In The Mood for Love offers a compelling view of the capacity that Chinese women artists from the Song Dynasty to present have to convey powerful visual compositions across mediums ranging from photography to painting, works on paper, mixed media work and more.
Curated by Christy Qin and Sally Wu, this ambitious group exhibition pairs the masterful expertise and technical proficiency of women artists past and present across the Chinese diaspora, featuring artists working in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States, Australia, Germany, and other locales.
Xin Song, Brain Water (Wave Series), 2022, Mixed materials collage with paper cut on paper, 25.5x32in
Yan Lin, Mug Flag, 2010, Xuan paper on canvas Mounted on wood, 60x36x9in
A potent reminder that women have an intuitive grasp in depth, composition and form while serving as a reminder that women in contemporary culture are capable of leading any field within the visual arts.
In The Mood for Love compels viewers to re-examine not only the rich diversity of art created by diasporic Chinese women artists but also the multifaceted themes, concepts and formats that their work deftly inhabits.
Jingyu Xu, Reflection, 2023, Acrylic and Sand on canvas, 16x20in 
Tong Wang, The smell of after rain, 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 24x36in
Often hidden in the past, these artists have risen up to glory in modern times as women artists have assumed a position at the forefront of the contemporary art market.
Women artists with Chinese origins working in the 21st century have the world at their feet: whether studying abroad or diving into traditional and contemporary methods within the People’s Republic of China, these contemporary artists coalesce both Western and Chinese or Pan-Asian influences into their practice, forming some of the most exciting series of works available on the art market.
Annysa Ng, Mirror, 2017, Ink,acrylic,fiber paste on linen, 40x30in
Kelly Wang, Microcosm 15, 2023, Xuan paper newspaper and acrylic on muslin, 50x30in
Featuring the work of artists painting nearly 1,000 years ago to today, In The Mood for Love certainly offers space for women artists to explore the sensual and visceral, but in no way confines women to any preconceived notions of traditional Chinese society or alienates theme from exploring themes that hold their conceptual interest.
Women continue to push boundaries and hold spaces at the forefront of artistic experimentation and rebellion, and this spirit is palpable throughout In The Mood for Love.
Pixy Yijun Liao, It's never been easy to carry you, 2013, Phtograph, 16x20in
Ellie Kayu NG, Reaching, 2023, Oil on canvas, 40x24in
Many artists featured in the exhibition choose to delve into portraiture and identity, as found in the works of artists Ellie Ng, Amy Liu, Pixy Liao, Wenhao Cai and Annysa Ng, while others push the boundaries of abstraction, such as found in the practice of artists Emily Cheng, Yan Lin, Yanzi Zhang, Xin Song and Kelly Wang.
Yanzi Zhang, Awakening of insects, 2022, Ink and wash on paper, 9.5x11.8in
While abstraction may seem at odds with centuries of representation, landscape forward scenic painting in China which has influenced Asian arts as a region, there are no restrictions on the daring steps that these women artists take when innovating within painting as a genre, in both abstract and representational painting. Text-based works such as those created by Fei Cui, Charlotte Wu, and Shuwen Cao form a powerful contrast to historical paintings integrating figuration and text, such as works on view by Song dynasty Empress Yang Meizi.
Meizi Yang, 王宏送酒圖, Song Dynasty, Song Dynasty Ink on Silk, 10.2x11in
Yu-ho Tseng, Shan Ling(Mountain and Tree), 1959, Mixed media, 25x35in
While many of these artists have overcome substantial barriers to create the formally and conceptually compelling work they create today, the rich and storied history of Chinese painting and art-making-and the remarkable role that women artists play in Chinese art history on the global stage-is impactful and undeniable.
WenHao Cai, Tea Party for Two, 2023, Oil on canvas, 65x45in
Xiangni Song, Goose Lady, 2022, Oil on canvas, 24x18in
Amy Liu, Juan and Catto, 2023, Acrylic and graphite on canvas, 40x30in
Xinyu Wo, Tao Yuan Ming's Illusion, 2023, Oil on canvas, 36x24in
Whether evoking the contours of the human form, the hidden struggles of identity or the enduring strength of the human spirit, artworks on view in this historic group exhibition offer a resounding reminder that Chinese women artists are who, and what, they determine themselves to be, whether in dialogue with the rich millenia of Chinese artistic expression before them or diving into the unknown with a sense of spirited abandon.
Emily Cheng, Beyond Majestic 5, 2022, Flashe on canvas, 46x39in
Charlotte Wu, Warm 22, 2022, Acrylic on paper, 17x20in
Cai Shen, Euclid, 2022, Mixed media, 11.8x8in
Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Vantage, 2023, Acrylic, thread and canvas, 20x30in
On view from March 2nd until April 1st at 150 W 25th St, Suite #403 in New York, NY, In The Mood for Love is a true labor of love worth experiencing during its tenure.
About the Exhibition
Duration: March 2, 2023 - April 1, 2023
Curator: Christy Qin & Sally
Artists: Wu Bingyi, Wenhao Cai, Yutong Cai, Shuwen Cao, Emily Cheng, Mandy Chen, Fei Cui, Zhen Guo, Hastoya, Xiaomo Hong, Cindy Hsu, DoDo JinMing, Maggie Law, Orange Li, Pixy Yijun Liao, Yan Lin, Amy Liu, Evelyn Lu, Min Luo, Loy Luo, Annysa Ng, Ellie Kayu Ng, Yan Nie, Pei Ou, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Julia Shen, Cai Shen, Quni Shiyi Sheng, Helen Shu, XiangNi Song, Xin Song, Yu-ho Tseng, Tong Wang, Jiahe Wang, Kelly Wang, Charlotte Wu, Xinyu Wo, Meizi Yang, Danwen Xing, Jingyu Xu, Bing Yun, Lanyin Yu, Yanzi Zhang, Yu Zhang
Opening Reception: Wednesday, March 8th 6-9pm (International Women's Day) 150 W 25th St, Suite #403, New York, NY 10001
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