Qi Zhi Long

Vernissage: 10 March 2005 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Exhibition: 11 March - 30 March 2005

Schoeni Art Gallery is delighted to present Qi Zhi Long's third one man exhibition in Hong Kong at the Main Gallery on Thursday, 10 March 2005 and the exhibition continues till 30 March 2005.

Qi Zhi Long is one of the most important artists of Political Pop in post 1989 Chinese art. The movement first emerged in the socialist countries in late 1970 through to the 1990's. Qi, like many of his contemporaries (such as Wang Guangyi, Fang Li Jun) at the time, was deeply inspired by the Cultural Revolution and the post modernism movement in the 1990's. In doing so, the artist expressed his imageries and obsession with consumerism through his Consumers Icons series, where the collection features faceless young women cladded in bikinis juxtaposed against a flat surface decorated with beautiful flowers in full blossom.

The release of Consumer Icons series in 1994 was an immediate hit and was well received by collectors and art critics alike - the collection cemented Qi's position in contemporary Chinese art. It is worth while to mention that Schoeni Art Gallery has been instrumental in promoting Consumer Icons series to China and the western world.

In his new series, Qi traces his steps back in time and asks himself what really inspired his works. The artist had made a personal journey to the old site 'Yuan Ming Yuan' recalling the exciting times when the village was first discovered by the local paper China Youth Daily (the paper devoting half a page article on Yuan Ming Yuan, the Artist Village). Early 1990's was a fantastic time in China - artists were busy experimenting with their art and the western world was beginning to shift their focus on Chinese art.

Qi's continued this personal journey by further deconstructing the messages behind his early works. In his newer works the artist had abandoned his bikini cladded beauties in exchange of real young woman dressed in military uniform. No longer have we seen the superficiality of his faceless models but a woman of real flesh and blood wearing the green uniform (the uniform representing the Cultural Revolution era then replaced by Intellectualism in the 70's).

The artist sees the green uniform as a symbol of ideal, heroism and the intellect, a time of the Great Romanticism. By deconstructing the cultural and political significance of the green uniform, the series reveals the decay of values, a confusion of cultural memories and their interrelationships.

As the artist says, "this is precisely the ironic meaning of my works".

Over 20 new works will be on display. Exhibition catalogue is available.

Article written by Martha Liew

Click on image for an enlarged view.

Untitled No. 1 - 2005 O/C, 130 x 162 cm, 2005
Untitled No. 19 - 2004 O/C, 65 x 54 cm, 2004	Untitled No. 18 - 2004 O/C, 65 x 54 cm, 2004
Untitled No. 11 - 2004 O/C, 65 x 54 cm, 2004	Untitled No. 12 - 2004 O/C, 65 x 54 cm, 2004
Untitled No. 1 - 2004 O/C, 130 x 97 cm, 2004	Untitled No. 2 - 2004 O/C, 130 x 97 cm, 2004
Untitled No. 3 - 2003 O/C, 162 x 130 cm, 2003	Untitled No. 5 - 2003 O/C, 162 x 130 cm, 2003

For further enquiries, please contact Selina Liu.

Tel: (852) 2869-8802
Fax: (852) 2522-1528
Email: gallery@schoeni.com.hk
www.schoeni.com.hk

Exhibition Venue:
Main Gallery: 21-31 Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong.

Monday - Saturday 10:30am - 6:30pm.
Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

© Schoeni Art Gallery Ltd. 2005.  All rights reserved.
Images of art on this website may not be reproduced
without prior permission of Schoeni Art Gallery Ltd or the artists.