Domestic Interest Pushing Development Of Chinese Contemporary Art World#
A roundup of news from the Chinese contemporary art world, which continues to ride a wave of domestic interest following this spring's record-breaking auction season in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Qiu Zhijie Launches First-Ever Solo Exhibition At Pace Beijing#
Qiu Zhijie: "Cell" (Image: Pace Beijing)
Chinese contemporary art "Renaissance man," Qiu Zhijie has launched his new exhibition, "Cell," at Pace Beijing, his first-ever solo show at the gallery. Running from July 17-September 3, the exhibition displays the combination of theory, language and practice that has characterized Qiu's work since his emergence on the Beijing scene in the early 1990s. From Pace Beijing:
Cell...explores [Qiu's unique point of view towards art] through its works, consisting of unconstrained honeycomb-like units. Simple mediums and limitless combinations are evocative of a cell’s growth. This is a representation of growth, through which we have attempted to make a clear understanding emerge from the artist’s complex earlier works. The work’s simple weaving and growth explore the very possibilities of artistic expression.
Pace Beijing#
798 Art District, No.2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路2号798艺术区 8502信箱 100015
Tel: 010-5978-9781
First CBD Affordable Art Fair To Be Held At Beijing's Times Art Museum#
July 18-24
Not every aspiring art collector in China can afford to drop millions on a Zeng Fanzhi painting or Zhan Wang sculpture. It's with that fact in mind that the inaugural CBD Affordable Art Fair launches this week at Beijing's Times Art Museum.
While the CDB fair isn't the only economy-minded event in Beijing -- Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) has been held for the past six years -- clearly demand is rising among Beijingers for quality art that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
According to the Times Art Museum, the event will include hundreds of works of art, from oil paintings and traditional Chinese calligraphy to photography, sculpture and installations, priced anywhere from a few hundred yuan to 10,000 yuan (US$1,546). The event is free to the public, and runs from July 18-24.
Times Art Museum#
35-37/F, D Block, CITC Plaza
6 Jianwai St., Chaoyang District, Beijing
北京市朝阳区建国门外大街甲6号中环世贸D座35－37层
Tel: 010-8567-9817
Nicolas Chow Of Sotheby's Gives "6 Insights Into the Skyrocketing Chinese Art Market"#
Nicolas Chow
ArtInfo has posted a must-read interview with Nicolas Chow, Sotheby's international head of Chinese ceramics and works of art, who shares this week six key insights into the booming Chinese art market. From ArtInfo:
1. PEOPLE DON'T JUST WANT TO BUY AN OBJECT, THEY WANT TO BUY A STORY
It's not just about the object, the vase, or the seal. "Lost Treasures" was a high point for us, the greatest sale we ever put together. Handling a great collection is wonderful, but putting together a sale that tells a story is very exciting. Of all the sales I've witnessed I've never seen so much electricity in the room. That's when you can really feel the excitement, when people aren't just buying commodities.
2. THE NEW MAINLAND CHINESE COLLECTORS HAVE HAD A GLOBAL IMPACT
Where the Chinese have really impacted our market is that they have re-invigorated the interest of Western and Taiwan and Hong Kong collectors. For the finest things you now have top contenders competing from New York, London, Taipei, and Hong Kong. People want to buy in a field that is exciting. When prices go up everyone wants to buy. In our most recent sale the two top lots went to collectors from outside China. The Chinese have certainly pushed the boundaries in terms of price but it's a very healthy market, very balanced.
Read the rest of Chow's insights here.