Lu Xinjian on His Journey from Rural China to International Artist
During a discussion at De Sarthe Gallery in Beijing, artist Lu Xinjian, who was born in 1977 in Yixinge, reflects on his evolution from a family of farmers to a contemporary artist. At just 11 years old, a volunteer teacher identified his artistic potential. Prior to 2000, China had roughly ten galleries, with none in Nanjing as of 1997. To sustain himself, he pursued graphic design and was motivated by a 1999 exhibition to further his studies in the Netherlands. After four years of saving, he gained admission to the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2004. His work "The Bleeding Rose" emerged from a difficult breakup, while the "City DNA" series drew inspiration from De Stijl. His exhibition "Infinite Lines" was showcased at De Sarthe Gallery until April 30, 2017.
Key facts
- Lu Xinjian was born in 1977 in Yixinge, China, to a poor farming family.
- He decided to pursue art after a volunteer teacher from Nanjing saw his drawings at age 11.
- Before 2000, there were only about ten galleries in all of China.
- He studied graphic design at Nanjing Institute of Art, where only 5-6 painting students were admitted per year.
- A 1999 Studio Dumbar exhibition at Nanjing Museum inspired him to study in the Netherlands.
- He worked four years as a graphic designer to save money for studying abroad.
- He was accepted into the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2004 and later transferred to the Frank Mohr Institute.
- His series 'The Bleeding Rose' was created after a painful breakup, sending a rose and drawing every three days from September 17 to December 19.
- He developed the 'City DNA' series in 2009, inspired by De Stijl and Mondrian.
- In 2014, Francisco J. Sanchez commissioned works of the White House and Capitol, leading to a focus on reflections.
- Lu observes that Shanghai has replaced Beijing as China's contemporary art capital, with government support.
- His exhibition 'Infinite Lines' was at De Sarthe Gallery, Beijing until April 30, 2017.
Entities
Artists
- Lu Xinjian
- Piet Mondrian
Institutions
- De Sarthe Gallery
- Nanjing Museum
- Studio Dumbar
- Design Academy Eindhoven
- Frank Mohr Institute
- Yeungman University
- College of Design and Art of Yeungman University
Locations
- Yixinge
- Nanjing
- China
- Eindhoven
- Netherlands
- Korea
- Shanghai
- Beijing
- Capitol
- White House