Gu Wenda, Chinese ink, 1985
A common thread running through Gu Wenda’s oeuvre is the disruption of inequality. His self-created pseudo-language includes illegible so-called Chinese characters, with which the artist points out the limits of communication and manipulation of language. The Chinese authority, not susceptible to imaginary ideograms, forbade him in 1986 to open his first exhibition with it. Because of the urge for an international audience, Gu moved to New York but also remains active in his homeland.
From his academic training as a landscape painter, his ‘Body landscapes’ were among his first works. It seems as if his landscapes are very natural, but in terms of content they show an erotic witticism. With this sensuality, typical of the early years of artistic dissidence in China, his work contravenes the traditional conventions that China continues to uphold.
– For more works by this artist, contact the gallery. –