Chinese contemporary art has emerged as one of the most fascinating and compelling areas of the art market and the contemporary art world at large. Melissa Chiu, Director of the Asia Society in New York, addresses the scope of the Chinese art scene in a simple yet informative publication. Points include: Contemporary art in China began decades ago; Museums and galleries have promoted Chinese contemporary art since the 1990s; Contemporary art museums in China are on the rise; The world is collecting Chinese contemporary art. With color and illustrations and biographies.

Chinese Contemporary Art 7 Things You Should Know

Arts & Photography

Melissa Chiu

History & Criticism

AW Asia

In 1993, 10 contemporary Chinese artists debuted at the 45th Venice Biennale. The reception was lukewarm: people wanted to know if and when the Chinese avant-garde would cut through certain quaint notions of oriental mystique and evolve a distinct identity. Today, contemporary Chinese art is everywhere, and the innovations of the artists in this volume are now recognized as primary catalysts for the contemporary scene. Nine Lives: The Birth of Avant-Garde Art in New China, first published in 2005 and now available in a revised edition, focuses on the stories of nine individuals who set it all in motion--Wang Guangyi, Geng Jianyi, Fang Lijun, Gu Dexin, Li Shan, Zhang Xiaogang, Xu Bing, Zhang Peili and Wang Jianwei. Now in its second edition, this insightful study is standard reading for anyone interested in contemporary Chinese art. Every chapter is fully illustrated with images chronicling the artists' youth, their mature work, the effects of international acclaim and the impact of the commercial art world.

Nine Lives: The Birth of Avant-Garde Art in New China: The Updated Edition

Karen Smith

Ai Weiwei's work of sculpture Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads features twelve large-scale bronze animal heads, each depicting a segment of the ancient Chinese zodiac. As a major work of public art, it is an extraordinary accomplishment in its own right. But as this souvenir guide explains, the origins and the motivation behind the piece are as compelling as the work itself. Ai Weiwei based the sculpture on a complex zodiac fountain that was built for an imperial retreat in eighteenth-century China. When the retreat was looted by European soldiers, the fountain's bronze animal heads were stolen only seven of the twelve are known to survive. By reimagining the work, Ai Weiwei confronts uncomfortable truths within Chinese and Western history. This souvenir guide for the New York City Pulitzer Fountain installation of the Zodiac Heads (that ran from May 2, 2011 - July 15, 2011) contains a full-color portfolio of the twelve zodiac animals and an interview with the artist.

Ai Weiwei Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads New York City

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Books by AW Asia

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the AW Asia publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Chinese Contemporary Art 7 Things You Should Know

Nine Lives: The Birth of Avant-Garde Art in New China: The Updated Edition

Ai Weiwei Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads New York City