Contemporary Chinese art finds a place in art history: rapid political and socioeconomic changes have engendered a burgeoning worldwide market for work from Chinese artists

Art Business News, Nov, 2003 by Julie Mehta

Growing Respect

At the same time, contemporary Chinese artists are finally beginning to get some recognition from their own country--an important development since the majority of influential Chinese artists still live in China.

"Ten years ago, Chinese artists were watched quite a bit, but now they're given a freer hand. Now these artists are doing very well--they travel and do art shows," said Farber. China even intended to have a pavilion at the Venice Biennale for the first time this year, but the SARS crisis scrapped those plans. And Chinese artists who left the oppressive atmosphere of the past to live overseas are being invited back to China to show their pieces. "In January, the fourth Shanghai Biennale and first Guangzhou Triennial were staged within one week of another," said Chiu. "This was a major opportunity for contemporary Chinese artists to display their works."

Still, collectors of contemporary Chinese art tend to be from outside China. "We have several customers who are longtime collectors of American and European artists and are now buying Chinese art like there's no tomorrow," said Colman.

Many Chinese artists prefer to work with customers directly instead of going through galleries, and few have exclusive representation. But Chinese Contemporary offers pieces by some of the best-known names in Chinese art, including Wang Guangyi, who was the leader of the political pop painting movement. His work, which Colman described as a "mix of Chinese propaganda and Jasper Johns" typically sells for between $5,000 and $50,000.

Yue Min Jun's smiling man and Fang Lijun's baldheaded youth are recognizable figures from the cynical realism painting movement. Colman said their works sell for between $20,000 and $100,000.

Art Scene China deals with more cutting-edge artists such as Zhong Biao, whose arresting works merge black-and-white and color and Western and Chinese influences. Feng Feng uses mixed media to create abstract art with a Chinese flavor. Director Wafa said the gallery's pieces sell for $400 to $25,000. "And the pieces have investment value," she said. "As China becomes richer, the Chinese will look to collect artwork by their own people."

Even more vanguard is Chambers Fine Art in New York, which deals only with photography, video and installation art. Works go for as low as $800 for small photographs to as much as $100,000 for installations, according to owner Christophe Mao. Married artists Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen did a show together featuring giant chopsticks that sold for $25,000. Photographs by Rong Rong range from $1,000 to $8,000, depending on size. "Business was tough the first two or three years, but now people are approaching me," said Mao. Many of the artists who've shown at his gallery will be part of next year's Chinese photography show at the ICP.

Contemporary Chinese artists are beginning to find their way into the auction market as well, according to Farber, who said a work by Sichuan province painter Zhang Xiaogang sold earlier this spring at Christie's in Hung Kong for about $80,000. An installation by Cai Guo-Qiang drew more than $100,000 at a Christie's auction last year in New York, according to Mao.