Editing Chinese art (section)

==Modern Chinese art==
=== New China art (1912–1949) ===
[[File:Sanmaonewspaper1948.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Sanmao (comic book character)|Sanmao]], one of the most well-known comic book characters in China]]

====Modern art movement ====

The movement to modernize Chinese art started toward the end of the Qing dynasty. The traditional art form started to lose its appeal as the feudalistic structure of the society was dissolving. The modern view of the world had to be expressed in a different form. The explorations went on two main paths: one was to draw from the past to enrich the present ({{zhi|c=汲古潤今}})*, the other was to "learn the new methods" ({{zhi|c=學習新法}}).*<ref>{{Cite book|title=Modern Chinese Art|last=Clarke|first=David}}</ref>

===== Draw from the past =====

The literati art for the social elite was not appealing to the bourgeois patrons. [[Wu Changshuo]] (1844–1927) was among the Shanghai-based artists responsible for flowers and plants as the subject matter. His paintings used bold colors and energetic brush strokes, making them more accessible to the general public. [[Qi Baishi]] (1864–1957) painted images like crabs and shrimps that were even more approachable to the common people. [[Huang Binhong]] (1865–1955) denounced the literati paintings of the Qing dynasty and created his own style of landscape paintings by extensive investigations in Chinese art history. [[Zhang Daqian]] (1899–1983) used wall paintings in the Dunhuang ({{zhi|c=敦煌}}) caves to help him move beyond the literati tradition.

===== Learn new methods =====

The [[Lingnan School]] ({{zhi|c=岭南画派}}) made some borrowings from the language of Western art in their ink paintings.   [[Gao Jianfu]] (1879–1951), one of the founders of Lingnan School, was an active participant in the revolutionary movement of [[Sun Yat-sen]] (1866–1925). He was innovative in that he intended to use his paintings to highlight national issues, a medium for positive change in society.
<br /><gallery widths="140" heights="140" perrow="8">
File:高劍父1.jpg|''Flames on the Eastern Battlefront'' by Gao Jianfu, 1937 ink and colors on paper
File:XuBeiHongMdmCheng.jpg|''Portrait of Madam Cheng'' (1941), oil on board, [[Xu Beihong]]
</gallery>A more radical style change started with [[Kang Youwei]] (1858–1927), a reformer who admired the more reality-based art of the Song dynasty. He believed that Chinese art could be rejuvenated by employing the reality-oriented art techniques of Europe. [[Xu Beihong]] (1895–1953) took this idea to heart and went to Paris to acquire the necessary skills. [[Liu Haisu]] (1896–1994), on the other hand, went to Japan to learn western techniques. Both Xu, and Liu became presidents of prestigious art schools, instilling new concepts and skills in the next generation of artists. [[Cai Yuanpei]] (1868–1940) was one of the leaders in the "[[New Culture Movement]]" ({{zhi|c=新文化运动}}). Those involved believed that intellectual activities should benefit all, not just the elites. Cai's belief that art could play a public, socially reformist role was adopted by [[Lin Fengmian]] (1900–1991).

Together with [[Yan Wenliang]] (1893–1988), Xu, Liu, and Lin were considered the "Four Great Academy Presidents" ({{zhi|c=四大校長}}), who spearheaded the national modern art movement. However, the subsequent upheaval caused by the Sino–Japanese war and the civil war did not allow this movement to grow. The Chinese modern art movement after the war developed differently in the four the regions: the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.

=== Postwar Chinese art (1949–1976) ===
The postwar era is roughly from 1949, the end of Chinese civil war, to 1976, the opening of mainland China to the outside world.

==== Mainland ====
The postwar era in mainland China could be divided into two periods: 1949 to 1966 is generally called "The 17 Years"; 1966 to 1976 is the period of the "Cultural Revolution".

===== The 17 Years =====
Chinese artists adopted [[social realism]] as a form of expression; it was a combination of revolutionary realism and revolutionary romanticism. Artwork was not valued on its own terms but was subservient to a political purpose. According to [[Mao Zedong]], art should be a "powerful weapon for uniting and educating the people, fighting and destroying the enemy". Praising political leaders and celebrating the achievements of socialism became the theme of all artwork. Western art forms, including [[Cubism]], [[Fauvism]], [[Abstract art|Abstraction]], and [[Expressionism]] were deemed superficial and were categorized as formalism.

The biggest blow to art was the [[Anti-Rightist Campaign]] of 1957. Artists who were labeled as rightists were stripped of their right to create and even their jobs, and worse, the social standing of the artists and their families was placed at the lowest level, causing great mental suffering.

Some influential paintings from this period are:
* [http://www.zgsshh.com/Works_body.asp?id=1156&qx=137 Li Keran, ''Reddening of Ten Thousand Mountains'' ({{zhi|c=李可染《万山红遍》}})]
* [http://www.artworld.cn/a/Collection/cnart/now/2011/0110/5870.html Huang Zhou, ''The Snowstorm'' ({{zhi|c=黄胄《洪荒风雪》}})]
* Dong Xiwen, ''[[The Founding Ceremony of the Nation]]'' ([[:zh:开国大典 (油画)|董希文《开国大典》]]) had gone through several revisions, due to the changing political situation.   Gao Gang was taken out when he went out of favor, [[Liu Shaoqi]] was replaced by [[Dong Biwu]] for a while, then the prototype was restored.

===== Cultural Revolution =====
These ten years could also be called the "Ten Years of Calamity" ({{zhi|c=十年浩劫}}). In order to destroy everything that supported the old social order, countless temples, historic sites, artworks, and books were ravaged and burnt. During this period the portrait of Mao and propaganda posters of revolution were everywhere. Anything that was remotely suspected of being out of line was destroyed, and the person behind it was prosecuted. For example, ''Owl'' by [[Huang Yongyu]] had one eye open and one eye closed; it was deemed an expression of dissatisfaction with current events. [[Zong Qixiang]]'s painting, which shows three tigers, was deemed critical of the leader [[Lin Biao]], whose name contained a character that had three tigers in it. ''Residual Lotus'' by Li Kuchan had eight lotus flowers; it was deemed to be critical of the eight communist approved movies ({{zhi|c=样板戏}}). Many prominent artists were persecuted during this time. For example, Yan, Xu, Liu, and Lin, the "Four Great Academy Presidents" [[:zh:四大校長|四大校長]] (except for Xu who died before the Cultural Revolution), were all prosecuted and jailed, and all their work was destroyed during this time.
However, despite the difficult environment, some noteworthy paintings were created. The following are some examples:
* [https://3g.china.com/act/culture/11159887/20170703/30896453_4.html Chen Yifei, ''The Yellow River'' ({{zhi|c=陈逸飞《黄河颂》}})]
* [http://www.cnap.org.cn/gjhy/zuopxs/201712/b8d3aac04fd2411ab266ee53258dc7d0.shtml Sun Jingbo, ''New Song by Ah Xi'' ({{zhi|c=孙景波《阿细新歌》}})]

==== Hong Kong ====
{{Main|Visual art of Hong Kong}}

Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 to 1997. The local art organizations were mostly run by Westerners who outnumbered Chinese painters until a large migration of Chinese from Southern China during Sino–Japanese War. Innovative art colleges were established after the war. The shows organized by local artists started in the early 1960s. After a reaction against the traditional Western artistic practices of the 1940s and the 1950s, some experimental works that combined both western and eastern techniques were made. Then came the call for a return to Chinese traditional art and the creation of forms of art that Hong Kong could call its own. The trend was led by [[Lui Shou-Kwan|Lui Shou Kwan]]. Some western concepts were incorporated into his Chinese ink paintings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/professor%20man%20kit%20wah%20-%20hk%20painting%201960s%20n%20cultural%20identity.pdf|title=Experimental Painting and Painting Theories in Colonial Hong Kong|last=Man|first=Eva|access-date=July 19, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021133801/https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/professor%20man%20kit%20wah%20-%20hk%20painting%201960s%20n%20cultural%20identity.pdf}}</ref>
* [http://www.artnet.com/artists/lui-shou-kwan/ Lui Shou Kwan, 1965]

==== Overseas ====

===== Paris =====
Many Chinese artists went to study western art in Paris in the early 1900s, for example: [[Fang Ganmin]] ([[:zh:方幹民|方幹民]]), Wu Dayu ([[:zh:吳大羽|吳大羽]]), [[Ong Schan Tchow]] ([[:zh:翁占秋|翁占秋]]), [[Lin Fengmian]] ([[:zh:林風眠|林風眠]]), Yan Wenliang ([[:zh:顏文樑|顏文樑]]), [[Wu Guanzhong]] ([[:zh:吳冠中|吳冠中]]), [[Zao Wou-Ki]] ([[:zh:翁占秋|趟無極]]). All except Zao completed their education before 1949 and returned to become leaders in the modern art movement. (Zao happened to be in Paris in 1949 and did not return.) Some Chinese artists went to stay there because of the rich international art environment, for example:  [[Sanyu (painter)|Sanyu]], [[Pan Yuliang]] ([[:zh:潘玉良|潘玉良]]), [[Chu Teh-Chun]] ([[:zh:朱德群|朱德群]]). Zao, Sanyu, Pang, and Chu all had shows in Paris and the Republic. All their paintings had varying degrees of Chinese elements in them. These artists not only had a profound influence in Chinese modern art, but they also continued to engage Parisians with modern art from the East.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2059589/three-generations-chinese-artists-whove-made|title=Three generations of Chinese artists who've made Paris home, and how they changed French art|last=Twigg|first=Melissa|date=January 6, 2017}}</ref>
* [http://collection.sina.com.cn/plfx/2018-08-12/doc-ihhqtawx2237359.shtml Zao Wou-Ki, 1959]

===== United States =====
[[Li Tiefu]] (1869–1952) was an accomplished oil painter educated in Canada and the United States. He was an active participant in the revolutionary movement of Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925).

Zeng Youhe {{zhi|c=曾佑和}} (1925–2017)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.artforum.com/news/tseng-yuho-1925-2017-73198 | title=Tseng Yuho (1925–2017) | date=December 21, 2017 }}</ref> was born in Beijing. She started receiving international recognition in 1946, when [[Michael Sullivan (art historian)|Michael Sullivan]] began praising and writing about her work. Zeng moved to Honolulu in 1949 and visited Hong Kong and Taiwan in 1960. Like those of the [[Fifth Moon Group]] ({{zhi|c=五月畫會}}), her paintings were abstract; but the flavor of traditional Chinese ink paintings were not as pronounced.
* [http://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/yu_ho_tseng/artist/440481/ Zeng Youhe, 1961]

===== Taiwan =====
{{Main|Taiwanese art}}
Because of its history, traditional Chinese art does not have strong roots in Taiwan. The art forms in Taiwan were generally decorative, until youths growing up under the Japanese occupation received formal art education in Japan. Not burdened with traditional art form, their exploration generally followed the path of "learning the new methods" ({{zhi|c=學習新法}}). When the Nationalists arrived in Taiwan, a group of ambitious youths who came with the Nationalists continued the modern art movement. The most notable were the [[Fifth Moon Group]] ([[:zh:五月畫會|五月畫會]]) and the Ton-Fan Art Group ({{zhi|c=東方畫會}}).{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

====== Fifth Moon Group ======
{{Main|Fifth Moon Group}}
[[File:1966 馮鍾睿 1966-49 彩墨紙本 88.5X54.5cm.jpg|thumb|Fong Chung-ray, ink on paper, 1966]]
The original members of the group were alumni with art majors from the Academic Teachers College ({{zhi|c=師範大學}}), the only university with an art major at the time. Their first intention was to show that the effort to create new art was worthwhile in itself, even if it did not directly enhance art pedagogy. Later, it became a movement to modernize Chinese art.

The members of the Fifth Moon Group studied western art movements, and concluded that the abstract art form was the best medium for modern Chinese art. They felt the best the Chinese paintings were ones that de-emphasized realistic representation, and emphasized atmosphere and "vividness", which comes from the brush strokes and the natural interaction between ink and paper. To further that idea, one does not need representation of objects in painting, or strictly use ink and paper. The beauty of a painting can be appreciated directly from the forms, textures, and colors on the canvas without their relation to real objects.
The group was active from 1957 to 1972. The main members are [[Liu Guosong]], Chuang Che ({{zhi|c=莊喆}}), Hu Chi-Chung ({{zhi|c=胡奇中}}), Fong Chung-ray ({{zhi|c=馮鍾睿}}), and [[Han Hsiang-ning]].

====== Ton-Fan Art Group ({{zhi|c=東方畫會}}) ======
The members of this group were students who attended private art classes offered by Li Zhongsheng ({{zhi|c=李仲生}}), a mainland-born artist who had been one of the active participants in the modern art movement. He and a number of mainland artists who painted in a western style continued the modern art movement by publishing magazines and writing articles to introduce modern art to Taiwan. His teaching style was unconventional and socratic in nature.

The original intention of the group was to introduce modern art to the public. They believed there should be no restriction on the form or style of a modern Chinese painting, as long as the painting expressed meaning that was Chinese in nature. The group was active from 1957 to 1971. The main members were: Ho Kan ({{zhi|c=霍剛}}), [[Li Yuan-chia]], Wu Hao ({{zhi|c=吳昊}}),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://artemperor.tw/artist/464 | title=吳昊 }}</ref> Oyan Wen-Yuen ({{zhi|c=歐陽文苑}}), Hsia Yan ({{zhi|c=夏陽}}), Hsiao Chin ({{zhi|c=蕭勤}}), Tommy Chen ({{zhi|c=陳道明}}),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blog.artlib.net.tw/author_page.php?act=view&ename=tommychen | title=陳道明's 藝術家專屬網站-全球華人藝術網 }}</ref> and Hsiao Ming-Hsien ({{zhi|c=蕭明賢}}). The following are a sample of their paintings from that period:
*[https://www.invaluable.com/artist/ho-kan-1hp6ljccwy/sold-at-auction-prices/ Ho Kan, 1967]
*[https://www.tumblr.com/search/hsia%20yan Hsia Yan, 1965]
* [https://www.desarthe.com/artist/hsiao-chin.html Hsiao Chin, 1955] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719193251/https://www.desarthe.com/artist/hsiao-chin.html |date=July 19, 2019 }}

===Redevelopment (mid-1980s – 1990s)===

====Contemporary art====
{{See also|The Stars Art Group}}
Contemporary Chinese art ({{lang-zh|c=中國當代藝術|p=Zhongguo Dangdai Yishu}}) often referred to as Chinese avant-garde art, continued to develop since the 1980s as an outgrowth of modern art developments post-Cultural Revolution.
[[File:Chinese-han-yajuan-FashionEnsemble.jpg|450px|thumb|left|[[Han Yajuan]]: Fashion Ensemble. Oil on canvas, 2010 (180 cm × 360 cm).]]
Contemporary Chinese art fully incorporates painting, film, video, photography, and performance. Until recently, art exhibitions deemed controversial have been routinely shut down by police, and performance artists in particular faced the threat of arrest in the early 1990s. More recently there has been greater tolerance by the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|Chinese government]], though many internationally acclaimed artists are still restricted from media exposure at home or have exhibitions ordered closed. Leading contemporary visual artists include [[Ai Weiwei]], [[Cai Guoqiang]], [[Cai Jin]], [[Chan Shengyao]], [[Concept 21]], [[Ding Yi (artist)|Ding Yi]], [[Fang Lijun]], [[Fu Wenjun]], [[He Xiangyu]], [[Huang Yan (artist)|Huang Yan]], [[Huang Yong Ping]], [[Han Yajuan]], [[Kong Bai Ji]], [[Li Hongbo]], [[Li Hui (artist)|Li Hui]], [[Liu Bolin]], [[Lu Shengzhong]], [[Ma Liuming]], [[Qiu Deshu]], [[Qiu Shihua]], [[Shen Fan]], [[Shen Shaomin]], [[Shi Jinsong]], [[Song Dong]], [[Li Wei (artist)|Li Wei]], [[Wang Guangyi]], [[Wenda Gu]], [[Xu Bing]], [[Yang Zhichao]], [[Zhan Wang]], [[Zheng Lianjie]], [[Zhang Dali]], [[Zhang Xiaogang]], [[Zhang Huan]], [[Zhu Yu (artist)|Zhu Yu]], [[Wu Shaoxiang]], [[Ma Kelu]], [[Ding Fang]], [[Shang Yang (artist)|Shang Yang]], [[Gao Minglu]] and [[Guo Jian]].

====Visual art====
Beginning in the late 1980s, there was unprecedented exposure for younger Chinese visual artists in the west to some degree through the agency of curators based outside the country such as [[Hou Hanru]]. Local curators within the country such as [[Gao Minglu]] and critics such as [[Li Xianting]] reinforced this promotion of particular brands of painting that had recently emerged, while also spreading the idea of art as a strong social force within Chinese culture. There was some controversy as critics identified these imprecise representations of contemporary Chinese art as having been constructed out of personal preferences, a kind of programmatized{{clarify|date=May 2023|reason=what does "programmatized" mean?}} artist-curator relationship that only further alienated the majority of the avant-garde from Chinese officialdom and western art market patronage.