Yuan Guo Jian – Artist Bio

Yuan Guo Jian was born in 1953, Shanghai, China. He studied in the Fine Arts Department of An Hui Normal University during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Although confined by an institution which strictly abided by Social-Realist ideology, Yuan stood out as a non-conformist ever since the early stages of his career. As a result, censorship and criticism were forced upon him regularly. However, staying true to his philosophy that a true artist only follows his own instinctual beliefs, he continued his artistic journey in his own way. The creative restrictions he experienced at the university led him to leave school in his last year of study to return home and establish an individual fine arts studio to teach painting. Yuan’s return to Shanghai coincided with the rise of Deng Xiao Ping, who revived some of the severe cultural and intellectual restrictions of Mao’s era. During the 80’s, Yuan actively participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions and national art competitions. In 1986, he and some of his fellow artists founded the Red-Yellow-Blue Painting Association in Shanghai, which aimed to revitalize Chinese art. He also held exhibitions abroad in countries such as West Germany, the United States, and South Korea.

Yuan stood out as an artist who inherited the Chinese tradition and also integrated elements of contemporary Western art, thus distinguishing himself as a prominent member of the New Chinese art movement during the post-Cultural Revolution era. Ever since the early 80’s, Yuan has established his reputation in Shanghai and gained attention from foreign visitors, among them personnel from foreign embassies and consulates. The friendships he formed with some of these prominent figures of the time gradually turned risky, which resulted in his being “blacklisted” by the Chinese government. Yuan was then interrogated and ordered to check in with the Chinese government on a regular basis for reasons kept unknown to him. As a result, Yuan made a decision to leave China to evade further harassment from the government and moved his family to United States in 1994. Today he lives and works in New York and continues to express his creativity in art.

Please join the Artist’s reception at Kanvas for a first look at some of his latest works on Jan. 12^th from 6 to 8 PM. The exhibition runs from Jan.12 until Feb 2^nd.

Kanvas is located at 219 9^th Ave in Chelsea.