Urban Abstract: Contemporary Abstract Paintings in Shanghai

Art Front Gallery will hold an exhibition entitled “Urban Abstract”.
It is said that the history of contemporary art in China began after Cultural Revolution. Having experienced such tumultuous years including liberty after the Revolution, setback in ideal because of Tiananmen Incident, and rapid growth of economy, Chinese artists have explored their own expression within such a short term. Nowadays, Chinese contemporary art has become most noteworthy scene among the world. However, the view on Chinese contemporary art seems to be limited on representational paintings expressed within pop format, so called “Chinese Pop”, which includes two streams of “Political Pop” and “Cynical Realism” in 90s or art of new generation influenced by comics and animations.
Not only these “Chinese Pop”, much more various expressions from modern ink and wash paintings to up-to-date video art coexist and flourish inside current Chinese art scene. Especially Shanghai after 90s has witnessed the appearance of many outstanding abstract painters such as Ding Yi, Li Lei, and Xue Song.
In this exhibition, we will focus on abstract paintings in Shanghai, not familiar in Japan yet, and introduce the works of oil painting and prints by eight world widely well-known artists.
Continuous developments occurred after Expo 2010, and Shanghai is regard as the symbol of Chinese rapid progress. These artists have been living with such growth of the city, but they are the generation of experiencing Tiananmen Incident on the other hand. Though they have their own unique attractions in each expression, their expression commonly involves profundity backed up by various experience from their youth and deep speculation, and technique in high-level which enable to sublimate urban energy into sophisticated style.
We hope you to encounter another aspect of growing Chinese contemporary art through their works, and foresight its diversity and potential.
Please find an opportunity to visit the gallery.