Hangzhou, where the urban scenery intertwines with cultural and historical heritage had always been a cradle to poets and artists. Predecessor of China Academy of Art was the Hangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, since its founding, it was acclaimed for its openness to both Eastern and Western teachings as well as its motto of independent school discipline.  

20th century artists such as Lin Fengmian, Pan Tianshou, Huang Binhong, Wu Dayu, Yan Wenliang, Li Keran, Ai Qing, Pang Xunqin, Guan Liang, Huang Junbi, Dong Xiwen, Wu Guanzhong, Zhao Wuji, Zhu Dequn together with artists since the 85 New Wave Movement such as Gu Wenda, Wang Guangyi, Huang Yongbing, Zhang Peili, Qiu Zhijie, Liu Wei, Yan Lei ,Jiang Zhi as well as rising new artists such as Wu Junyong, Ye Nan and Liu Jiajing. 

They have formed strong energies within Contemporary Chinese Art circles and are vital to the scene. This exhibition intends to select individual cases from 3 generations of China Academy of Art graduates and put them together and try to find certain connections within the same artistic contexts.

This is a juxtaposition of 2 generations of Contemporary Chinese artists as well as an epitome of the 30 year development of art in China, we can clearly see the continuations and changes in artistic styles of these 2 generations, from as early as crossing into the out-of bounds to the diversification of way of expression; later, as contacts were made with the Western world, multi-elemental influences were absorbed, thus, a New Wave took place in the native Chinese art scene.

In this age of cross-cultural engagement, the artists emphasize on self-betterment, on divers and abundant reading, on self-reflection, on wide knowledge, as they read into history of Western and world art, they ponder upon the development of their own Chinese culture.  

Their all-round diversity of creativity includes---painting, video, calligraphy, interactive installations, seemingly irrelevant to their studies at university, giving off a sense of “OUT OF THE WAY”, but within the diversity of contexts and expressions, we also sense the spirit of self-reflection and subjectivity deeply rooted within Chinese culture. This subjectivity not only consist of traditional but also the thriving social and cultural realities of today, this spirit is the driving-force of Chinese creativity, it is the driving force to embracing the current reality as well as the revival of the Chinese heritage.