Introduction to Contemporary Art in China

The book is a collection of fifteen introductory essays excerpted from the Annual of Contemporary Art in China, covering the years from 2005 to 2019, showcasing the development and changing landscapes of contemporary art in China.

The Annual documents exhibitions, events, creative practices, and critical literature concerning contemporary art in China since 2005. Based on archival documentation and statistics data from these annuals, notable phenomena, events, and discourses from a given year, as well as key works and artists are reviewed in each introduction, with no ideological or market-driven undertone. The author unravels industrial and institutional factors, while also broaching important issues of abstract art, new media art and so on, and probing the historical and socio-cultural context as well. In this regard, the book offers a panorama of contemporary Chinese art and critically engages with the art scene in China, including Hongkong, Taiwan, and among the Chinese diaspora.

The title will appeal to scholars, students and general readers interested in contemporary art history, art criticism, contemporary Chinese art, iconography, and contemporary art theory.