Nowadays, the artistic world, like an over-speeding train, whistles through different sceneries one after another. China Central Academy of Fine Arts, an art institution at the moment just before the 100thanniversary, is looking back to the history, while looking forward to the future, into the distance. CAFA people have such extensive sense to time, because they always cherish artistic ambition, undertake artistic responsibility and pursue after artistic enterprises. It is not only each individual’s expectation and commitment, but also contemporary Chinese art’s expectation and commitment. 

The 2013 Annual Nomination Exhibition of Fine Art selected six teachers--Kang Jianfei, Lu Liang, Tang Hui, Wang Yuyang, Yuan Yuan and Zhangwei. Entitled as “Choosing,” the exhibition intends to express the attitude of a new era: devoting to art is the choice of life; and devoting to the beloved art is the choice of heart. Throughout the lifelong artistic creation, thinking of art always companies the process. The thinking leads to endless choices and adjustments of art.

Art is always born from choosing, and is always created by inputting self-consciousness into artistic action. Without conscious and independent choosing, what will art be? The history of art is a history of learning custom, mastering tradition and making change; In modern times, the self-consciousness of art became even more obvious and intensified, and even led the mainstream way of thinking in artistic practice, i.e. art started to seek for personality, independence and conceptuality. Without choosing made by the main body--artists, art simply cannot reach the point, and modern art could not have emerged and developed. Thus, choosing is the independent consciousness and behavior of art, and the momentum of fulfilling artistic mission. In endless choosing, art is deepened and improved. With choosing, art is optimized and simplified; also, it harmonizes all and evolves all the way through.  

However, choosing reflects a relationship: choosing and being chosen. It represents the incidental encounter and wrestling between the two. Choosing is often faced by being chosen, and choosing is the result of combat and interaction between individual and public, art and society, single and group, identity and system. Artist’s thinking and choosing usually have pushed the way forward through the jungle of art. Their artistic way is often paved by pains and gains, joys and sorrows, thorns and flowers. Is the artistic belief To Be or Not To Be, isn’t it?