Inside-Outside No.11, Details
The growth of all creatures over the four seasons has not changed or slowed down because of the miserable human experience. When I pause, I clearly realized the unstoppable power of nature and felt the fragility of human beings and our individual powerlessness.
Chen Xi was at home with parents during the quarantine.
The growth and progress of human beings is always learned from lessons. In this golden autumn, there is no bumper harvest, but only a number of uncertainties—Has the virus mutated? Does the vaccine work? Has the demonstration finished yet? Are fires and flood endless? Is there enough food? Will there be war? What about the deep-seated problems caused by free resignation and unified and efficient restoration? Why did the philosopher commit suicide? Technology is like an out-of-control beast, constantly charging forward. Under this current circumstances, has the inhibition of human and artistic philosophy lost its efficacy? Where will our introspection on future hope and reality be reflected? Can art, music, literature, and poetry provide the greatest comfort and salvation to the human spirit as in the past?
Are we willing to be lunatics or fools?
Quarantine Series, Photography, 2020
Art is useless at this time, because it cannot save lives, nor can it produce more food. However, I insist that the ideal value of art directly refers to the spiritual world of people. In order to be able to live happily, people will do a lot of smart things, however, stupid and bad things are inevitable. Afterwards, we know how to create a conclusion and reflection on the pursuit of a just and loving ideal society. Text is a summary, and art is another. The boundary of art has been expanded infinitely today, and nihilistic emotions have led to the coexistence of speculation, flirtatiousness and active struggle as well as serious exploration, which also affects their respective audiences. In this hard-hitting world, art would be better to be a ray of light in a dark hour, and the common spiritual placebo of mankind, rather than a cream flower on the cake of a privileged class table.
Inside-Outside No.12, Details 
Inside-Outside No.3, Acrylic Painting, 2019
Inside-Outside No.9 (Small Draft), 230x195cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2020 (Unfinished)
Inside-Outside No.10 (Small Draft), 230x195cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2020 (Unfinished)
Inside-Outside No.10 (Details)
Cited from Essays on the Post-pandemic in 2020
Chen Xi
2020.10.18.
Chen Xi —a famous contemporary female artist in China
She graduated from the Fourth Studio, Oil Painting Department, Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1991; She has been a professor and master director of the school of architecture, Central Academy of Fine Arts since 2004.
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2018 Rabbit on The Run, Beijing Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China
2016 It World: The Solo Exhibition of Chen Xi, Hui Art Space, Beijing, China
Chen Xi: So remember, The University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Major Group Exhibitions:
2020 IN THINKING—The Intellectual History and Methodologies of Chinese Contemporary Art, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
2019 Staring and Creation: Look at Europe from China—The Opening Exhibition of Jupiter Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
Fusion—Contemporary Chinese Oil Painting Research Exhibition, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Back to Childhood—58th La Biennale Di Venezia China special exhibition, Venice, Italy
Pingyao International Sculpture Festival, Pingyao, China
2018 Extended Space—The 2018 Dongguan Sculpture Installation Art Festival, Dongguan,China
The World: The 2018 Research Exhibition of Contemporary Women's Art in China, Yan Huang Art Museum,Beijing, China
2017 The First Anren International Biennale, Anren, Chengdu, China
In the Mood for Love: An Exhibition Featuring Chinese and Canadian Female Artists, Poly Cultural Art Center, Vancouver, Canada
The Silk Road and Celestial Cloths, The Museum of Imperial Ancestral Temple, Beijing, China
Contemporary Dialogues Between Fashion and Art, Zhuzhong Art Museum, Beijing, China
Fusion: Contemporary Oil Painting Language Research Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
VOlCES, The Embassy of the European Union, Beijing, China
2016 The Third Nanjing International Art Exhibition, Baijia Lake Art Museum, Nanjing, China
Chimney: Position, Vision, Manner, Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Major Publications selected
Chinese Art History in the 20th Century, Chinese Version, English Version, Italian Version
Contemporary Chinese Art Documents
Contemporary Chinese Fine Arts from 1979 to 1999, Oil Painting Volume
Contemporary Chinese Art History from 1990 to 1999
China Contemporary Fine Arts Collection-New Expressionism
Chinese Art Today
Image and Text Courtesy of the Artist.
Translated and Edited by Sue and Emily/CAFA ART INFO
