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Wthen ion Burrisdropped in on aChinese painter’sstudio in the early 1990s, hesighed within that the painterwas probably unable to createlarge-scale works since thestudio, in a four-story walkup, was too small for bigcanvases. Back then, Chinesepainters were reluctant tosuggest a price for their workto this American art buyer.They just eagerly hoped to getappraised by a Western artist,and to hear the latest newsfrom the Western art world.
In the autumn of 2009, JonBurris revisited his old friendsfor a book he was preparingAt Work: Twenty-five Contemporary Chinese Artists. Clearlytheir situation had greatlyimproved. Many of themowned super-large studios thatwere formerly factory spaces;some had sold their works forastronomical prices. As theirliving conditions had undergone huge changes, wouldtheir ideas have changed too?This is what the book reveals.
In At Work Jon Burris,photographer and independentcurator, enters the studios ofChina’s 25 most influentialmainstream artists, observingtheir creative processes fromthe perspective of a fellowartist. Readers can see where,what and how they work inpaint or other media. The artists are He Sen, Huang Gang, JiDachun, Lin Tianmiao, Liu Jianhua, Liu Xiaodong, Liu Ye, QiZhilong, Rong Rong and Inri,Shi Guorui, Su Xinping, SuiJianguo, Wang Guangyi, WangHuaiqing, Wang Jianwei, WangTiantian, Wang Youshen, YanPing, Yang Shaobin, Yu Hong,Yue Minjun, Zhang Huan,Zhang Xiaogang, Zhong Biao,Zhou Tiehai.
Some are major playerson China’s contemporary artscene; others are rising stars.The author watches them atwork in their studio, seeinghow they approach the act ofcreation, and talks with themabout the past and future.
Looking back over thecourse of contemporary Chinese art, it’s easy to see howits connection with Chinesesociety has developed. Itsexponents have been winningthe attention of the West sincethe 1980s and 1990s. At thattime, Burris writes, collectors preferred the particularstyles and superb techniqueof certain artists, for exampleLuo Zhongli, who became famous in the 1980s. But evenmore of them were interestedin Political Pop and CynicalRealism, as exemplified byFang Lijun, Yue Minjun andWang Guangyi. But the artiststhemselves reject these labelsas misinterpretations. YueMinjun, creator of the famous"Laughing Man" series, wasseen as showing a mockingattitude to reality. But as Yuetells Burris, "1 don’t know whythey think that. My works arenot mocking." Liu Xiaodong,standard-bearer of Chineseneo-realism, keeps on recording the daily conditions ofordinary people. Some artiststurn to traditional Chineseculture and art to tap a deepercreative seam. This book issignificant for the insights itbrings into how, after morethan a decade of a boommarket, Chinese artists arerethinking the past and pondering their future direction. The authority of the work isenhanced by the inclusion ofmany precious photographs.Some were provided by manyof the artists interviewed,whilst others were taken bythe author.
In recent years ForeignLanguages Press has intensified its focus on modernChinese art, as demonstratedby such publications as 798and Contemporary Art. ThePress allocated special funds topublish At Work, inviting Burristo write and illustrate the book.The exclusive material createsa fresh and attractive volume.
While the book was still inthe planning stages, it cameto the attention of Long RiverPress in San Francisco whodecided to co-publish it in theU.S. It is now easily availablethere.
With the shrinking of cultural differences that globalization has brought the hugeinfluence of Western cultureon the rest of the world is undeniable. Traditional Chineseculture has been brought intoglobalization’s embrace, butits vitality means it retains itsindependence while actuallyhaving more and more impacton world culture.
This handsome book isa window onto the thrivingcontemporary art scene here,to a diversity of ideas and toChinese society’s openness toartistic development. At Workis a record of the process ofart’s "opening up." It will behard to find a more meticulous or insightful record of thephenomenon.
In the autumn of 2009, JonBurris revisited his old friendsfor a book he was preparingAt Work: Twenty-five Contemporary Chinese Artists. Clearlytheir situation had greatlyimproved. Many of themowned super-large studios thatwere formerly factory spaces;some had sold their works forastronomical prices. As theirliving conditions had undergone huge changes, wouldtheir ideas have changed too?This is what the book reveals.
In At Work Jon Burris,photographer and independentcurator, enters the studios ofChina’s 25 most influentialmainstream artists, observingtheir creative processes fromthe perspective of a fellowartist. Readers can see where,what and how they work inpaint or other media. The artists are He Sen, Huang Gang, JiDachun, Lin Tianmiao, Liu Jianhua, Liu Xiaodong, Liu Ye, QiZhilong, Rong Rong and Inri,Shi Guorui, Su Xinping, SuiJianguo, Wang Guangyi, WangHuaiqing, Wang Jianwei, WangTiantian, Wang Youshen, YanPing, Yang Shaobin, Yu Hong,Yue Minjun, Zhang Huan,Zhang Xiaogang, Zhong Biao,Zhou Tiehai.
Some are major playerson China’s contemporary artscene; others are rising stars.The author watches them atwork in their studio, seeinghow they approach the act ofcreation, and talks with themabout the past and future.
Looking back over thecourse of contemporary Chinese art, it’s easy to see howits connection with Chinesesociety has developed. Itsexponents have been winningthe attention of the West sincethe 1980s and 1990s. At thattime, Burris writes, collectors preferred the particularstyles and superb techniqueof certain artists, for exampleLuo Zhongli, who became famous in the 1980s. But evenmore of them were interestedin Political Pop and CynicalRealism, as exemplified byFang Lijun, Yue Minjun andWang Guangyi. But the artiststhemselves reject these labelsas misinterpretations. YueMinjun, creator of the famous"Laughing Man" series, wasseen as showing a mockingattitude to reality. But as Yuetells Burris, "1 don’t know whythey think that. My works arenot mocking." Liu Xiaodong,standard-bearer of Chineseneo-realism, keeps on recording the daily conditions ofordinary people. Some artiststurn to traditional Chineseculture and art to tap a deepercreative seam. This book issignificant for the insights itbrings into how, after morethan a decade of a boommarket, Chinese artists arerethinking the past and pondering their future direction. The authority of the work isenhanced by the inclusion ofmany precious photographs.Some were provided by manyof the artists interviewed,whilst others were taken bythe author.
In recent years ForeignLanguages Press has intensified its focus on modernChinese art, as demonstratedby such publications as 798and Contemporary Art. ThePress allocated special funds topublish At Work, inviting Burristo write and illustrate the book.The exclusive material createsa fresh and attractive volume.
While the book was still inthe planning stages, it cameto the attention of Long RiverPress in San Francisco whodecided to co-publish it in theU.S. It is now easily availablethere.
With the shrinking of cultural differences that globalization has brought the hugeinfluence of Western cultureon the rest of the world is undeniable. Traditional Chineseculture has been brought intoglobalization’s embrace, butits vitality means it retains itsindependence while actuallyhaving more and more impacton world culture.
This handsome book isa window onto the thrivingcontemporary art scene here,to a diversity of ideas and toChinese society’s openness toartistic development. At Workis a record of the process ofart’s "opening up." It will behard to find a more meticulous or insightful record of thephenomenon.