Tokyo Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibition of by Chinese artist Wang Yuping starting from May 25th (Saturday). The exhibition will feature Wang's renowned watercolor series 臨元人狩猟図（Facsimile of Yuan Dynasty Painting of Hunting）along with his recent oil paintings.
Born in Beijing, China in 1962, Wang graduated from the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1989. Following the economic reforms and opening-up in China in the 1980s, contemporary art from abroad began to flow into the country. Students at the Central Academy of Fine Arts were greatly impacted by Western philosophies, particularly by the German Expressionist movement, leading to the emergence of a new artistic trend called " Neo-expressionism ” in the 1990s. Wang Yuping is one of the artists who came into prominence in this period. He participated in the inaugural Chinese Oil Painting Exhibition at the National Art Museum of China in 1987 and held a solo exhibition at the same museum in 1993, continuing to attract significant attention after these shows too. Wang expanded his presence internationally, participating in events such as the 1997 Venice Biennale and the 2000 Shanghai Biennale. He currently works in Beijing.
While experiencing China's opening and rapid growth, Wang, unlike his peers, yearned for a tranquil spiritual world. Based on years of sketching, he rejects specific themes and instead focuses on everyday life, depicting scenes with the Beijing’s cityscapes and daily objects, and memories from his travels. Wang does not merely reproduce what is in front of him but constructs his paintings using delicate observations and his imagination. For example, when he “copied” the 狩猟図 Painting of Hunting (collection of Liaoning Provincial Museum) from the Yuan Dynasty in watercolor, he omitted most of the background in the original, focusing instead on the figures of people and animals, employing unique subtle-colored brushstrokes that made the contours ambiguous. Despite being “copies”, with these works he created stories of freedom and humor through his creative interpretations.
His 2007 work 老道(Taoist priest) are portraits of Taoists priest wearing traditional robes that he encountered at the Yuquan Temple in Gansu Province, China. This work, characterized by its unique and bold colors, evokes impressions of an abstract painting, yet Wang's skillful brushwork also captures the individual characteristics of each priest, brimming with delicacy and rich emotions.
The appeal of Wang Yuping's paintings lies in their ability to impart an idiosyncratic expression to life and experiences, eliciting emotions from the everyday.
This exhibition is Wang Yuping's first solo exhibition in Japan, where he will also showcase his latest work: a self-portrait. An opening reception with the artist will be held on the first day, May 25th (Saturday), starting from 4:00 PM.
