Sponsored by the noted artistic service agencies Artron Culture Group, Artron Foundation, and Artron.com, “The 7th Award of Art China·Annual Influential Ceremony 2012” successfully lowered the curtain at the Forbidden City on May 16, 2013. The most influential 13 art awards were announced on that day.

Being on an unprecedented scale, AAC China 2102 gains attention from cultural, art, fashion and enterprise industries, more than 300 artists, art critics, entrepreneurs, media people, auction houses and gallery directors gathered together at the grand ceremony. The honored guests, Shan Jixiang, President of the Palace Museum, Pan Gongkai, President of CAFA, Fan Di-an, National Art Museum of China, well-known art critics Jia Fangzhou and Yin Shuangxi, noted patron of the arts Hallam Chow, renowned artists Liu Xiaodong, Sui Jianguo , Song Dong, Shi Jinsong, Xiang Jing, etc. In addition, entrepreneur Ren Zhiqiang, former chairman of Huayuan Real Estate, Wang Chaoyong, Chairman of China Equity Capital Group, Su Mang, Vice President of Trends Media Group Publishing, noted director Zhang Yuan, as well as a large number of celebrities of all social circles attended the event. AAC China has become an important annual event in the Chinese contemporary art world, as well as opening an important window to enterprise and cultural industries and the public, to understand the development of Chinese contemporary art.

Going through 9 rounds of preliminary selection, then a final selection and forum, taking 6 months, the most influential 13 art awards were selected by dozens of authoritative professional judges and announced at the Ningshou Palace Square in the Forbidden City, on May 16, 2013.

The winners of the most influential artist awards of the year are as followings: Wang Jianwei wins the award for Installation and Multimedia group, Mao YAN wins the award for Oil Painting group, Luo Dan wins the award for Photography group, Li Jin, wins the award for Ink and wash, Shi Kai wins the award for Chinese Calligraphy group, Liu Jianhua wins the award for Sculpture group, and the winner of Young Artists group is Zhang Xiangxi, who reflects the most “real life” aspect of current Chinese people, with his “micro-works”.

"Position: Zou Yuejin’s Art Theories and Criticisms Collection” wins the Annual Art Publication Award, which makes an important reference to help us understand the development of art theories and criticisms since the reform and opening up, largely reflecting the artistic ideas, methods and positions of the scholars of the generation; “‘Reactivation’ 9th Shanghai Biennale 2012”, which comprehensively presented the unique value ??of contemporary Chinese culture and the status of the development of international contemporary art, wins the award for the annual exhibition; Chinese Sculpture Society wins the Annual Special Contribution Award, by virtue of launching a young sculptors’ group exhibition, entitled “Qi”; the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award is the artist Shang Yang, who goes with the times, and his art plays an important role in Chinese contemporary art history. Compared with previous years, AAC China 2012 initially established an award for the foreign artist that is most influential in China, won by Louise Bourgeois, with the exhibition “Louise Bourgeois: Alone and Together” held at Faurschou Foundation Beijing at the end of 2012, known as one of the best exhibitions of 2012. In addition, it initially established the Art Plus, won an award from the commercial brand Martell, always striving to make a perfect combination of branding and art.

The launch to the public of “Light Art Dream” was held at the awards ceremony, Wang Jie, Chairman of Artron Culture Group, granted the artists who participated in the public philanthropy project the certificate of “Dream Ambassador”.

AAC Art China has been practicing the integration of art and the public, constantly focusing on charity art over the years, the promotion of the dissemination of art and art education. In the 20th anniversary of Artron Culture Group, Artron Foundation organized the renowned artists, to open the “Light the art dreams of rural schoolchildren and the implementation of the training program of rural teachers”, igniting artistic dreams for the children in the countryside; to help the rural teachers, rooted in the countryside to master their capability in setting up art appreciation courses for children, enhancing children's artistic accomplishments. Over the seven years, as the organizer, Artron. com has been adhering to independently building an academic platform, to consistently record bit by bit the contemporary Chinese art world. “The Award of Art China · Annual Influential Ceremony" has been deeply branded into people’s minds, leading contemporary Chinese art circles, with a firm foothold in the last seven years.

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