Fang Lijun
Look on, Near and Far
2024.10.25 - 12.08
TRIUMPH GALLERY is pleased to announce that Fang Lijun’s latest solo exhibition in gallery, Look on, Near and Far, will be presented on October 25th, 2024. Curated by Du Xiyun, this exhibition will feature more than 20 works created by the artist in recent years, and will run until December 8th.
In Fang Lijun’s works, his passion for life and curiosity towards humanity permeates throughout, generating intimate proximity to his subject that allows him to grasp deeply and discern many subtleties, translating into his visual expression with a humanistic touch. This was already noticeable in the studies he made during his college years: “Arriving late, I could only sit close by [the model]. The light struck the model, and her body was steaming. I could hear her breathing. Suddenly, amid a routine of choosing an optimal composition and angle, I realized none of these are as important as the temperature, elasticity, and fluidity of the organism [we tried to depict], which are often overlooked or abandoned by us.”
The large number of portraits he has painted in recent years advances such realization even more consciously. Throwing himself into the party, enthusiastically spending time with his friends, feeling their state and consciousness in multiple directions, and letting his expression take hold of his instincts and sentiments, he lets the language of art emanate his personality and cognition intensely.
Fang Lijun often wanders on the periphery, as if he were a bystander at a distance, observing others and himself from afar. The specific and subtle differences that are highlighted when viewed up close gradually weaken and even disappear when viewed from afar, and the commonalities that run within, between, and above each other emerge the tendencies of human nature, the state of life, the structure of a group, and even destiny.
In the turmoil of day-to-day life, the complexity of change when viewed up close and the enduring constancy when viewed from afar is not easily perceived. From printmaking, oil painting, and sculpture to ink and porcelain painting, Fang Lijun employs a personalized artistic language to constantly sample and summarize his observations from near and far and enthusiastically shares them with others. Being on the same planet, everyone is created equal. He observes others as well as himself, often shrouding everyone's state and situation in a sense of humor.
In Fang Lijun’s works, his passion for life and curiosity towards humanity permeates throughout, generating intimate proximity to his subject that allows him to grasp deeply and discern many subtleties, translating into his visual expression with a humanistic touch. This was already noticeable in the studies he made during his college years: “Arriving late, I could only sit close by [the model]. The light struck the model, and her body was steaming. I could hear her breathing. Suddenly, amid a routine of choosing an optimal composition and angle, I realized none of these are as important as the temperature, elasticity, and fluidity of the organism [we tried to depict], which are often overlooked or abandoned by us.”
The large number of portraits he has painted in recent years advances such realization even more consciously. Throwing himself into the party, enthusiastically spending time with his friends, feeling their state and consciousness in multiple directions, and letting his expression take hold of his instincts and sentiments, he lets the language of art emanate his personality and cognition intensely.
Fang Lijun often wanders on the periphery, as if he were a bystander at a distance, observing others and himself from afar. The specific and subtle differences that are highlighted when viewed up close gradually weaken and even disappear when viewed from afar, and the commonalities that run within, between, and above each other emerge the tendencies of human nature, the state of life, the structure of a group, and even destiny.
In the turmoil of day-to-day life, the complexity of change when viewed up close and the enduring constancy when viewed from afar is not easily perceived. From printmaking, oil painting, and sculpture to ink and porcelain painting, Fang Lijun employs a personalized artistic language to constantly sample and summarize his observations from near and far and enthusiastically shares them with others. Being on the same planet, everyone is created equal. He observes others as well as himself, often shrouding everyone's state and situation in a sense of humor.
Fang Lijun
Fang Lijun (b. 1963, Handan, Hebei) graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Printmaking Department in 1989. In July of the same year, he resided in the Yuanmingyuan area, becoming a key advocate of the "Yuanmingyuan Artists' Village." In 1993, he established the Songzhuang studio, contributing to the formation of the "Songzhuang Artists' Village." In 2014, he founded the "Archive of Contemporary Art of China," systematically organizing the development of Chinese contemporary art. Since 2004, Fang Lijun has been appointed as a guest professor and graduate mentor at more than twenty institutions, including the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Wuhan University, and Hubei Academy of Fine Arts.
Fang Lijun’s solo exhibitions have been held in major art institutions worldwide, including the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, Ludwig Museum, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Japan Foundation, Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Musée Ariana, et cetera. Domestic retrospectives have been mounted at the Shanghai Art Museum, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Macau Museum of Art, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Hunan Provincial Museum, United Art Museum, Minsheng Art Museum, and He Art Museum, among other significant venues. Additionally, he has been consistently invited by mainstream international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale, Gwangju Biennale, São Paulo Art Biennial, and Shanghai Biennale.
Fang's works are permanently collected by international museums, in particular the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Seattle Art Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queensland Art Gallery, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Within China, his works are held by the National Art Museum of China, Contemporary Academy of Fine Arts Art Museum, He Xiangning Art Museum, and Guangdong Museum of Art.
Furthermore, through his artistic career, Fang Lijun has published over 50 monographs, including Fang Lijun: Chronological Notes, Fang Lijun: Works Catalogue, Fang Lijun: Cliff in the Clouds, Fang Lijun: Forbidden Zone, Fang Lijun Prints, and Surviving Like a Stray Dog. In 1993, his work Series Two No. 2 appeared on the cover of The New York Times.
Fang Lijun’s solo exhibitions have been held in major art institutions worldwide, including the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, Ludwig Museum, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Japan Foundation, Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Musée Ariana, et cetera. Domestic retrospectives have been mounted at the Shanghai Art Museum, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Macau Museum of Art, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Hunan Provincial Museum, United Art Museum, Minsheng Art Museum, and He Art Museum, among other significant venues. Additionally, he has been consistently invited by mainstream international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale, Gwangju Biennale, São Paulo Art Biennial, and Shanghai Biennale.
Fang's works are permanently collected by international museums, in particular the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Seattle Art Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queensland Art Gallery, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Within China, his works are held by the National Art Museum of China, Contemporary Academy of Fine Arts Art Museum, He Xiangning Art Museum, and Guangdong Museum of Art.
Furthermore, through his artistic career, Fang Lijun has published over 50 monographs, including Fang Lijun: Chronological Notes, Fang Lijun: Works Catalogue, Fang Lijun: Cliff in the Clouds, Fang Lijun: Forbidden Zone, Fang Lijun Prints, and Surviving Like a Stray Dog. In 1993, his work Series Two No. 2 appeared on the cover of The New York Times.
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Curator
Curator
Du Xiyun
Du Xiyun, Born in 1978, graduated from the Department of Oil Painting, Shaanxi Normal University's School of Fine Arts in 2000 with a Bachelor's degree. Completed a Master's degree in Art History from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 2006. Held positions as Deputy Director at HOW Art Museum（Shanghai） and Deputy Director at Shanghai Himalayas Museum.
Curated numerous exhibitions and projects, recent ones include: "Zhao Bandi's Nut" (Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanjing, Xiamen, Shenyang, Shunde, Qingdao, Chengdu, Changzhou, Zhengzhou，Beijing... from 2020 to present); "Drift: Fostering Stars Project" at Wuhan Art Museum (Qintai Art Museum) in 2023; "Me & Beuys: Wang Guangyi" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2021; "A Realistic Shocking Of The Virtual Authenticity: Shanghai's First Global NFT Crypto Art Exhibition" at Tank 1, West Bund Art Park in Shanghai in 2021; "Me & Beuys: Yin Xiuzhen" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2021; "Me & Beuys: Zhao Bandi's Nut" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2020; "Collaborative Construction" at Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum in 2020; "Me & Beuys: Yang Zhenzhong" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2020; "Me & Beuys: Zhou Xiaohu" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2019; "Shanghai Files: Uniform Motion" at Shanghai Himalayas Museum in 2019; "Montadas: Asian Protocols" at Three Shadows Photography Art Centre in 2018; "Yesterday's Today: First Anren Biennale" in 2017; "Exposición: El futuro ya está aquí: frenesí musical de Madrid a Pekín" at Cervantes Institute in 2017; "Scarcity and Supply: 3rd Nanjing International Art Exhibition" at Baijia lake Art Museum in 2016; "Beijing 798 Genesis(2002-2006)" at Songzhuang Art Museum in 2016.
Curated numerous exhibitions and projects, recent ones include: "Zhao Bandi's Nut" (Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanjing, Xiamen, Shenyang, Shunde, Qingdao, Chengdu, Changzhou, Zhengzhou，Beijing... from 2020 to present); "Drift: Fostering Stars Project" at Wuhan Art Museum (Qintai Art Museum) in 2023; "Me & Beuys: Wang Guangyi" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2021; "A Realistic Shocking Of The Virtual Authenticity: Shanghai's First Global NFT Crypto Art Exhibition" at Tank 1, West Bund Art Park in Shanghai in 2021; "Me & Beuys: Yin Xiuzhen" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2021; "Me & Beuys: Zhao Bandi's Nut" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2020; "Collaborative Construction" at Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum in 2020; "Me & Beuys: Yang Zhenzhong" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2020; "Me & Beuys: Zhou Xiaohu" at HOW Museum（Shanghai） in 2019; "Shanghai Files: Uniform Motion" at Shanghai Himalayas Museum in 2019; "Montadas: Asian Protocols" at Three Shadows Photography Art Centre in 2018; "Yesterday's Today: First Anren Biennale" in 2017; "Exposición: El futuro ya está aquí: frenesí musical de Madrid a Pekín" at Cervantes Institute in 2017; "Scarcity and Supply: 3rd Nanjing International Art Exhibition" at Baijia lake Art Museum in 2016; "Beijing 798 Genesis(2002-2006)" at Songzhuang Art Museum in 2016.