Zhao Dewei's modern urban expressionism
To say that the Songzhuang artist Zhao Dewei loves art for art's sake would be an underestimation, for here we find a man who not only truly loves his art, but also lives it. Born in Shanghai, though later to settle in Qingdao, as Chairman of the Qingdao Youth Artists Association he tirelessly worked and strove to promote young talent via a self-organised 'Never Stopped By Wind Or Rain' open-air art activity involving contemporary art, behaviour, discussion and affairs. Four years out of a planned ten year programme were completed between 1988 and 1991, the events occurring in that difficult period bringing an unfortunate and premature closure to the activity. However dismaying and disheartening this may have been, the artist was not to be deterred, allaying any fears and doubts during the troublesome social climate to continue his dream, his paintings eventually and successfully shown in major exhibitions, both in mainland China and overseas.
In his latest series of works, Zhao Dewei expressively captures the gritty realities of urban life within the massively and rapidly changing environment of present day Beijing and indeed China as a whole. It is not incredible to note that whilst Britain has five urban centres of more than a million people, China has ninety, and that number will surely continue to grow. Several cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Nanjing - are well known around the world. The names of many others - Suqian, Suining, Xiantao and Liuan for example - are unfamiliar even to many Chinese. The sheer, overwhelming scale of the urbanisation process explored by the artist is most probably faster and certainly on a grander scale than anywhere else in the world today. The city of Chongqing has grown to become what is now the world's largest municipality, with an estimated 31,000,000 residents.
Inevitably, difficult social problems arise: this intensely competitive and restless environment produces stress and conflict, which many have a problem coping with. We as a viewer can find these elements strongly reflected in the artist's choice of topic and abstract expressionist technique: his ability to stage scenes from everyday life in a socio-realist manner that also addresses universal concerns. What at first sight may seem a turbulent arrangement of red, white, black and grey strokes is in-fact highly planned and executed: to reflect true-to-life scenery, the paint is applied rapidly, Zhao Dewei choosing to limit his colour palette in order to strengthen the visual impact of the piece, creating a sense of both immediacy and honesty. However, in the atmospheric cityscapes and urban scenery there is also an existential loneliness, an absorption into the self, and a detachment as we look at, for example, the artist's rendition of a traffic accident: a tragically commonplace occurrence in the life of any city. We, the viewer, are as the spectator, involved yet unable to help, aware that progress must, after all, come at a cost. That is not to say however that the overall theme of the series is one of melancholy - for from it - if anything rhythm and energy characterise Zhao Dewei's work, just as they characterise modern urban life.
1960
Born in Shanghai, China
1985 -1989
The Chairman of Qingdao Youth Artists Association
Selected Solo Exhibtions
2013
One Person's War•Zhao Dewei Solo Exhibition, Soemo Fine Arts, Beijing, China
Mind Drawings•Zhao Dewei Artworks Exhibition, Tiantai Art Museum, Qingdao, China
2008
Concerning the City•Zhao Dewei Solo Exhibition, Yi Art Space, 798, Beijing, China
2006
Zhao Dewei Solo Exhibition, Three Plus Three Gallery, 798, Beijing, China
2004
The Past, the Process and the Scene-1996-2003•Zhao Dewei Art Recalling Exhibition, Qingdao, China
2003
Zhao Dewei's New Art Works, Tai Wan
1999
Zhao Dewei Solo Exhibition, China Art museum, Beijing, China
1997
Zhao Dewei•Metaphysics Series Exhibition, Qingdao Art Museum, Qingdao, China
1996
1978-1996 Zhao Dewei Art Recalling Exhibition, Qingdao, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2015
Three Persons' Walking•Yi Ling-Zhao Dewei-Liu Guoyi Exihibition, AK Art Center, Beijing, China
AFF Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2014
Melt•Contemporary Art Invitation Exhibition, Jiaodou Art Museum, Beijing, China
Songzhuang Artists Group Exhibition, Sunshine Art Museum, Beijing, China
I am who I am•Contemporary Art Exhibition, Aimen Gallery, Beijing, China
Road•Truth•Life Exhibition, Beijing, China
Song Zhuang Art Festival, Songzhuang, Beijing, China
2013
Companion Art Exhibition, Songzhuang, Beijing, China
2012
Contemporary Artists Invitation Exhibition, Songzhuang Art Museum, Beijing, China
2011
SH Contemporary Art Fair 2011, by Soemo Fine Arts, Beijing, China
2008
Good Morning•Welcom 2008, Yi Art Space, 798, Beijing, China
2007
Xu•Shi, Soemo Fine Arts, Beijing, China
News From Qingdao, Yi Art Space, 798, Beijing, China
Living in Songzhuang, Sonzhuang Art Museum, Songzhuang, Beijing, China
1980s-Qingdao Dreams of Contemporary Art, Yi Art Museum, Beijing, China
It Means......Suoluo Oil Invitation Exhibition, Suoluo Gallery, Beijing, China
2006
Songzhuang Artists Recommendation Exhibition, Sunshine Art Museum, Beijing, China
Songzhuang Oil Painting, Beijing East Area Art Centre, Beijing, China
New Power•China Contemporary Artists Exhibition, Ts1 Contemporary Art Centre, Beijing, China
The First Songzhuang Multi-Media Art Exhibition, Songzhuang Art Committee, Beijing, China
There is Qianshao•There Is Art, Qianshao Art Gallery, Beijing, China
The First Occupational Artists Exhibition, Yan Club, Rain Gallery, 798, Beijing, China
Documental Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Visual Art, Beijing, China
Songzhuang Free Art Exhibition, Beijing, China
Rainbow Date, Sunshine Art Museum, Beijing, China
2005
Turning up Hand is Cloud, Turning Down Hand is Rain-China Contemporary Art Exhibition, Ts1 Contemporary Art Centre, Beijing, China
Songzhuang Road•China Contemporary Art Exhibition, Songzhang Art Factory, Beijing, China
Songzhuang Contemporary Art Interaction-Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Beijing, China
2004
Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2003
The 7th Shanghai Art Exhibition, Shanghai Expo Centre, Shanghai, China
2002
Space on Paper•China Contemporary Art Exhibition, Beijing TaiKang Top Space, Beijing, China
1998
Media Intervention•Contemporary Art Invitation Exhibition, Qingdao Navy Museum, Qingdao, China
The 5th International Art Expo of China, Beijing, China