Jiang Cheng graduated with BA from China Academy of Fine Arts (2008), and MFA of painting from China Academy Chineisch-Deutsche Kunstakademie Germany (2012) (Joint program by China Academy of Fine Arts and The Berlin University of the Arts). Jiang Cheng's work was selected in the 2013 Uneasy Trip in Asia (Star Gallery) show, exhibition in Taiwan Cans Tea & Book House and Hong Kong Poly Gallery. Other group shows including Art Beijing (2011, 2012) and etc. This solo exhibition Labyrinth, presented by Ying Gallery, show oil paintings and works on papers of almost 20 pieces.

Preface

By Feng Boyi

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 exhibition

Duration: Nov 23, 2013 - Jan 12, 2014

Venue: Ying Gallery

Opening: Nov 23, 2013 Sat 15:00

Gallery Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 (Wed-Sun, Tue by Appointment)

Tel: 010-57220406

Add: No.327 Cao Chang Di Village, Cui Ge Zhuang, Chao Yang District, Beijing

Courtesy of the artist and Ying Gallery.