Yuan Guo Jian – Artist Bio

 

Yuan Guo Jian is born in 1953, Shanghai, China. He studied in the Fine Arts Department of An Hui Normal University during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Although confined in an institution which strictly abided by Social-realist ideology, Yuan stood out as a non-conformist ever since the early stage of his career. As a result, censorship and criticism were forced upon him regularly. However, bonded by his faith of being a true artist who only follows his own instinctual belief, he continued his artist journey on his own way. Therefore, during the last year of his study, he discontinued school and came back to Shanghai and established an individual fine arts studio in teaching painting. The time coincides with Deng Xiao Ping’s era starting in the late 70’s, which thawed out some of the severe cultural and intellectual restriction of Mao’s era. During the 80’s, he fervently 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 at revitalize Chinese art. He also held exhibition abroad such as West Germany, United States, and South Korea.

 

Yuan stood out as an artist who inherits the Chinese tradition and also integrates elements of contemporary Western art, hence distinguishes himself as a prominent member of the New Chinese art 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 were personnel from foreign embassies and consulates. The friendship he made with some of the prominent figures at the time had gradually turns out to be risky, which results of being “blacklisted” by the Chinese government. He was then interrogated and ordered to check with the Chinese government on a regular basis with reasons kept unknown to him. Therefore, Yuan made a decision to leave China to evade further harassment and trouble from the Chinese government and moved his family to United States in 1994. Today he has been living and working in New York, and continue expressing his creativity in art.

 

Please join the Artist’s reception at Kanvas for a first look at some of his latest works on Jan. 12th from 6 to 8 PM.

 

Kanvas@ 219 9th Avenue New York, NY, 10011

Exhibition runs from Jan 12th – Feb 2nd

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