposed to solve the MAGDM; (3) an illustrative example for comprehensive evaluation of graphic design effects based on color psychology is given to demonstrate the efficiency of the WGDSM; (4) Some comparative analysis are used to show the effectiveness of the proposed Dice similarity measures.

Contemporary Chinese landscape paintings: genealogies of form

ABSTRACTThis article examines differing conceptions of ‘form’ in Western and Chinese landscape traditions, leading to critical perspectives on contemporary Chinese landscape painting. The paper argues that Chinese oil landscapes tend to be conservative, while ink landscapes are more experimental. Furthermore, Western Formalism can be shown to influence Chinese landscape painting, expanding possibilities for both oil and ink contemporary works. Nonetheless, a longer tradition equally persists. Su Shi (1037–1101), for example, who prefigures the literati painting approach, remains an enduring influence. The scholarly style, experimental during the Song Dynasty, conveys a painting's spiritual expression over precise techniques. An examination across Western and Chinese traditions enables a genealogical reading of form in the work of contemporary Chinese artists, bridging history and modernity, Western and Eastern styles, and accounting for differing approaches to form.

Complicating Narratives of Contemporary Chinese Art as Global Art through the Lens of Exhibition Histories

Abstract This essay reviews two publications on Chinese contemporary art and its relation to the global through the lens of exhibition histories. The monograph Die chinesische Avantgarde und das Dispositiv der Ausstellung. Konstruktionen chinesischer Gegenwartskunst im Spannungsfeld der Globalisierung (The ‘Chinese avant-garde’ and the exhibition as dispositive. Constructing contemporary Chinese art in the global context) authored by Franziska Koch (2016), and the edited volume Uncooperative Contemporaries: Art Exhibitions in Shanghai in 2000, (2020) published in the Exhibition Histories series by Afterall Books. The former seeks to re-write the history of contemporary Chinese art exhibitions from a transcultural perspective with a particular focus on group exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art in the West. The latter focuses on exhibitions that took place in the wake of China's “global turn in the year 2000. It examines the first international Shanghai biennial and so called “satellite shows,” unofficial exhibitions that took place concurrently with the biennial. Both books examine how Chinese contemporary art's relation to the global has been conceptualized and operated differently at different times, in different yet often transculturally/transnationally entangled locales, socio-political contexts, power structures and geopolitical currents, in different discursive contexts, according to specific political and discursive conditions and agendas, and through various agents and institutions. This essay argue that by shedding light on specific locales, and their transnational and transcultural entanglements, and the various agents involved in the formation of global contemporary Chinese art both publications critically intervene into top-down universalist discourses of the “global contemporary.” Speaking from different positionalities, they seek to complicate narratives and understandings of contemporary global and Chinese art from the bottom-up. Informed by the post-colonial critique of historicism a bottom-up perspective they conceive of global art not as a universalistic concept, but as plural articulations of global contemporaneity conceived as “disjunctive unity,” a shared yet heterogenous present constituted by multiple contemporaneities.

Silk paintings in the works of modern Chinese artists as a synthesis of traditions and innovations

In contemporary Chinese art the national traditions and modern trends of the art world are especially relevant. Since the 1980s, in the works of a number of authors, interest began to manifest itself in the techniques of silk work, which was characteristic of ancient and medieval painting on scrolls, which was later replaced by more accessible drawings on paper. At the present stage, such painting has reached its heyday and is highly appreciated in the art market. The most famous masters engaged in silk painting are Mu Yilin and Dong Wenzheng. The analysis of their creations allows us to see how the artists discovered the expressive possibilities of this material, including its transparency, refraction, color and tone saturation. The object of attention is the Chinese tradition of painting on silk, and the subject is the features of its development at the beginning of the XXI century on the example of the work of famous artists and the options they take into account in the compositions of techniques, figurative structure and expressive means of the old masters. The purpose of the article is to identify the main themes and artistic means that modern artists use in their silk works, as well as the option of integrating an ethno-cultural component into their work.

The Impact of New Media on the Development of Chinese Theatre and Opera

The art of Chinese opera occupies an important position in the system of Chinese art and literature. Opera contains rich connotations, which are embodied in tragedy art, personality charm and aesthetic appeal. Chinese opera art has a long history. After a long period of development, it has survived to modern times and is still full of unique charm. Today, Chinese opera art needs to be effectively integrated with the current new media channels to continue to provide artistic services to the people. Combined with the relevant cognition of new media channels and Chinese opera art, it analyzes the specific ways for the integration and development of the two.

A Study of the Transnational Development of Chinese Art Cinema: The Production and Distribution Strategies of Jia Zhangke’s Films

The aim of this article is to analyse the current distribution dilemma of Chinese cinematic art films in terms of the production and distribution strategies of Jia Zhangke’s films. Jia Zhangke is a renowned sixth-generation Chinese director whose films have won numerous awards internationally, but have become non-mainstream in China. Most of his films could not be released in China mainland because of censorship policies. Through Jia Zhangke’s films, this paper will analyse the transnational development trends of Chinese art cinema from multiple perspectives, including the distribution strategies of Chinese art cinema and Chinese art cinema and national film policies, in the context of China’s national conditions and history.

Mülteci Krizi Karşısında Aktivist Bir Sanatçı: Al Weiwei

This article explores the struggle of artist and activist Ai Weiwei in the face of the refugee crisis in today's world. With its critical and thought-provoking works containing politically weighted messages, he addresses the insensitivity of the contemporary world to the refugee crisis and the international artworks that challenge the barricades it has been established on the borders for everyday political purposes.
 Evaluating the multifaceted refugee crisis on the axis of contemporary art, Ai Weiwei leaves artistic reforms in social memory with works that prove the objectivity and universality of art.
 The refugee crisis, which reached its peak with the Syrian civil war in the last 10 years, has become the main theme of the works of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who is also an immigrant. He offers strong artistic forms that show his active role in developing human policies and achieving humanitarian goals with his artistic activities on the international platform.

Exploring the Symbolism and Cultural Importance of Dunhuang Lotus Motifs

As one of the important symbols in Chinese traditional culture, the Dunhuang lotus pattern has profound symbolic meaning and cultural importance. This paper reveals its unique position in Chinese culture through an in-depth study of the origin, evolution and application of the Dunhuang lotus pattern. Firstly, the lotus flower, as a holy symbol in oriental culture, represents the beauty of purity, nobility and untaintedness. Secondly, the extensive use of lotus motifs in Chinese painting and craftsmanship reflects not only the Chinese people's reverence for the lotus flower, but also their awe of nature and the universe. Finally, as an important element in Chinese traditional culture, Dunhuang lotus pattern not only enriches the connotation of Chinese art, but also carries the good wishes and spiritual hopes of the Chinese people.

Representing China in the British Museum: Do Museums Perpetuate Historical Biases?

Museums have never been neutral. Public museums and exhibitions that originated in colonial times are accused of passing on biases that feature Euro-centric interpretations of history. This paper investigates the nature of bias and the history of museums and their biases, and then focuses on the representation of China in the British Museum as an elaborate case study. The paper argues that from the British Museums virtual collections and public resources, the descriptive text and collection highlights in the China galleries reflect implicit and biased historical perspectives of China in the UK, exhibiting a contrast between the British appreciation of exotic Chinese art and contempt towards Chinas social status arising from colonial trade. This paper provides a specific statement and analysis of western biases for colonial discussions and could contribute to decolonization actions taken in museums.

ON THE QUESTION OF CLARIFYING THE NAME OF ZHU DA (1626–1705) AND ITS ORIGIN

Zhu Da (1626–1705) was a famous Chinese artist who lived during the late-Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. He was born in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. Zhu Da was related to the imperial house of Ming. After the fall of this dynasty, during the reign of the Manchus, he was forced to hide, became a monk for some time and reached heights in the study of Buddhism, after which he returned to worldly life. Zhu Da and his work were significantly influenced by the classical texts of Confucianism, the philosophy of Cheng-Zhu, Buddhism and Taoism. His poetic captions for paintings and individual poems are extremely symbolic and have a special artistic style. Zhu Da became a reformer of traditional literati painting (wenrenhua) and raised it to new heights. Subsequently, he had a great influence on the painting of representatives of the Four Monks and the Eight Eccentrics from Yangzhou, as well as on the style of such 20th century masters as Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong, who worked at the end of the Qing period and the beginning of the Republican period in China. The last fifty years have become the most fruitful period in the field of studying the work of Zhu Da. The research moved outside of China, publications by foreign scientists appeared about the artist, and the name of Zhu Da (Bada Shanren) gained worldwide fame and recognition. The scientific works and articles devoted to him are conventionally divided into the following three thematic areas. The first one is the study of Zhu Da’s pseudonyms (names), his life and contacts with artists and poets, his contemporaries. The second area is the study of Zhu Da’s creative thought and artistic achievements. The third one is a study of the influence of Zhu Da’s painting style on later artists and related comparisons. The article analyses publications and scientific works devoted to Zhu Da’s creative work, published over the past half century. Among them, those related to clarifying the pseudonyms (names) of Zhu Da, his pedigree and biography are especially highlighted; various approaches of Chinese and foreign scientists to the study of the creative work of the outstanding Chinese master and his artistic heritage are considered.

THE PRESENT SITUATION OF CHINA CALLIGRAPHY AS A CULTURAL PHENOMENONTHE PRESENT SITUATION OF CHINA CALLIGRAPHY AS A CULTURAL PHENOMENON

Calligraphy art occupies an important position in the history of China. It is not only a “national treasure”, but also a “gentleman’s art”. It is a concentrated expression of personal aesthetic concept, academic accomplishment, personality temper - ament and ideological realm. China’s calligraphy art is an important part of China’s traditional culture, which embodies the essence of traditional culture and ancient philosophy. The ideas, traditional virtues and humanistic spirit of China’s traditional culture are the essence of China’s traditional culture, and also constitute the cultural foundation of China’s modernization. Calligraphy is a writing culture based on Chinese characters, and its artistic expression and aesthetic standards are derived from China’s traditional philosophy and culture. The complicated process of China’s cultural modernization affects modern calligraphy and its social cognition, and the development of calligraphy art is closely related to the internal situation. Taking China’s calligraphy and China’s culture as the research object, and China’s history as the research basis, this paper deeply analyzes the present situation of modern calligraphy and China’s calligraphy culture, and adopts interdisciplinary research methods, including history, art history, cultural history, aesthetics and philosophy, and makes detailed thinking on various topics, such as the history of China in the 20th century, the characteristics of modern calligraphy, and the role of China’s calligraphy in culture and education. The conclusion is: It summarizes the present situation and cultural achievements of China’s calligraphy as a cultural phenomenon, which has played an important role in maintaining Chinese national identity and conveying national cultural mentality. According to this statement, a person’s personality and quality can be reflected in calligraphy, which can even emphasize a person’s social status, and a person who writes well in calligraphy can win the respect of strangers. There - fore, calligraphy art bears the effective inheritance of Chinese national identity and cultural spirit, and the popularization and inheritance of calligraphy art con - tributes to the prosperity and development of Chinese art and culture.