Preface

By Feng Boyi, Curator

Jiang Cheng’s art resides on the edge of realistic imagery and unrealistic settings, using a type of visual metaphors in search for particular judgments, thoughts and expressions towards self and reality. His images mobilize a kind of complex, vibrant yet fragile structure, almost intentionally disrupting the visual orders, and cutting through his existence and inner conscious, transforming them into numerous small glittering pieces. He constructed a divide between reality and dream; a visual effect filled with grief, melancholy and mystery. It actually metaphorically presents his personal experience, memory and encounters, or another way of sensing towards inter-connection, a corresponding form of adsorption.

In such a mode, which surpasses experiences and feelings, Jiang Cheng did not intentionally seek for meanings with things and phenomenon. Maybe art rooted in daily life, should first have the capacity of finding the most meanings in most meaningless things; the ability of bringing whatever and wherever to the height of importance. However, this kind of choice and transformation does not put meaning to people or things, rather, it presents meaning through relationship between people and objects, and through detailed anecdotes. He picks and chooses from realistic personal experiences while releasing his own memory, interests and tastes; a genuine and direct presentation of inner-self under imagination, referred to as abstract reality of one’s inner reflection.

Maybe Jiang Cheng would eventually like to accomplish is depicting the real condition of a small fragile living being seeking out the trajectory and intimate feelings in the world of such vast chaos. We can see that these works have a blood tie with realism; they also demonstrate his classic art education background. At the same time, he maintains a free, open and experimental working attitude. Such expansion with freedom fills the jumping gaps making his works so much more complete, consolidating all senses and distilling his fearless unique and thriving self-expression in this chaotic world.

About the artist

Jiang Cheng

1985 Born in Quzhou, Hangzhou.

2008 Graduated from China Academy of Art with B.A.

2012 Graduated from China Academy of Art Chinesisch-Deutsche Kunstakademie Department of Painting with M.F.A.

Currently lives and works in Hangzhou.

Solo exhibitions

2016 Samen, Jiang Cheng Solo Exhibition, de Sarthe Gallery, Beijing, China

2013 Labyrinth,Ying Gallery, Beijing, China

Group exhibitions

2016 Nipple Confusion, Art Depot, Beijing, China

2015 Co Space One, Shanghai, China

2014 Art Beijing, Beijing, China

2013 Song of Youth, Moon Gallery, Tai Zhong, Tai Wan, China

2013 Uneasy Trip in Asia IV, Poly Gallery, Hong Kong, China

2013 Uneasy Trip in Asia III, Cans Tea & Book House, Taipei, China

2012 Fresh Glimpse-1980’s Generation Artists Group Exhibition, The Other Gallery Art Lab, Beijing, China

2012 Art Beijing, Beijing, China

2012 Fifth Anniversary of China Academy of Art Chinesisch-Deutsche Kunstakademie—The Outstanding Graduates Group Exhibition, China Academy of Art Museum, Hangzhou, China

2011 Chang kong yang zhi fu tong tui en yuan shi pu xin juan zai-14 People Free Painting Exhibition, Community Art Space, Hangzhou, China

2011 Rundgang, The Berlin University of the Arts, Berlin, Germany

2011 Young Artists Group Exhibition, Uferhallen, Berlin, Germany

2011 Art Beijing, Beijing, China

2010 Foggy Ark- 2nd ART SPRING Exhibition by Postgraduates of China Academy of Art, No.8 Gallery, Hangzhou, China

2008 Looking Ahead ·Eyes Empty—Public Art Exhibition, Hang Zhou Normal University Modern art gallery, Hangzhou, China

Courtesy of the artist and de Sarthe Gallery.