Curator Kang Xueru
Artists He Xun, Jiang Cheng, Li Yiwen, Liu Cong, Liu Xia, Wang Xingjie, Wang Yunchong, Yu Guo, Yu Ying
Duration 2017.4.22 – 6.18
Opening 2017.4.22 (Sat) 3:00pm
Organizer A+ Contemporary
Venue Asia Art Center (Beijing)
Asia Art Center and A+ Contemporary are pleased to announce the opening of group exhibition “The Dilemmas of Painting” curated by Kang Xueru on April 22th, 2017 at Asia Art Center Beijing. Participating artists include He Xun, Jiang Cheng, Li Yiwen, Liu Cong, Liu Xia, Wang Xingjie, Wang Yunchong, Yu Guo, Yu Ying. The exhibition is on view through June 18th, 2017.

This is not an exhibition of style, or of a particular theme, but an exhibition regarding the problems of painting. Painting is currently confronted with unprecedented dilemma and awkwardness. Some problems are intrinsic to painting; the most genuine painters remain steadfast solely for their belief and passion in the possibilities of painting. Other problems, however, surface as societies shift and change, such as the affairs and issues surrounding painting in relation to times, societies, audience, other art forms and painters themselves. The dilemmas of painting in a contemporary discourse are precisely due to the fact that we always criticize painting hastily from a fixed perspective or standpoint. The intention of this exhibition is thus to probe the problems of painting with the utmost thorough approach.

The nine participating artists begin from individual sensory experiences to record and expand on minute details, individual emotions and memories of the everyday, interweaving reality, dreams and metaphors into contemporary discourse; in the face of common anxiety and the dilemmas of painting, these artists are not concerned with drowning themselves in excessive interpretations of “contemporaneity”, but instead they engage in creative practices that continue to stay connected yet distant with their time – this exemplifies both a presence and a distance of critical reflection on trends of the era. In the eyes of the curator, this might in fact be the definite solution to the dilemmas of painting.
About Curator

Kang Xueru graduated from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 2008. Kang Xueru currently lives and works in Beijing. He was former editor-in-chief of Art Time (Nov. 2011-Apr. 2015), editor-in-chief of Art Bank (Jun. 2014-Apr, 2015), associate editor of Art Time (Nov. 2008-Apr. 2010), edit of Art Map (Aug. 2007-Apr. 2008). He founded an experimental space in Beijing in 2013: We Wanted to Have a Space So There Will be a Space. He curated group exhibitions including: The Dilemmas of Painting (Asia Art Center, Beijing, 2017), The Cabinet of Wonder (Hei Qiao Art District, Beijing, 2015).