Ye Jian Qing

Ye Jian Qing (b. 1972) is a foremost example of an artist who has redefined what it means to be a contemporary Chinese artist; retaining the aesthetic and philosophical heritage of Chinese cultural influences while displaying an individualistic creative identity. Born in Zhejiang Province, China, Ye is a well established artist, having won acclaim from critics and collectors alike. Having obtained his Master Degree and PhD from the Beijing Central Academy of Art (CAFA), he is currently teaching at the Fresco Department in CAFA.

In a bold and valuable reversion to subtle yet intellectually stimulating works, Ye draws on the refined approach of traditional Chinese painting, and fuses it with modern sensibilities. His oil on canvas depictions of land and cityscapes are unique in both concept and perspective, expressed in an almost dream-like manner to trigger emotional and philosophical responses amongst his viewers. Ye’s work is fluid and moving; relying on dusky hues and diaphanous textures to evoke a sense of deep poeticism and yearning for a past which is rapidly fading. The emotive quality of his work turns the muted canvas into a metaphor for cultural and artistic reflection.

A recognizable theme of Ye’s works is the image of Hutongs, the traditional winding alleyways of China which connect the courtyards of ancient houses. Hutongs are deeply ingrained into the psyche of city inhabitants, being the backdrop of daily life, historical and social change. However they are gradually being eroded by encroaching urbanization and Ye’s softly blurred images are permeated by a sense of pursuing vanishing moments.

Ye’s paintings capture present-day China in a way which is rarely seen, as a product of its rich cultural and historical past ceding to a bustling metropolis, an anomaly which will soon vanish and leave its traces only on the canvas of progressive visionaries like himself.

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