"The “China Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021” distills the key trends and persistent practices of the contemporary art scene in 2021 from an academic perspective, presenting an annual snapshot of China’s explorations in artistic originality.
After a year of sorting and reflection, it takes a step back to review the practices and phenomena of contemporary art in 2021. The editor-in-chief of the China Contemporary Art Yearbook and curator of the exhibition, Professor Zhu Qingsheng, along with Li Wenjing, representative of the Chinese Modern Art Archive team and executive curator, shared their thoughts.
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(Right) Wu Jian'an, Five Hundred Strokes #93, Ink and color on paper, paper-cut collage, 500 × 800 cm, 2021.
798 Arts: The works exhibited in the Yearbook Exhibition 2021 demonstrate clear characteristics of contemporary art in terms of medium, methodology, and concept. What are your thoughts and impressions on this year’s exhibited works?
Zhu Qingsheng: When we look at each of the works, we see that they are not just paintings; behind each piece lies a concept. The core idea is this: In today’s world, how can I transcend the limitations of my own region and culture to search for a solution to the shared problems of humanity? I do so by using a unique perspective to find that path and then presenting it in a strikingly unusual form, so people feel they’re seeing something entirely new. In this respect, the works are very clear—each one reflects that intention.
This Yearbook Exhibition does not fully reflect the entirety of 2021’s artistic accomplishments. If we were to present all 111 artists selected in the Yearbook in their entirety, it would be a different story. The pieces on display now represent only a partial view. They were originally part of a much larger, complete exhibition plan. Due to current special circumstances, we selected only the works that are easier to transport. We hope that once the pandemic is over, we can quickly and fully make up for this in the traveling exhibition.
Ren Lili, Landscape, Materials: mesh, tulle, solid wood headboard decoration, wig, silicone, tea leaves, leaves, nuts. Dimensions: 100×200 cm × 2 panels + 100×100 cm × 1 panel, 3 videos, Year: 2021
Exhibition scene of "China Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021" at 798 Art Center
“China Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021” — Exhibition Site at 798 Art Center
798arts: According to the investigation and summary by the "Yearbook" team, what were the characteristics of contemporary art practices in 2021?
Li Wenjing: Compared to 2020, the number of contemporary art activities in 2021, whether exhibitions or other types of events, increased significantly. In 2020, we recorded around 1,800 contemporary art activities, but in 2021, this number rose to over 2,900.
We also observed that many contemporary art events in 2021 focused on specific themes, such as the very popular "NFTs" and "young artists." These thematic shifts and focal points clearly reflect the overall characteristics of contemporary art activities in 2021.
"Chinese Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021" Exhibition Venue: 798 Art Center
Jiang Bo "Who Am I 1#" Plaster, iron, variable dimensions, 2019
“Chinese Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021" Exhibition Venue: 798 Art Center
798arts: Compared to previous years, what was your strongest impression of contemporary art practice in 2021?
Zhu Qingsheng: In 2021, I felt that many people just wanted to get through it superficially. What I mean is that a lot of people tried to erase the critical and combative nature of contemporary art itself, turning it into mere decoration, embellishment, or entertainment. I think this has become a serious issue — often justified in the name of the market, but in reality it’s a dangerous kind of collusion.
Therefore, in 2021, we paid special attention to discerning who still seriously believes that contemporary art is a means of human self-awareness and awakening. If someone truly thinks this way, we want to record it. If, however, someone only performed a beautiful show for the market or entertainment, or engaged in a frivolous game, we don’t oppose that either, but we won’t rely on such things to seek solutions to today’s problems or to find possibilities for resolving them.
I also realize that this problem became even more obvious in 2022, now that the year is coming to an end. The most important question for us is: who cares about issues beyond the so-called “boring” ones? We understand that “boredom” itself has its reasons, and to a large extent, boredom is an attitude of resistance. But the problem is that our current era is not a very traditional one, and many people have simply “laid down” or given up. In this context, boredom becomes meaningless.
Of course, if my “boredom” is meant to reveal why I have chosen to lie down in the first place, and if it can truly achieve that, then it’s not meaningless boredom after all.
Lin Cong, "Void", oil on panel with 3D printing, 60 × 80 × 5 cm, 2020.
Cao Shu, Infinity and Infinity Plus One, installation combining digital simulation imagery and 4K live-action footage, duration 13 minutes 12 seconds, created in 2020.
Li Qing, “Spot the Difference · Rear Window (Two Pictures with Six Differences)”, oil on canvas, 160×120 cm × 2, 2019–2020.
Yang Yang, “Spontaneous Combustion Form”, sculpture, plaster, paint, copper, variable dimensions, 2021.
798arts: Based on the years of objective records from the Yearbook on Chinese artists, do you see signs of generational change? What are your thoughts on the generational shifts among artists?
Li Wenjing: Generational change is a natural phenomenon. In recent years, there have been many labels like “post-90s artists,” “post-80s artists,” and “Millennials,” which to some extent reflect changes in the strength and activity levels of different generations of artists. At the same time, we remain cautious about this shifting focus because it may be a phenomenon driven by the market.
Zhu Qingsheng: I think although each era has its distinctive works, often centered on new themes and materials, there is no fundamental conflict between generations, and this has become especially clear in recent years. The most powerful conceptual creations and formal explorations in 2021, for example, are not divided by age; artists of all ages are involved. Sometimes younger artists’ works even appear more classical or conservative. Of course, this is connected to deep political and cultural issues, which our archive and yearbook teams have dedicated specialists to investigate and trace. The Yearbook exhibition also includes special forums on young artists. What is certain is that since the 1980s, Chinese contemporary art has remained a cohesive whole. From the start of reform and opening-up until now, there has been no major generational shift or internal rupture. I hope to see such a change because logically it should appear in the works and people. Over 40 years, China’s elite cultural education level has caught up with the world. It has transformed from a poor country to one with powerful spiritual energy, with material conditions supporting the most creative experimental works. We hope that young artists will show this transformation.
We can already see that the younger generation’s knowledge structures have changed. They have no barriers between themselves and the world. Their knowledge background and development direction are no longer limited by narrow ethnic cultural constraints; they can approach issues from completely open and freely chosen perspectives. They are fully capable of discovering and addressing problems from their own vantage points. This is a significant change.
But how long this situation will last, I don’t know. Because the world’s blockade and pressure on China now force these young people to retreat inward. This has some benefits—they may focus more on their own culture—but the downside is they may confine themselves within a nationalistic framework. Originally, they belong to the world and should be responsible for humanity’s overall issues; they should lead a global collective forward. If this doesn’t happen, at least their cultural background and work mission won’t be as strong or broad.
Yang Chongguang, Big Bird, 9.3 × 7.2 meters, 2021
Chen Huafeng, The Dust on the Stairs Fell, ash, stones, paint, 2017–2021
Wang Huangsheng, The Distance and the River · Bei Dao’s Poem, C-print, 112 × 498 cm, 2021
798arts: What is the special significance of choosing 798 as the venue for this year’s Beijing exhibition? What are your expectations for the exhibition?
Zhu Qingsheng: Collaborating with 798 this time is very meaningful. 798 is a place where the origins of China’s '85 New Wave art movement and the Stars Art Exhibition have gradually accumulated. This place is like a “pool” for Chinese contemporary art, where everyone flows into. In the past, we just saw it as a district, but now we realize that if we can deposit and reveal the entire situation of contemporary art happening across China here, 798 is the best place to do so. We have always hoped to realize this at 798, and through our Yearbook, our archives, and the “Yearbook Exhibition,” we have made it happen — it’s no coincidence. From now on, we are preparing to continue this effort, and this makes us feel everything is very fitting and right.
Dong Gong & Li Nu — Steel Grass, Materials: Rebar, Steel plates, Dimensions: 4080 × 4080 × 7000 mm, Year: 2021
"Contemporary Chinese Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021" — Exhibition Site at 798 Art Center
“Contemporary Chinese Art Yearbook Exhibition (Beijing) 2021” — Exhibition Venue at 798 Art Center
Yang Guangnan "Road 202101" Aluminum with coloring, 109 × 132 × 141 cm, 2021
Biography:
Zhu Qingsheng
A professor at Peking University, former president of the International Association of Art Historians, editor-in-chief of the China Contemporary Art Yearbook, and curator of the China Contemporary Art Yearbook Exhibition.
Article content reviewed by the interviewee
Editor: Wu Tong
Image source: China Modern Art Archives
Yang Guangnan "Road 202101" Aluminum with coloring, 109 × 132 × 141 cm, 2021
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