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The Japan Times, Thursday, May 12, 2011
Zhu Wei: Utopia
By C.B. LIDDELL
Special to The Japan Times
"Holidays" (No.3.) by Zhu Wei COURTESY OF TOBIN OHASHI GALLERY
The status of contemporary Chinese art often seems driven by the notion that China is projected to overtake America as the world's leading economy and superpower sometime in the future, combined with the rather naive hope that artistic freedoms will somehow spill over into wider political freedoms.
The inherent qualities of the art seem somehow secondary in this grand socio-economic-artistic narrative. That Chinese art has accrued such a political patina is enough reason to be wary of it, but among all the buzz and chatter of a preternaturally active art scene, it is still possible to find art that sidesteps the hype and exists on its own terms as the culmination of authentic artistic processes.
The color ink wash paintings of Zhu Wei are a case in point. Painted with a traditional Chinese painting technique, these have a delicate, old-fashioned charm; while their contemporary subject matter avoids kitschy evocations of the past. The individualism and character of the artist is also strongly present in the distinctive way he has managed to stylize these modern motifs — mainly slightly satirical closeups of human figures — to fit this time-honored medium.
Given the nature of his art, it is also appropriate that Zhu Wei has opted to make his Tokyo solo debut with a small, low-key show at the Tobin Ohashi Gallery. The ironically titled "Utopia" show will present four specially prepared paintings along with eight prints.
This intimate outing represents quite a contrast to the loudly-trumpeted but hugely disappointing "Ai Weiwei — According to What?" at the Mori Art Museum, which welcomed China's most renowned contemporary artist to Tokyo a couple of years ago — especially as Zhu Wei is by far the more palatable artist.
《日本时报》2011年5月12日刊
朱伟：乌托邦
撰文 C.B. LIDDELL
当代中国艺术的地位似乎往往是在受着中国经济地位的驱动，也就是预计中国将在未来某个时候取代美国成为世界领先的经济超级大国，并且经常伴有一种天真的希望，希望这种艺术的自由迟早会蔓延到更广泛的政治自由。
在这种语调中，艺术的内在品质似乎有点沦为了社会经济大叙事下的次要描述。中国艺术中累积的政治铜锈就是一个让人担心的理由，但在一个不可思议的喧哗躁动的艺坛中仍然有可能找到这样的艺术：回避炒作，依据其自身条件逐步达到其真实进程的高潮。
水墨画家朱伟的水墨画就是一个很好的例子。他的画运用国画技巧，具有微妙的、老式的魅力，而画作的当代题材避免了过去俗气的桎梏。艺术家的个人主义和性格也强烈而独特，他设法将现代主题风格化——主要是微讽的人物特写——以适应这个历史悠久的媒介。
鉴于他艺术的气质，朱伟选择在小而低调的Tobin Ohashi画廊举办他在东京的首次个展。这个以讽刺的“乌托邦”为题的展览将展出四幅特为此次展览绘画的水墨和八张版画。
这个贴心的展览方式和几年以前事先大作宣传但结果令人非常失望的艾未未在森美术馆举办的个展“根据什么？”恰恰相反，尤其是当考虑到朱伟是迄今为止更受欢迎的艺术家时。 |
