Inside Outside

Inside Outside 出江南: Reconstruction and Re-creation of Young Artists' Ink Painting — The First Exhibition of the “Linquan (Forest and Spring Gathering)” Series

Date: 20 August 2022- 7 October 2022

Opening: 20 August 2022, 14:00

Venue: 1+Art Center, Hangzhou, China

Presented by: Gao Xiangbo, Yi Yan

Chief Planner: June Bo

Curator: Shaofeng Duan

Executive Curator: Arthology

Poster of Inside Outside: Reconstruction and Re-creation of Young Artists' Ink Painting

FOREWORD

This inaugural exhibition under the theme of Linquan (Forest and Spring Gathering) arises from both a longing for and an imagination of the traditional yaji (elegant gatherings of literati). The name “First Exhibition” implies future continuations—a second, a third, and perhaps an ongoing series of reflections and creations.

Linquan (Forest and Spring Gathering) evokes a form more aligned with the spirit of ink painting exhibitions. In classical art history, the term “exhibition” itself draws a distinction between Eastern and Western traditions. For ancient Chinese artists, painting often stemmed from a desire to withdraw from reality, to seek an ideal state, or simply to fulfill a profession. These works naturally returned to daily life, without the need for formal exhibitions. The act of viewing paintings happened during such yaji (elegant gatherings). In contrast, Western art developed with more institutionalized formats like the Salon. Exhibitions, as we know them in modern Chinese art, only truly emerged in the 20th century. While this exhibition adopts the contemporary format of an art show, the terms Linquan and yaji reflect a shared cultural ideal held by both the participating artists and the organizing institution.

The title Inside Outside holds dual significance for artists exhibiting within Jiangnan (South of the Yangtze River). Jiangnan is more than a geographic location—it is a deeply embedded cultural symbol, representing the tradition we have inherited and continuously engage with. Yet, tradition is anything but singular. I recall a conversation from nine years ago during a new ink art curation project. Professor Hang Chunxiao of the Chinese National Academy of Arts once challenged me with a question: “What tradition are you rebelling against?” That moment revealed to me how simplistic my earlier understanding of tradition had been. In ink painting, nearly every artist speaks of tradition—but often only in abstract terms. As a collective consciousness, Chinese culture leans toward traditionalism. Many contemporary artists resist it in their youth, only to return to it in maturity. In this sense, the body is indeed honest.

Jiangnan, as a cultural symbol, represents a mental attitude toward tradition. Chu Jiangnan (Leaving Jiangnan) can also be interpreted as “leaving tradition.” To come from tradition and to move beyond it—this duality is characteristic of the generation of ink artists born in the 1980s. In discussions on contemporary culture and art, inheritance and innovationare two inevitable destinations. At heart, these are questions of how we view the past, understand the present, and imagine the future. Artists born in the 1980s, like generations before them, grapple with these same questions. Yet, their difference lies in the convergence of tradition and contemporaneity, as well as the interplay between global and local contexts.

The artists featured in this exhibition emerged largely after 2008—a year marked by the Beijing Olympics and a symbolic high tide of globalization. The rise of new ink art around that time was deeply embedded in this broader socio-cultural context. Ink is not only a medium, but also a symbol and a spirit. Its complexity echoes that of tradition itself. The 1980s generation experienced their formative years during the 2003 SARS outbreak, came of age amid the global currents of the post-2008 era, and witnessed the downturn of globalization in 2020. Their understanding of tradition and emotional connection to it are embodied in their ink works. The reconstruction and re-creation seen in this exhibition are part of every generation’s effort—and this exhibition presents that endeavor through the lens of this particular one.

ARTISTS
Kai Bian, Fanshu, Hui Guo, Jingjie Huang, Junwei Huang, Hao Li, Tianlian Liu, Wan Lin, Jian Peng, Hao Sun, Qifan Wang, Yiya Wang, Xu Xiao, Hao Yao, Yu Yu, Mingde Zhou, Zhiqin Zeng.