Chen Wenji
Chen Wenji’s works are synthesized to a very high degree, a formal language of realism and concepts of abstraction have been integrated into one space. The synthesis he demonstrates manifests itself on multiple levels: a synthesis of people and objects, history and symbols, materials and their implications; it also takes as its foundation what Lee Ambrozy calls “duality.” Significantly, Chen Wenji’s works simultaneously display the synthesis of presence and absence.
Taken from “Chen Wenji’s Art and Synthesis” written by Yin Jinan
Chen Wenji's at work.
Biography
1954 Born in Shanghai;
1978 Graduated from the Printmaking Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts;
Now works as professor of Mural Painting Department at the Central Academy of Fine Arts;
Solo Exhibitions:
2010 “Central Academy of Fine Arts Annual Fine Arts Nomination Exhibition - 2010 Chen Wenji” at CAFA Art Museum, Beijing;
2009 “09 Chen Wenji’s Recent Works” at EaStation Gallery, Beijing;
2007 “Chen Wenji’s Recent Work”, at Hakgojae in Seoul, Korea;
2006 “All—Chen Wenji’s Solo Exhibition “, at Aye Gallery, Beijing;
1999 “Exhibition of Chen Wenji’s Oil Painting”, at CourtYard Gallery, Beijing
Group Exhibitions:
1986 "Tour Exhibition of Prints from Central Academy of Fine Arts in England", London;
"CAFA Comic Strits and New Year Picture Faculty Works Exhibition", Exhibition Hall of CAFA, Beijing;
1987 “The First National Exhibition of Fine Arts”, Shanghai Exhibition Centre;
“Biennale of Excellent Works from CAFA”, Exhibition Hall of CAFA, Beijing;
1988 “The First Exhibition of Fine Arts, Calligraphy on the Great Wall of China”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“1988 Oil Painting Invitation Exhibition”, Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou;
“The Sketch Exhibition of Young Teachers at CAFA”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“Print Exchange Exhibition between the Central Academy of Fine Arts and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts”, Paris, France;
1989 “Exhibition of Chinese Modern Art”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“The 7th National Exhibition of Fine Arts”, Nanjing;
“Modern Chinese Art Exhibition “, Seibu Department Store, Japan;
1990 “Exhibition of Excellent Teachers’ works for the 40th anniversary of CAFA”, Exhibition Hall of CAFA, Beijing;
“Modern Oil Painting Exhibition”, Gallery of Beijing Concert Hall, Beijing;
“Chinese Modern Art”, Singapore;
1991 “Annual Exhibition of Chinese Oil Painting”, National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing;
“Exhibition of Shenzhen Art Museum’s 15th Anniversary”, Shenzhen Art Museum;
1992 “Twentieth Century • China”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
1993 “Figures in Oil Painting Exhibition”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“1993 Annual Exhibition of Chinese Oil Painting”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
1994 “Linear Power- Contemporary Drawings by Chinese Artists from New York, Beijng and Hong Kong”, Art Land Gallery, Hong Kong;
“Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Oil Painting”, University Museum and Art Gallery of Hong Kong University, Hong Kong;
1996 “Repeat • Start – 1996 Oil Painting Exhibition”, Beijing Workers’ Palace, Beijing;
“Chinese Contemporary Oil Painting Exhibition of Hundred of Masters”, Taiwan;
1999 “Teachers’ works from the Mural Painting Department of CAFA”, CAFA Exhibition Hall, Beijing;
“At the New Century, 1979-1999 China Contemporary Art Works “, Chengdu Museum of Modern Art, Sichuan;
2000 “Exhibition of Chinese Oil Painting in 20th century”, National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing;
“Gate of Century: Invitation Exhibition of Chinese Art from 1979-1999”, Chendu Museum of Modern Art;
2001 “Winter Exhibition”, Courtyard Gallery, Beijing;
“Poster Art Exhibition of 21st Century’s Chinese Contemporary Artists”, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou;
2003 “Today’s Chinese Fine Arts”, Beijing World Art Museum, Beijing;
“The Exhibition of Beijing Landscape—Classical Gardens and Parks”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
2004 “Sightseeing—Exhibition of Art Communication”, Gallery of Sydney College of Art, Australia;
“The First Exhibition of Nominated Literature of Fine Arts”, Hubei Art Academy Museum, Wuhan;
“The 10th National Exhibition of Fine Arts on Oil painting Works, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangzhou;
2005 “The 10th National Exhibition of Fine Arts on Awarded Works”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“Whole Grand River”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“The Opening Exhibition of aye Gallery”, Aye Gallery, Beijing;
“Land Rich in Beauty—Invitation Exhibition of Oil Painters from North and South”, Jiangsu Province Art Museum, Nanjing;
2006 “Land Rich in Beauty—Invitation Exhibition of Oil Painters from North and South”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“Developing Realism—Oil Painters of Mainland China since 1978”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan;
2007 “The Opening Chinese Art”, State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
2008 “Seeking the Source—Oil Painting Research Exhibition”, National Art Museum, Beijing;
“China’s Revision”, Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany;
2009 “Central Academy of Fine Arts 60 Years of Drawing”, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing;
2010 “Thirty Years of Chinese Contemporary Art, 1979-2009”, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, 2010;
“ZAOXING - Artwork from the Faculty of the Central Academy of Fine Arts”, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing;
“The Power from Academy—CAFA Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Times Museum, Guangzhou;
2011 “The Evolving ART—The collection of works from the Founding of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Academy of Arts & Design,
Tsinghua University & The Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art”, Art Museum of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University,
Awards:
1987 “The First National Exhibition of Fine Arts”, Excellence Award
1993 “1993 Annual Exhibition of Chinese Oil Painting”, Silver Award
2004 “The First Exhibition of Nominated Literature of Fine Arts 2004”, Nomination Award
“The 10th National Exhibition of Fine Arts”, Excellence Award
2011 “ART Value” 2010, ART Power 100
Publications:
1988 Sketches of the Human Body by Chen Wenji, Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House
1999 Chen Wenji, Beijing Courtyard Gallery
2000 Chen Wenji – Contemporary Artist’s Sketch Collection, Zhao Hua Publishing House
2006 Chen Wenji, People’s Fine Arts Publishing House
2007 Chen Wenji Recent Works, Hakgojae Gallery, Korea
2009 Chen Wenji, Aye • Eastation Gallery
2010 Central Academy of Fine Arts Annual Fine Arts Nomination Exhibition––2010 Chen Wenji Oil paintings 24 years from 1986-2010
