On March 21, 2014, Press Conference of “The 8th Award of Art China ? Selections of the Annual Influential Artists 2013” was held at the Place Museum. Participating honourable guests included: LaoZhu, Chairman of Vetting Committee, Tang Ju, a well-known collector and a judge of the preliminary selection of oil painting, He Guiyan, a judge of the preliminary selection of sculpture, Zhu Wenyi, Vice President of Artron Culture Group and general manager of Artron.com, as well as dozens of media representatives. After screening the promotional videos of AAC, preliminary selection, and “Summary of the Preliminary Selection of the 8th AAC”, He Guiyan, Tang Ju, Zhu Qingsheng and Zhu Wenyi successively addressed, and jointly turned on? the video announcing the top 5 finalists of the 12 awards.

He Guiyan, as the representative of the preliminary selection said, the judges of the preliminary selection of the year had changed a lot, in addition to critics, cross-boundary, sociological circles, director of the museum, curator and key collector were invited to serve as judges. Secondly, judges fully received the information on the nomination of the awards before the preliminary selection, while preparation work was finished and a comparison was made with the previous ones. Thirdly, it added a small forum for each award. Finally, the numbers of judges of the preliminary selection increased to 10 from 5. He Guiyan also proposed that AAC should try to promote the achievements following the awards, in addition to offering the awards.

At the press conference, Zhu Wenyi focused on the four highlights of AAC, which firstly announced the monthly report of observations. Secondly, it optimized the selection mechanism, and initially added the annual award to a curator. Thirdly, the use of resources and advantages of media kept focusing on the changing future of the artists. Finally, Summit Night of the AAC of the year is about to be held at the more brilliant and overwhelming Cining Palace square.

Laozhu serves as the rotating chairman of the vetting committee of the professional judges of The 8th Award of Art China ? Selections of the Annual Influential Artists 2013. Judges of the final selections include: Feng Boyi, Gong Jisui, Huang Zhuan, Jia Fangzhou, Lu Hong, Pi Daojian, Qiu Zhenzhong, Shu Kewen, Sun Zhenhua, Yu Ke, Yin Shuangxi, Yang Xiaoyan, Ye Yongqing, and Zhang Yiwu. Taking three months for the selection, it announced the finalists of the preliminary selection of the 12 awards:

Finalists of Annual Curator: Cui Cancan, Li Xianting + Liu Xiaochun, Li Xu, Wang Huangsheng, Zhu Zhu

Finalists of the Annual Young Artist: Cheng Ran, Gao Lei, Li Bingyuan, Sun Xun, the Unrelated Group

Finalists of the Annual Publication: “Huangshan Mountains Figure: Image and Concept of Huangshan Mountains of the Landscape Painting in the Second Half of the 17th Century”, “Beepub ? Contemporary Art Book Series”, “The Painting of Modern Life: “Paris in the Art of Manet and His Followers”, “Collected Works of Yuan Dynasty”, “Janson’s History of Art”

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Sculpture: Li Xiuqin, Li Zhen, Shi Hui, Yang Guang, Yu Fan

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Photography: Li Lang, Wang Guofeng, Wang Ningde, Wei Bi, You Li

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Calligraphy: Bao Xianlun, He Yinghui, Liu Zhengcheng, Sun Boxiang, Wang Dongling

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Ink and Wash: Cai Guangbin, Liang Quan, Liu Qinghe, Lu Fusheng, Wu Yi

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Oil Painting: Shang Yang, Su Xinping, Wang Yuping, Xin Dongwang, Yu Hong

Finalists of Annual Artist ? Installation and Multimedia: Miao Xiaochun, Wang Luyan, Xie Deqing, Xu Bing, Yin Xiuzhen

Finalists of Annual Art Exhibition: “Gentle Wave in Your Eye Fluid” the Solo Exhibition by Pipilotti Rist, “Portrait of the Times” 30 Years of Chinese Contemporary Art, Social Sculpture: Beuys in China, “Walking Across Heiqiao at Night” exhibition, “Autonomous Regions” contemporary art exhibition

Finalists of Annual Special Contribution Award: Zhang Zikang, Long Museum, “Five Colors Fund” Chengdu Foundation for Disabled Persons, Xin Dongwang, Xu Bing

Finalists of Annual Lifetime Achievement Award: Jin Shangyi, Lang Shaojun, Liu Xiaochun, Fu Shen, Zhan Jianjun.

The selection of AAC of the year strictly adheres to the challenge system, so that many judges drop out the final selection or cancel their elections due to it. At the preliminary selection, a judge must drop out of the selection, or continue with the contestant but gives up voting. The challenge system of the final selection is more rigorous. It ensures the selection of the AAC objective, fair and just.

After the end of the press conference, it launches a voting and guesses an activity on the new media platforms (official weibo and weixin of Artron.com) to the public internet citizens, and the public can load in the voting page to participate in guessing the top three in each award of the 8th Award of Art China ? Selections of the Annual Influential Artists, while a list of nomination awards (top three) will be issued in April, and the final awards will be announced on the Summit Night on May 23.

About the Award of Art China

The Award of Art China ? Selections of the Annual Influential Artists (AAC), is an annual art selection activity initiated by the largest Chinese portal website of artwork in the world - www.artron.net in 2006, in collaboration with the insiders of the art circles, and supported by more than one thousand people from the media. It aims at an annual summary and selection of artists, art events and the market. AAC activities are beneficial to both art lovers and consumers at home and abroad to understand Chinese mainstream art, enhancing the identity of the excellent Chinese culture, which is conducive to the international art market and academic circles to objectivity, comprehension and in-depth understand of the development of Chinese art.

Photo by Yang Yanyuan, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/ CAFA ART INFO