In the solo painting exhibition “The Imitation of a Heroic Tradition”, Chinese artist Wu JiFeng renders the world of advertising in the style of “pseudo-classicism”, a term which refers to a postmodern view of culture whereby the imitation of the European classical tradition is reduced to layers of allusions with ambiguous meanings or truths. In a society where image seems all, Wu JiFeng’s “elegant vulgarity” paintings of appropriated Western and Chinese advertising images are conscious protests on the superficial attitude of life that pervades the consumer society today. It makes a strong case for a continuing struggle within the Chinese cultural society for a space free of imitation, free of the past, free of the image.
 
This pseudo-classical cultural phenomenon is freely imposed upon the Chinese consumer society from urban cities to remote towns, and is readily absorbed as routine regardless whether people believe it or not. The endless fascination of the Chinese society towards great European classical form can be partly attributed to its historical context in the European tradition, which refers “classicism” to the conscious imitation of the art of an ideal period, belonging to the highest class of citizens. According to Jean Baudrillard, a humanistic critic of consumer society, “imitation” precedes the original, resulting in a world without depth, a place where reality merely consists of layers of allusions, leading to the loss of truth.

“It is no longer a question of imitation, nor of reduplication, nor even of parody. It is rather a question of substituting signs of the real for the real itself.” Jean Baudrillard
 
It is both ironical and whimsical to witness these socially conscious paintings of Wu JiFeng, who has spent some years living and studying art at the French National Institute of Art Villa Arson in Nice, France. In his earlier painting series “Heroic Tradition”, WU JiFeng appropriated western advertising images, mostly depicting desirable women in provocative postures, transforming the western idea of femininity into idealized pseudo-classical works of art. One recalls the Marlboro man, an ideal symbol of masculinity, the real American man, re-photographed by Richard Prince, exposing the truth of what is real and the false allusions created by the media. Upon returning back to China, Wu JiFeng felt a sense of loss seeing the growth in materialism and the decline of intellect, virtue, and taste. The abuse of “classical” images in advertising has alienated his role as a contemporary artist. What remains in his vision of the modern life is nothing but superficial. In his later works, Wu Jifeng appropriates from Chinese advertising images, which capture more of desire than needs, unquestionably an imitation of what consist of the ideal paradise, a beautiful life filled with super power, wealth and status. The placement of the actual advertising messages in reverse causes confusion, thus adding to the layers of allusions that are already in existence. These allusions raise multiple open-ended questions on the consumer society which is insatiable, unthinkable, and unreachable.

Curator 
Kartini TANOTO