Following “Illusion or Delusion” in 2011, and "Negative and Positive Style" in 2012, the exhibition from this year's series of painting lessons takes the title, “Elementary and Extreme Structure.” The works demonstrate the manifold ways in which artists analyze, abstract, reconstruct, and convert visual data, and present a range of differing perspectives and ways of working.

The title also refers to one of the most important functions of art. When we consciously engage with a question or problem, we are already in some way reflexive and critical about thought itself. Art is radical precisely because it is able to bring us back to the most basic questions, thereby constantly holding the door open for new thoughts and ideas to emerge.

This exhibition aims at addressing some of the problems in contemporary thought. The idea of the abstract is too often talked about with vague and empty reverence. We hope with this exhibition to encourage a return to more concrete problems, and move from specious arguments to discussions about the ideas, practice, and experiences of different artists.

Participating artists: Ding Yi, Hou Yong, Jiang Zhi, Li Yiwen, Ma Shengzhe, Pang Xuan, Shen Ruijun, Wang Yuyang and Zhou Siwei

Image: © Jiang Zhi, Gallery Yang