Contemporary Chinese Artists Archive -- Su Baijun

Author: Su Baijun
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: The "Contemporary Chinese Artists Archive" series, jointly launched by the China Art Creation Institute and Huayi Publishing House, is a highly meaningful endeavor. The development of Chinese painting has entered a new historical period, and systematic research on the current state of Chinese painting creation and representative artists is beneficial to promoting its progress. In recent decades, Chinese painting has undergone significant transformation and development, evolving distinctive characteristics in the contemporary era based on traditional Chinese painting. This transformation is largely attributed to contemporary artists' deep exploration of traditional spirit and cultural roots, as well as their understanding and creative engagement with contemporary spirit and cultural realities. The personal archives of fifty artists form a platform for the study of contemporary Chinese painting. From the detailed information of each artist, one can trace the development of Chinese painting in recent years, observe how contemporary artists adapt to the turbulent currents of the times, and see their efforts to explore the deep genetic roots of traditional culture and their strong desire to express new life. Gathering so many dreams together, like threads weaving a line and beads strung in sequence, will provide a clearer view of the new developments in Chinese painting. This can also help us think from a macro perspective, which is the original intention behind editing and publishing this "archive" series.
As for each volume, we strive for comprehensiveness and multidimensionality, aiming to grasp and understand the artist's concepts, creative process, and all aspects related to their artistic growth. This is because an artist's long artistic journey often involves several pivotal choices—whether in terms of artistic styles, individuality, or technical expression, there are discernible trajectories. Exploring these aspects is difficult to fully comprehend solely through the paintings themselves. Therefore, we must conduct comprehensive research beyond the canvas, delving into the artist's thoughts, statements, life, and experiences.