Chen Danqing: Disguise and Paintings from Life

Description

Regarded as one of the most important painters in history of Chinese contemporary art, Chen created propaganda posters as a teenager depicting the feats of Mao Zedong. He took an interest in painting at a young age, constantly studying works by Western artists to improve his technique, and was particularly influenced by Realist painter Jean Francois Millet. In 1976, Chen visited Tibet and painted “Harvest Fields Flooded by Tears” that earned him early recognition. His growing interest in Tibetan people and their life resulted in visiting Tibet for the second time in 1980 and producing numerous life-drawings, sketches later realised in the form of paintings.

Chen’s latest works were produced in collaboration with models from China Bentley Culture & Media Company and renowned stylist Xie Xing. The models’ height encouraged the artist to create large-scale life paintings for the first time. By integrating influence of Western aesthetics with Chinese culture, Millet’s technique is still manifested in chromatic brilliance of Chen’s paintings.