ART: Wu Ming Zhong (武明中) - Heart of Glass

Wu Ming Zhong (武明中)
Web  -  Yang Gallery
[52 images / 2 pages]

   Wu Ming Zhong was born in Hebei province China in 1963. In most of his paintings he uses a monochrome palette with reds as the defining accents.  He is the Associate Professor & Director of the Oil Painting Research Office for the College of Fine Arts at Capital Normal University. He was a visiting scholar at Liebin Academy of Fine Arts in Russia & Buffalo State College in the USA.

HAIKU Art Review: Wu Ming Zhong

Fragile heart of glass
In a cold monochrome world
Life painted in blood

   "My work isn’t like the work of Edward Munch – paintings shot through with obvious expressions of pain. My paintings, rather, are easy on the eye & serve to dissipate the pain."

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ART: Zhang Yuxi (张玉玺) - Little Yellow Boy

Zhang Yuxi (张玉玺) - (19 Images)
Blue Dots Art  -  Asia Contemporary Art

   Zhang Yuxi was born in China, 1980 & graduated from Harbin University majoring in sculpture. The artist's work is easily recognizable by the tri-eyed little yellow boy, a main character he created in most of his work which represents hope & positivity. The tri-eye character represents the three different stages of life.

HAIKU Art Review: Zhang Yuxi

Little yellow man

Blinded by colorful past

All seeing 3rd eye?

    “The little boy reflects the experiences of those born during the 1980’s. As I was born in this time period, I know it well & portray this with childhood innocence.” 

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ART: Jie Van - Dreamy Fairytale Worlds

Jie Van (羯梵) - (19 Images)

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   Taiwanese illustrator & painter Jie Van (羯梵) creates art that looks like pages from fantastic children’s story books. Balancing bold colors & strong textures, she walks a tightrope between gaudy & gorgeous. She combines immense skill & detail with vigorous youthful charm.

HAIKU Art Review: Jie Van

Dreamy Fairytales
Colorful storybook pages
Thickly textured worlds

ART: Gordon Cheung - Toxic Corporate Cowboys

Gordon Cheung - (30 works)

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   At first glance, Gordon Cheung's collaged paintings may look like an art student experimenting with Photoshop filters for the first time. The posterization, find edges, & solarized effects are actually achieved via a complex process of actual layering, which for Cheung always begins with the stock listings from newspapers as his base.

HAIKU Art Review: Gordon Cheung

Toxic cowboys ride
Euphoric dystopia
Nuclear neon stock

   Gordon is a British Born Chinese (BBC) of Hong Kong origin, born in 1975. He lives & works in London. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2001 with an MFA in painting.

ART: Jonny Wan - Complex Simplicity

Jonny Wan - (18 works)
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   British born Chinese graphic artist Jonny Wan weaves simple geometric lines w/ irresistible patterns to create striking illustartions for numerous A-list clients such as; The Academy Awards, GQ, Audi, Nike, Wired, etc.

Representation: US - UK - France - Scandinavia

  

HAIKU Art Review: Jonny Wan

Precise arrangement
Pattern, color & form married
Digital kung-fu

   Born in Sheffield, now working in Manchester for clients worldwide across advertising, editorial, publishing, fashion and product design.
   He studied at Manchester School of Art (class of 2008).

ART: Liu Bolin (刘勃麟) - The Disappearing Activist

 Liu Bolin (刘勃麟)
Web  -  Agent  -  Artbook

   Probably the most famous contemporary artist today, Liu Bolin (刘勃麟) has captured the world's attention with his Invisible Man photographs. His extremely clever & original selfies began as silent protests against China's ever increasing socioeconomic issues.

   Since coming to the international stage he has looked beyond China to global consumerism, a Hiding In The City tour of several famous metropolises, vanishing major fashion designers & doing the cover of a Bon Jovi album.

   Bolin's art has been assimilated & repurposed as a commercial novelty. Perhaps this the destiny of all art, as it eventually becomes separated from its original meaning or intent.

HAIKU Art Review: Liu Bolin

Silent subversion 
Becomes covert collusion
When your art's consumed

   I don't want to sound like the hipster music fans who immediately cry, sell out when their favorite indie band finally becomes financially viable. When artists become successful, their lives change, so their messages, priorities, & influences naturally shift as well. Cash removes everything around them 

  As you view Bolin's images below, how do you feel about the scope of his subject matter?