Duan Jianyu's Yúqiáo exhibition at YDP London explores contemporary disengagement through classical Chinese motifs
The exhibition Yúqiáo by Duan Jianyu, showcasing 20 artworks, is on display at YDP in London until 20 December. Originally hailing from Zhengzhou, the Guangzhou-based artist studied at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts during the early 1990s and became a member of the Daweixiang collective. Her creations reflect the evolving nature of life in China, merging traditional and contemporary elements. The Yúqiáo series draws inspiration from a motif of the Northern Song dynasty, highlighting everyday life. Through humor and symbols like chickens, she critiques high culture. Previous works, such as Sharp, Sharp, Smart (2014–16), engage with cultural phenomena. Themes in Yúqiáo include urban life, childhood cartoons, farmland, and reflections on the pandemic, with Duan emphasizing that humor embodies wisdom.
Key facts
- Duan Jianyu's exhibition Yúqiáo is on view at YDP, London through 20 December
- Duan studied at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in the early 1990s and joined the Daweixiang collective
- The Yúqiáo series draws from a classical Chinese motif dating to the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127 CE)
- Sharp, Sharp, Smart (2014–16) was inspired by the Shamate sub-culture coined by Luo Fuxing
- Sharp, Sharp, Smart No.1 (2014) references Kazimir Malevich's Sportsmen (1931) and responds to land expropriation
- Duan's work contrasts with Beijing artists like Zhang Huan, who performed 12 Square Meters (1994)
- Yúqiáo includes 20 paintings divided into four groups, with references to Fan Kuan and Black Cat Detective
- Duan states humor contains wisdom and her work reflects contemporary disengagement and mundane realities
Entities
Artists
- Duan Jianyu
- Zhang Huan
- Kazimir Malevich
- Fan Kuan
- Luo Fuxing
- Shao Yong
Institutions
- YDP
- Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
- Daweixiang (Big-Tail Elephant)
- ArtReview
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Guangzhou
- China
- Zhengzhou
- Henan province
- Beijing