Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection and Building the New Silk Road
With a collection over 10 years in the making, I decided it was time to create a personal anthology featuring the work of the many talented artists whom I love and admire. The first book of its kind, Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection presents 100 works from the “new generation” of contemporary Chinese artists — all in one place.
My friend and fellow collector, Adrian Cheng, collaborated with me to create this unified work, which recognizes the changes in Chinese society as it has rapidly grown into a new world power. The 100 works featured in the book are presented in chronological order to serve as an homage to the development of Chinese life, from the traditional paintings created at the turn of the twentieth century to the conceptual works of post-70’s artists.
Choosing only 100 works was not an easy task, as countless Chinese artists have contributed to China’s contemporary art scene through their interpretations of its utterly transformed culture. Many discussions — sometimes heated — took place before we finalized which were to be included in the collection.
Our ultimate selection epitomizes the key roles of Chinese artists as observers, participants, and commentators. Having been lucky enough to travel and visit many of the artists we featured, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of understanding the life experience of these artists to identify with their pieces. To be in their studios, observe their body language, and feel their internal force — that helps me make sense of the art.
All of the works we have included represent a crucial component of the contemporary Chinese identity, though some may be surprised by a few of our choices. Prevailing themes among many of the artists we included reflect the desire for individual expression, support for non-conformist tendencies, and fear stemming from increased urbanization and consumption.
We sought to further recognize the value that these artists have contributed through the physical construction of the Assouline volume. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, the luxury silk, clamshell cover contains 194 pages that reveal effects of the massive social, political, and cultural evolutions that all took place within a few generations.
The volume includes works from established artists who have played a key role in the unfolding of modern Chinese art. Some of these artists’ pieces — especially those created by Jia Aili, Liu Wei, and Wang Guangle — have become the most cherished works in my collection.
We also sought to include artists who may not have achieved the status of the volume’s renowned artists but who are emerging as significant figures in the contemporary art scene just the same. These artists include the likes of He Xiangyu, Wang Yuyang, and Zhao Zhao.
This holistic approach aims not only to express the continuity between pre-1970s Chinese art and the contemporary art circle but also to bring the perspective of my own cultural experience to understand the inner Chinese conscious in a way that is as accurate as possible.
Including commentary from Philip Tinari of the UCAA in Beijing, Alexandra Munroe of the Guggenheim in New York, and Karen Smith of OCAT Contemporary Art Terminal in Xi’an, the book and its artworks are meant to create a dialogue that fosters meaningful connections between the East and West — a modern Silk Road, if you will.
China, with its dynastic history extending back to a point in time in which it was the only region with written language, has always reflected its customs in its art. And through art, these customs, along with the themes behind them, can become globally understood.
Art serves as a universal language, bringing both artist and viewer — even one who knows nothing about the artist’s culture — together.
