A simple opening ceremony of “Academy – Exhibition of Works of the Young Teachers from Central Academy of Fine Arts” was held in building 3 of Today Art Museum on November 30 after it opened on November 24, 2013. Tan Ping, Vice President of CAFA, Gao Peng, Director of Today Art Museum, as well as artists were present at the opening, coming together and exchanging creation, discussing art.

The exhibition is an extension of the “Academy – Exhibition of Works of Eight Young Teachers from Central Academy of Fine Arts” in 2011, showcasing new works of Yu Fan, Shi Yu, Bai Xiaogang, Sun Xun, Liu Shangying, Lu Liang, Li Ronglin, Wu Jiang, Yuan Yuan and Kang Jianfei, presented their latest thinking and artistic expression from these young teachers of the Academy. Over the past two years, these teachers’ works have undergone great changes, they continue to explore in the creation, gradually creating a new language, turning to a broader creative space.

Tan Ping said in the interview that, as the academic moderator he hoped it promoted artists to constantly explore in the creation, making progress in questioning and self-denial. “Academy” is not conservative, but research, experimentation and exploration, compared with academic exhibition in the school, exhibition outside the campus is an effective complement, an opportunity for academy artists to know, chanllenge themselves and review their works. Yuan Yuan, representative of the artists said the exhibition gave them opportunities to communicate with each other, to discuss art, open up whole new vistas for their artistic creations which used to be self-closed , which precisely fit the diverse and open form of contemporary art, title of the exhibition “Academy” was not only to indicate their identities, and also to spur on their art, conveying a kind of expectation.

The exhibition encompasses abundant categories including oil painting, print, sculpture and installation. Kang Jianfei features his works of woodcut “Flower is a Matchmaker”, “Emission”, installation of “Zhonghua” and literature, etc. Shi Yu showcases nearly twenty pieces of works of “Graffiti” series themed urban night scenes, theses oil painting on picture papers reveal a sense of restlessness and anxiety. Wu Jiang showcases the abstract works of installation completed in this year. Sun Xun’s five works depict familiar places in the life, through evoking the common experience of life to extract the beauty of some commonalities. Yu Fan presents his sculptural works in 2000 including “Cranes”, “How to Explain the Future to Your Childhood”, “Crosswind No.2”, etc. Bai Xiaogang demonstrates dozens of new works with notebooks and folders, etc. as the creative elements. Li Ronglin brings his works of oil painting “Imperial City in the Hill” and “Dead Wood”. Lu Liang showcases his new works finished in recent three years including “Exit Passageway”, “Tough Dusk” and “Tunnel with Little Surface Water on the Road”. Yuan Yuan brings three works of “Her” series. Works of “Lake Manasarovar” series by Liu Shangying express his longing for a pure world.

These ten artists are working in different majors of the School of Plastic, CAFA, no longer confined themselves to genre, technique, theme, etc., from the “canvas” to the “space”, from “painting” to “concepts”, from “self-expression” to “social meanings”, from “collective” to “individuals”, their expression and thinking are independent and mutually inspiring as they are from different subjects, showcasing an unique look of the exhibition, giving “academy” a new meaning.

Journalist: Ye Yuanfeng, Photo: Hu Zhiheng/CAFA ART INFO

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO