Art exhibition showcases new generation of young artists

The 16th Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition is underway at Liu Haisu Art Museum until November 26, featuring nearly 160 pieces of artwork created by 80 young artists to reflect the young power of the Chinese art community.

Varying from ink-wash paintings, installations, videos, canvases to sculpture, the exhibits were selected from 4,800 candidate pieces by 1,800 artists around the country.

Ti Gong

"Our selection criteria are not about how mature or how perfect the pieces are but rather if there is potential for the future from them," said Zhang Lixing, academic director of the exhibition. "Because this is the characteristic of youth art, and the most important of all, the value in organizing such an exhibition for young artists."

It is obvious that the percentage of new-media art pieces has increased this year. For example, Li Qiqing's video work is inspired by dwindling house numbers in the neighborhood of Yuyuan Garden due to demolition and relocation for urban development.

"We place emphasis on the term 'new,'" said Bao Weihua, director of Liu Haisu Art Museum. "Here, new is for everything. We have new selection criteria, a new high-tech display mode and new members of our curating team. We hope that the Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition will be a platform in nurturing the creative power, a guide to expand the scope of the artwork, and a means to expose the art to the public."

Ti Gong

Founded in 1980, the Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition has witnessed several generations of artists share their emotions and ponderings on changes in society or the ordinary life of Chinese families through their artwork. Some of the rising stars at the exhibition in the past gradually became the country's veteran artists, such as Yu Xiaofu and Lu Fusheng.

Ti Gong

Exhibition info:

Dates: Through November 26 (closed on Mondays), 10am-5pm
Venue: Liu Haisu Art Museum