Award honors promising artists

Few Chinese know Wang Shikuo (1911-73), but most know his works - realistic oil paintings that depict China's Communist revolution.

The professor of Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts passed away while sketching in rural Henan province. It's believed overwork contributed to his death.

He remains so admired that a contemporary-art award bearing his name was announced last year.

The Wang Shikuo Award aspires to become a Chinese answer to such prominent international honors for up-and-coming artists as the Hugo Boss Prize and the Turner Prize.

It's administrated by Beijing's Today Art Museum and sponsored by the Wang Shikuo Art Foundation that Wang's family established in 2015. It honors one artist, typically younger than age 45, every year.

Twelve artists have been nominated this year. Their works are displayed at the Amassing Force exhibition at Today Art Museum.

Visitors can vote for their favorite artists. The winner will be announced on Saturday.

The foundation also has established a scholarship with the Central Academy of Fine Arts last year to sponsor overseas exchanges among undergraduates.

Wang's daughter, Wang Qun, the foundation's secretary, says the jury doesn't make judgments based on single works.

"We review the whole course of an artist's career," she says. "We especially talk with candidates to see if they'll remain dedicated to creating for at least another decade."

Gao Peng, the museum's director and a jury member, says organizers have monitored many candidates, following their graduations from art academies.

"Some artists quit art two or three years after winning other important awards," he says.

"They start their own businesses once they become financially stable. That disappoints their patrons, such as art institutions and serious collectors, who anticipate they'd continue to pursue higher levels of creation."

Gao says the award hails artists' experimental spirit.

"They explore a distinct style or medium that's not quite mature at the moment, but they believe will bring major breakthroughs. We don't watch artists whose works are market-oriented because they already had a lot of market support."

The award also honors artists of all mediums, even though it takes its name from a painter.

The ongoing exhibition of nominees' works displays multimedia installations and abstract ink-brush paintings on paper.

Hangzhou-based China Academy of Art instructor Ying Xinxun is presenting her light installation, Metamorphosis. The 36-year-old used translucent ox hide to create a creature that's half man and half insect that rides a motorcycle. She surrounded it with dozens of luminous fibers.

It looks beautiful at first sight. But viewers may feel as if they're trapped like a bird in a cage as they walk through the fibers.

Ying created the work to reflect on crises caused by rapid urbanization, such as air pollution and tainted foods.

"People are manufacturing all kinds of things that, in turn, transform them physically and mentally," she says.

Cong Ming, who lost his hearing at age 1, shows paintings inspired by classic Chinese philosophies including I Ching.

The 28-year-old from Liaoning province's Dalian, who has exhibited in China and overseas, uses circles and squares to reflect how people who speak different languages can harmoniously communicate.

The winner will receive 100,000 yuan ($14,700) or can hold a solo exhibition at the museum.

Huang Du, a Beijing-based art curator, critic and jury member, expresses hopes the jury will include international members in the future so winners can be introduced to a global audience.

Beijing native Tian Xiaolei won last year for producing animations of surrealist scenarios. The 35-year-old says the award has given him exposure abroad, including his Canada premiere titled Overload that's now running at Toronto's Katzman Contemporary gallery through Aug 5.

(China Daily 06/20/2017 page20)