The theme of this exhibition is “State,” based on the art sharing platform (WeChat public account) Art 屿, created in 2019 at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts in China. In 2023, it was transformed into the website Kunst-island.com. By comparing earlier works with current ones, the exhibition showcases the diverse artistic expressions of art students under different life conditions. These works not only demonstrate the students’ exquisite painting skills but also incorporate their profound insights into their current life stages. The exhibition aims to let the audience feel the close connection between artistic creation and life state, as well as the changes and reflections of art students as they continually grow.
Compared to European institutions, art education in Chinese universities places more emphasis on the development of painting techniques, often relatively neglecting the teaching of art theory and art philosophy. The young artists in this exhibition come from the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, one of the top eight art academies in China. The exhibition focuses on two main disciplines: oil painting and printmaking.
Xueying Tang
During my time in Beijing, I am dedicated to personal artistic work and writing at home. Of course, I also continue with academic learning, complete internships in international galleries, and prepare for my teaching before traveling to Xi’an.
It must be said that Beijing has a well-developed cultural system and a contemporary art scene, represented by 798. As a young artist, this is an excellent place for practice and market observation. Naturally, in the social interactions of the contemporary art scene, I have also experienced the competition among young artists of the post-90s generation and the already established artists of the post-80s generation, which constantly confronts me with the pressure of time and the crisis among peers.
At the same time, as someone with short-term, diverse cultural background experiences abroad, I often wonder how I can stand out among the emerging young artists from European and American countries. This consideration often turns into the question of how to “succeed.” Amid the numerous images appearing on the market, the unbounded and internationalized appearance of the young generation in the era of simulation often reminds me to critically reflect on the question of identity—”What is the face and theme of contemporary art in China today?” As someone with a background in printmaking, I also think about: “Where are the boundaries of contemporary printmaking as a medium?”
Now to Xi’an: The Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts has always provided me with stable academic support as an academic community. I am deeply engaged in research, teaching, and discussion, especially in the field of screen printing. Compared to the surroundings, I find the campus academically advanced and at the forefront of practical research. I integrate my research philosophy and the dynamics from Beijing into my teaching practice and encourage my students to incorporate digital and virtual techniques into their screen printing works. In this process, we learn from each other through exchange and practice.
Overall, as someone who graduated less than a year ago, I find everything to be educational and worth experiencing. The precious experience is worth investing in. Maintaining art and academia is challenging, but in my future state, I intend to continue creativity, reading, and reflection as the norm.
Image and Text — Module
画像文–模件
Movable Wooden Type Printing Installation.
Variable Dimensions
2020
You Have Choices Every Day
你每天都有选择
Interactive Sensing Installation
Variable Dimensions. Variable Form.
2023
Falsch gelesen
Grating Printing
A3 39*29cm
Hao Guo
I love searching for scenes in my surroundings that radiate emotions in the nighttime atmosphere, whether on quiet hills or bustling night markets. Different feelings are conveyed between them. In creating these works, I enjoy exploring the subtle nuances hidden in the sceneries.
“White Dew Not Yet Dried”
白露未晞
60cm x 40cm
Oil on Canvas
2020
“Frost on Banana Trees”
霜浮蕉木
60cm x 40cm
Oil on Canvas
2020
“Embankment”
20cm x 30cm
Printmaking
2020
Xiao Jun
As for my thoughts on the life of an artist, I still dream of being an artist, doing my own thing well at every stage, producing my own works well, and making art creation my daily task. Looking towards the unknown future, I simply want to be brave and be myself. I have just graduated and my job is not yet stable. These are the only things that come to mind, but I still have high expectations for art.
“Pigeon Skeleton”
Oil on Canvas
50cm x 60cm
2023
“Silent”
Oil on Canvas
100cm x 75cm
2019
This Person Does Not Exist
Digital Painting
2022
This work is a digital painting created using Photoshop software, simulating the grainy texture of oil paintings on canvas.
Xu Hao
ChatGPT
In fact, I came into contact with painting at an early age. My grandfather was an old rascal who had a fondness for painting and calligraphy. Since my childhood, he would take me along with every brushstroke to make some copies. Perhaps painting is truly the thing I have persisted with the longest. After growing up, I applied to an art academy and am currently studying for a master’s degree in oil painting at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts.
In reality, I am quite uncertain about the future. At my age, many things seem to change too quickly, but fortunately, I have always stayed on my path so far. If you ask me what I will be doing in twenty years, besides painting, I can’t really imagine anything else…
“2:03 on the Beach”
Oil on Canvas
220cm x 165cm
2021
“Broccoli Forest”
Oil on Canvas
60cm x 50cm
2023
jumping
Digital Painting
2020
Yufeng Zhao
Four years ago, I graduated just as the pandemic broke out, and we had to cancel our physical graduation exhibition. Afterward, I started working in Hangzhou. This year, I had planned to return to the north, but due to various reasons, I ended up moving to Shanghai instead.
I completed my studies about 1,100 kilometers southwest of my home and now work and live approximately 1,500 kilometers southeast of my home. As a migrant worker, I experience constant changes in my surroundings and in my own life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to meet a variety of people and things.
As for the future, whether life gradually becomes quieter or I continue to experience constant changes, I leave it to the passage of time. For me, it’s no different. But given the choice, I prefer to wander around and see everything. After all, I made a decision long ago.
“Swimming Fish”
Oil Painting
December 2019
80cm x 100cm
Untitled
Watercolor on Paper
19*24cm
April 2024
Jiayi Zhao
Before I completed my studies, I had a relatively clear idea about my future. However, over time, confusion about the future gradually emerged. For this reason, I created the following works: combining printmaking and painting, multiple transfers leave indistinct images and colors on the paper.
Solitude
Oil painting
50*60cm
2019
Ruins
Mixed media
30*40cm
2019
Uncertainty
17cm x 12cm
Printed on paper
2024
Through this exhibition, audiences have the opportunity to glimpse the unique perspectives and profound reflections on life expressed by these new generation artists in their creations. The works may explore aspects such as society, individual states, emotional expression, showcasing the artists’ independent insights into art and their unique understanding of life’s conditions.
This exhibition not only provides a platform for these young artists to showcase their individual styles but also offers the audience an art journey full of freshness and contemplative space. The exhibition will present works in both oil painting and printmaking, using a vibrant and diverse array of forms to display these artists’ insightful interpretations of the theme “state.”