On December 3, Chinese-American artist Shen Wei launched his solo exhibition, titled "Painting in Motion," at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The New York-based artist is a dancer-choreographer, also known for his work on the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. His work titled "Scroll Painting," in which dancers performed on a constant changing LED scroll of Chinese ink-and-wash paintings, depicting the evolution of China since ancient times, bowling over the spectators.
Illustration for 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening. /Shen Wei
Shen's artistic practice draws upon both Chinese and Western culture, encompassing not only dance but also painting, drawing, and filmmaking. Known for his interconnected artistic approach, Shen blends various disciplines to explore aspects of spirituality, perception, and movement, while defying traditional boundaries between disciplines, geographies, and cultures.
In an interview with CGTN, Shen revealed that it actually took him nearly four years to prepare for the exhibition, which was originally scheduled to open in October this year, but was postponed to next year due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The museum's Hostetter Gallery showcased his recent works, including two made during his first residency at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 2018, and a series of recently completed paintings. The museum also displays notes, design manuscripts, and choreographic documentation of the creative process.
Choreographic documentation of Chinese Opera. /Shen Wei
Shen's art experience is very special. As a young boy, he was deeply impressed by Chinese traditional culture. He learned the Western way of art communication later in his professional life. The combination of Chinese and Western forms opened up a broader road for his art works.
Born in Hunan in 1968, Shen followed the footsteps of his parents and began training as a local opera performer at the age of nine, which enabled him to learn singing, dancing, acting and martial arts. He also learned traditional Chinese painting at the age of seven.
"It really helped me understand the Chinese tradition. Chinese opera is for me the best form of performance art ever born in China – combining music, vocals, acting and acrobatics all in one and evolving for hundreds of years," he said.
Untitled No. 8 (Oil and Acrylic on Canvas 2013-2014). /Shen Wei
In 1994, he won his first prize in choreography and performance at a national modern dance competition in China. He then moved to New York after receiving a scholarship from Nikolais/Louis Dance Theater Lab. Soon, he turned his attention to films, while continuing to pursue innovation in dance theory, choreography and painting throughout the 1990s. In 2000, he founded his own dance company, the New York-based Shen Wei Dance Arts.
Shen has also held individual exhibitions in Shanghai and other places in China. In 2018, his solo exhibition was presented at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, offering viewers one of the first comprehensive looks at the artist's interconnected approach and work from the 1990s to the present day.
Suspension in Blue No. 6. Acrylic on Linen, 2018. /Shen Wei
It is worth mentioning that the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum also features a bilingual guided tour for his exhibition. According to Shen, this is also the conclusion reached by the curatorial team after discussions. In this special period affected by the pandemic, art should not be disturbed because art is about the common civilization of mankind.
Similarly, in his creative process, Shen never thought that art should be limited to a certain culture, and both Chinese and Western cultures play a vital role for him at various stages. He hoped to discuss the development and performance of human civilization from the different points of culture.
Chinese-American artist Shen Wei. /Shen Wei
According to Shen, the spread of Chinese culture is not difficult, but there is a dearth of people to "refine" or "polish" it. Chinese culture, polished by high standards, is sure to touch the hearts of all audiences, he added.
In addition to his artistic creations, Shen will continue to delve into the dominions of dance. He is currently a judge on a domestic dance talent show, which he believes is also making the art of dancing more accessible to the general public. In addition, he will focus on the art of dance in the first half of next year.
The exhibition "Painting in Motion" runs through June 28, 2021.
(Cover: Shen Wei in his studio in New York, 2014. /courtesy of Jeffrey Sturges)