Hua Jun was born in Jiangsu, China in 1970. He graduated from the China Academy of Art in 1994. He moved to Sweden in 1995, obtaining a Master’s degree from the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in 2002, and taught Chinese calligraphy at Stockholm University and Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Sweden. He returned to his alma mater, China Academy of Art, to pursue his PhD under world-renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling in 2006. He is currently a professor and master tutor of China Academy of Art, the vice dean of the Chinese Painting and Calligraphy College, a member of Chinese Artists Association and the director of Zhejiang Chinese Figure Painting Research Association.
Si Shunwei, the curator of Zhejiang Art Museum, once commented that Hua Jun was a talented artist who started his painting career as a child prodigy but paid more diligence than ordinary people in the process of pursuing art. At a young age, Hua Jun left his hometown for that purpose. Upon returning to China eight years later in 2003, in addition to bridging Eastern and Western artistic aesthetics, his works reflect more of this talented artist’s observation and understanding of his surroundings and the world. Although the talented Hua Jun is also involved in performance art, installation art, photography, printmaking and so on, his works never deviated from ink calligraphy.
While Hua Jun practices the spirit of Chinese traditional culture meaningfully, he is not satisfied with sticking to old customs. In his opinion, as the times change with each passing day, ink calligraphy inevitably must keep pace. He is dedicated to advancing contemporary art and has a keen eye for it. The past decade has been devoted to the creation of the Heart Sutra, seeming ethereal and otherworldly, but in fact, is permeated with modern life. The life of all living beings is an eternal process of constant alternation between elimination and prosperity. It is a constant, but also a delicate balance, that all things rise and fall. Hua Jun’s works bring to mind the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. As Hua Jun’s artistic interpretation is often based on and applied to reality, his works contemplate and exude the charms of humanity.
Hua Jun has held many solo and group exhibitions in China, Japan, South Korea and other parts of Asia and Europe. He has won several awards, including the 12th Zhejiang Province Fine Art Exhibition (Gold) (2009), First place in Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition (2005), Silver in the 10th National Art Exhibition (2004), and Second Prize in the Swedish 53rd Art Salon Exhibition (1997). His works are permanently collected in the National Museum of China, Beijing, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, Zhejiang Art Museum (China), Wuhan Art Museum (China), Liu Haisu Art Museum (China), Lingnan Museum of Fine Art (China) and Yesurui Jeondang (Korea). Hua Jun lives and works in Hangzhou, China.
Education
- 2006 | China Academy of Art (PhD.)
- 2002 | Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (M.A.)
- 1994 | China Academy of Art (B.A.)
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2015 | Recent works at The 18th Hangzhou Westlake Art Fair, Hangzhou, China
- 2012 | “Regards”, Sanshang Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
- 2002 | Melllan Rummet Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Rinkeby Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Tersaeus Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2001 | Alex Wiberg Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2000 | Tersaeus Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
- 1998 | Mejan Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Alex Wiberg Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
- 1996 | Kyrkskolan Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
Selection Group Exhibitions
- 2021 | Flower, Not, iPreciation, Singapore
- 2017 | “Tribute 2018 – Future Media / Art Manifesto – China Academy of Art @ Strasbourg”, Strasbourg, France / “Open Books, Artists and the Chinese Folding-book”, Connecticut College, US; Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademi and Ravindra Manch, India / “Contemporary Experience in East Asian Visual Culture—from Great Vacuity Buddha King to Chinese Characters/Writing”, Hangzhou, China
- 2016 | “Global China” at Art Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China / “Southern Imaginary, Northern Aura”, National Center for Performing Art, Beijing, China / “Transcending Spirit—Baima Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Xing Guang Avenue Mall, Hangzhou, China
- 2015 | “Leaders · People—Modern Classic from the Museum Collection”, National Museum of China, Beijing, China / “On the Road—Nomination Exhibition of Chinese Young Artists”, Inside-out Art Museum, Beijing, China / “Writing/Non-Writing 2015– Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy & Documents Exhibition”, CAA Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
- 2014 | “Climate: 2014 Young Artists Research Exhibition”, Wuhan Art Museum, Wuhan, China
- 2013 | “The 8th International Ink Art Biennale of Shenzhen”, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
- 2012 | “The 2nd Chinese Painting Biennale of Hangzhou”, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
- 2011 | “Decanter Ink”, Sanshang Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
- 2010 | “Breakthrough Thinking” at Hangzhou Art Fair, Hangzhou, China
- 2009 | “Presentation and Construction—Invitation Exhibition of Contemporary Ink Art”, Renke Art Center, Hangzhou, China
- 2008 | “Counting the Heros—2170 Chinese Painting Exhibition”, Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing, China
- 2007 | “CAF Contemporary Art Exhibition”, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan
- 2006 | “Literalism—Nomination Exhibition of Young Artists”, Red Sun Gallery, Shanghai, China
- 2005 | “The 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale”, National Art Museum, Beijing, China
- 2004 | “China-Korea Exchange Exhibition of Modern Calligraphy”, Seoul, South Korea 2003 | “International Invitation Exhibition of Modern Ink Art”, Xi’an, China
Awards
- 2009 | Golden Prize, “A Historical Gaze -Exhibitions of Works with Important Historical Themes of Zhejiang Province”, Hangzhou, China / Golden Prize, “The 12th Zhengjiang Province Art Exhibition”, Hangzhou, China
- 2005 | 1st Prize, Shanghai Young Artists Grand Exhibition, Shanghai, China
- 2004 | Silver Award, “The 11th Zhengjiang Province Art Exhibition”, Hangzhou, China / Silver Award, “The 10th National Art Exhibition”, Beijing, China
- 1997 | 2nd Prize, The 53rd Swedish Art Salon Exhibition, Stockholm, Sweden
Permanent Collections
- National Museum of China
- National Art Museum of China
- Zhejiang Art Museum (China)
- Wuhan Art Museum (China)
- Liu Haisu Art Museum (China)
- Lingnan Museum of Fine Art (China)
- Yesurui Jeondang (Korea)
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Artwork Images
