Song Ling 宋陵 (b. 1961)

A key figure of the Chinese contemporary art scene, Song Ling was born in Hangzhou, China in 1961. He graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (currently known as Chinese Academy of Fine Arts) in 1984.

In 1985, Song Ling entered the Zhejiang Art Academy as a professional painter. With a deep interest in surrealism, he participated in the “85 New Space Exhibition” with his “Man · Pipeline” series. In 1986, together with Zhang Peili, Geng Jianyi and Wang Qiang, he founded the “Pond Society”, one of the most important art groups in the early days of Chinese contemporary art. Song Ling participated in each collective creation. At the same time, his individual works also reached a peak, creating representative and influential works such as the “Meaningless Choice” series. His works were influential at that time and were published in numerous important newspapers and magazines, and he became one of the most important artists of the 85 New Wave Art Movement.

Song Ling moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1988, where he participated in the earliest exhibitions of Chinese contemporary art and held many solo exhibitions throughout Australia. Today, he has held many solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions in China, Australia and the rest of the world. His works have been permanently collected by many corporations and public institutions, including Art Bank, Sydney (Australia), Australian and New Zealand Bank Collection, Melbourne (Australia), White Rabbit Museum, Sydney (Australia), Deakin University Art Collection, Melbourne (Australia), Pacific Asia Museum, Los Angeles (U.S), Long Art Museum, Shanghai (China) and Yuz Foundation, Jakarta (Indonesia) and Shanghai (China).

Education

1984 | Department of Chinese Painting, Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2020 | Model House, RIVERSIDE Space, Hangzhou, China
2019 | Catch the Muddle, New Century Art Foundation, Pond Society, Shanghai, China
2018 | Magritte’s Room, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shenzhen, China 2017 | Wildlife, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2016 | Wildlife, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2015 | Face, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne / Ghosts in the Mirror – Song Ling 1985-2013, Zhanjiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2014 | Ghosts in the Mirror – Song Ling 1985-2013, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2013 | The Face, Eva Breuer, Sydney
2012 | Beauty and the Beast, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2011 | A Day in the Life, Michael Reid at Elizabeth Bay, Sydney
2010 | Kaleidoscope, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2009 | Recent Paintings, Eva Breuer, Sydney
2008 | When We Were Young, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2007 | Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Sydney
2006 | Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2001 | Contemporary Ink Work by Song Ling, Zhejiang Painting Academy, Hangzhou, China
1997 | Caulfield Arts Complex, Melbourne
1996 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1994 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1992 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1991 | Mystical East, Chinese Museum, Melbourne
1989 | Impounded Visions, Frank Hardy Fine Art, Brisbane

Selected Group Exhibitions

2021 | Flower, Not, iPreciation, Singapore
2020 | Duration: Chinese Art in Transformation, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China / Being of Evils, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2018 | Here/Everywhere: The Sample of Overseas Chinese Art, The 3rd Overseas Artists Invitational Exhibition, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China / Animamix Biennale, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, China
2017 | Crisscrossing East and West: The Making of Ink Art in Contemporary East Asia, Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan, China / Memory and Contemporary, Venice Biennale, Venetian Arsenale, Venice, Italy / The Unusual Westlake, China National Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou, China / Ten Thousand Hours, Art KDS, The King David School, Melbourne
2016 | International Exhibition of 20 Contemporary Art Masters, Mid-Levels Buildings Art Museum, Zhejiang, China / Mutualism – Contemporary Chinese Ink and Wash Painting Exhibition, China Cultural Centre, Sydney / The Ride to Combine, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China / The 9th International In Art Biennale of Shenzhen, China / Art 021, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China / Unrealities in the reality, Boxes Art Space of OCT Harbor, Shenzhen, China
2015 | Art021, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China
2014 | Awareness, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Art Exhibition, The Chinese Museum of Women and Children, Beijing, China / Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / Crossing Boundaries, contemporary Asian Australian artists, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney / Variation – Contemporary Chinese Ink Art Series II，Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2013 | Sydney Contemporary 13, Carriageworks, Sydney / Arts Can Do, Australia China Art Foundation, Hong Kong / The Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Snake, Snake, Snake: Contemporary Asian Australian Artists, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney
2012 | Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / SH Contemporary Art Fair, Australia China Art Foundation, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China / Redlands Westpac Art Prize Exhibition, NAS Gallery, Sydney / Chinese Australia, Austin Tung Gallery, Melbourne / Artevent, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne / Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Australia-China Art Foundation, Shanghai, China
2011 | Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales / Art for Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Melbourne Savage Club Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne Savage Club, Melbourne/ Mosman Art Prize Exhibition, Mosman Art Gallery, New South Wales / Zoo AiR: Twenty Artists from the 2011 Artists in Residence Program at Taronga Zoo, The University Gallery, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales / Hawkesbury One: Citizen Collectors, Newcastle Region Art Gallery, New South Wales / Prometheus Visual Arts Award Exhibition, Merrimac, Queensland / The Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and touring / The Wynne Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Artwork to Tapestry, TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria / Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, New South Wales
2010 | Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Gold Coast City Gallery, Queensland / Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales / Paul Guest Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria / Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, The Substation, Melbourne / The Wynne Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / The Stanthorpe Art Festival Award, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Queensland
2009 | The Eutick Memorial Still Life Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, New South Wales / Art For Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Sunshine Coast Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Caloundra Regional Art Gallery, Queensland / Darebin La Trobe Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne / Now 2.0, Australian Commercial Galleries Association, Federation Square, Melbourne / Salon des Refusés, S H Ervin Gallery, Sydney / The Sulman Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Recent Acquisitions from the Deakin University Art Collection, Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne / Coming Home, Linda Gallery, Beijing, China
2008 | Art Singapore, Gaffer Hong Kong, Singapore / Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / From Mao to Now, Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales / Australian Contemporary, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong / The Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and touring / The 56th Blake Prize for Religious Art, Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne / Linden Postcard Show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, Melbourne
2007 | Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Queensland / ABN AMRO 2007 Emerging Artist Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Sydney / DLAP 2007, City of Darebin and La Trobe University Acquisitive Art Prize Exhibition, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne / Savage Club Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne / ABN AMRO 2007 Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, Melbourne / MLC Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Melbourne / The Blake Prize Exhibition, National Art School, Sydney and touring / Art For Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Prometheus Visual Arts Award Exhibition, Merrimac, Queensland / Art@mgs Contemporary Art Exhibition, Motor Works Gallery, Melbourne / Tattersall’s Contemporary Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne / Crossroads, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne
2006 | If You Were To Collect… Elements of Abstraction, The Deloitte Art Exhibition, Melbourne / The Fletcher Jones Geelong Contemporary Art Prize Exhibition, Geelong Gallery, Victoria / ABN AMRO 2006 Emerging Artist Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Sydney / New Social Commentaries, F.J. Foundation Art Prize Exhibition, Warrnambool Art Gallery, Victoria / ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, Melbourne / Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2004 | Sydney Affordable Art Fair, East and West Art, Sydney
2001 | New Space-2000, Hangzhou, China
1999 | International Contemporary Calligraphy, Hangzhou, China