The vibrant and diverse world of young artists from across the globe takes center stage as the 17th Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition opens its doors at the prestigious Liu Haisu Art Museum on Saturday. The biennial event has brought together 2,256 individual and group works by budding artists, with 169 pieces selected to represent an array of creative disciplines.
The Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition, a cherished tradition that began during the early years of China’s reform and opening-up, has successfully marked its 40th year. It serves as a bridge connecting generations of artists and providing a launching pad for many emerging talents.
“The exhibition reflects contemporary artistic trends and the unique perspectives and creativity of the younger generation,” noted Bao Weihua, Director of the Liu Haisu Art Museum. The event boasts a remarkable range of artistic expression this year, encompassing traditional Chinese painting, oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor, mixed media, photography, video, installation, and new media, granting young artists a diverse canvas for their artistic expression.
One of the standout pieces, Ni Wei’s ink painting titled “Wind from the Sea,” offers a minimalist depiction of a typical Shanghai riverbank at dusk. The simplicity of the work, with its basic lines and flat colors, captures the scene without complex embellishments. Ni Wei explained, “It doesn’t convey profound ideas, concepts, or metaphors. It’s a pure, untainted attempt to capture the scene on canvas.” The piece maintains a remarkable simplicity, employing a single-line approach to outline the scene, revealing flaws but also a sense of sincerity and genuineness.
South Korean artist Kim Sunhee’s oil painting, “The Living Room B,” delves into the lives of modern individuals who wear masks and multi-identities. The lifeless dolls in her work symbolize the loneliness and misery experienced by those navigating the modern concrete jungle. Through an oversized format with knife cuts, Wu Jiantang’s woodcut work, “Branches in the Wilderness,” merges personal experiences, hometown nostalgia, and imagined ambitions, creating a “dramatic” juxtaposition between truth and imagination, past and present.
Wu Jiantang expressed, “Traditional Chinese woodcut prints have gradually faded from the contemporary art scene in the digital age. I am trying to resurrect the art form that is defined by the struggle between each cut.”
The 17th Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition will run from October 21 to November 29 at the Liu Haisu Art Museum, located at 1609 Yan’an Rd W. This exhibition promises to be a captivating journey into the artistic minds of the younger generation, showcasing their fresh perspectives and creativity across a broad spectrum of artistic disciplines. It is an opportunity to witness the evolution of contemporary art and appreciate the remarkable talents of emerging artists from around the world.
