Wang Tiande is recognised as a significant contemporary Chinese ink artist whose practice bridges traditional calligraphy and experimental techniques, and is represented by iPreciation.
About Wang Tiande
Born in Shanghai in 1960, Wang Tiande graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts (formerly Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts) in 1988. Upon entering the Academy, he, alongside fellow schoolmates, was inundated with the 85’ New Wave Art Movement, which, in turn, left an enduring mark on his subsequent creations and encouraged years of exploration and experimentation.
Early Artistic Development
As early as the 1990s, Wang’s Circle series (《園系列》) had already generated much buzz. In 1996, moreover, he steered away from painting to create installations such as Ink Banquet（《水墨菜單》）and Sealed（《水墨靈柩》）. As a result, the critical social statements behind these works created a sensation. Since then, he has continued to explore new ideas through works such as Chinese Clothes（《中國服飾》）and other ink installations, thereby probing the contemporisation of Chinese ink.
The Hou Shan Series
In 2002, however, while smoking a cigarette in his Paris studio, the sight of cigarette ash scorching a hole in the paper inspired Wang to use cigarettes and later incense as a substitute for brushes. This approach led to his acclaimed Digital series (《數碼》系列), later renamed Hou Shan (《後山》系列) in 2014.
He started off with calligraphy and later added landscape in 2005. Wang would paint a layer with ink and then stack another sheet of xuan paper on top, one that had been burned to form silhouettes of trees, mountains and snow. As a result, a relief-like effect appears as shadows form when light is shone on the artwork.
Consequently, the visual gaps allow more room for imagination and break free from the aesthetics of traditional landscape painting. In Wang’s view, the layer underneath appears obscured from sight, revealing itself only through the burns of the upper layer. Therefore, this partial visibility reflects the transient nature of modern life.
Hence, this constructed space inherits the essence of traditional Chinese culture while quietly embedding a contemporary context.
Calligraphy and Cultural Heritage
At a time when his artistic career was flourishing, Wang returned to his alma mater to study under world-renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling and completed his PhD in Calligraphy in 2014. As his study of Chinese ink deepened, it seemed only natural for him to pay homage to the rich cultural assets of his roots.
In addition, he became increasingly fascinated with ancient calligraphy, painting, stelae and seal carving, since he believes that these historic artefacts exude the spirit of their times and embody enduring cultural values. In 2013, furthermore, he began merging his creations with original manuscripts or rubbings of stelae and seals from his personal collection. As a result, this marked an attempt to reconnect contemporary art practices with ancient heritage.
Wang believes that, in order to retain the core spirit of Chinese ink, it is necessary to return to its oriental origins. Therefore, through the juxtaposition of works from different periods and contexts, he seeks to bridge a widening cultural gap by creating a dialogue with the past. In this way, and by drawing on the wisdom of his predecessors, Wang has found his place living and creating in the contemporary.
Education
- 2014 | PhD in Calligraphy, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
- 1988 | Bachelor of Fine Arts (Chinese Painting), Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy, Hangzhou, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2019 | Wang Tiande: Winter of Longing, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
- 2018 | Awaiting, Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong
- 2017 | Over Mountains and Across Valleys, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
- 2015 | The Palace, The Palace Museum, Beijing, China
- 2014 | Mountainscapes: New Ink Art by Wang Tiande, Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong
- 2014 | Hou Shan: Wang Tiande Solo Exhibition, Suzhou Museum, Suzhou, China
- 2014 | Kai Men: Wang Tiande Exhibition, Today Museum, Beijing, China
- 2012 | Gu Shan, Sanshang Art, Hangzhou, China
- 2012 | Gu Shan, Nou Gallery, Taipei
- 2011 | 3,720, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
- 2011 | Boat, Gallery 99, Aschaffenburg, Germany
- 2010 | 3,720, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing, China
- 2010 | Shuang Shuang, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- 2009 | Up/Down: Wang Tiande Art Project, Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas, USA
- 2008 | Wang Tiande: One Meter Seventy-Three, Contrasts Gallery, Shanghai, China
- 2007 | Made by Tiande II, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
- 2007 | Shan (Mountain) & Shui (Water), Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong
- 2007 | Wang Tiande Solo Show, Han Art, Montreal, Canada
- 2005 | Redolent of Incense, Yishu Space, Vancouver, Canada
- 2004 | Made by Tiande, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
- 2004 | Solo Exhibition, Galerie 99, Germany
- 2003 | Wang Tiande: Ink for the 21st Century, Alison Fine Art, Hong Kong
- 1995 | Solo Exhibition, German Center, Shanghai, China
- 1991 | Solo Exhibition, Chinese Painting Institute, Shanghai, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2015 – Present
- 2019 | Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition: Arts of Asia Gallery, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
- 2019 | Inquiry on Water, Suning Art Museum, Shanghai, China
- 2019 | Ink at Current: 10th International Ink Art Biennial of Shenzhen, OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China
- 2019 | Spirit of Ink Art: New Creation from Traditional Thoughts and Wisdom, Jining Art Museum, Jining, China
- 2019 | Writing Non-Writing: Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Festival, CAA Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
- 2019 | In Ink: Current Trends of Ink Art, NanHai Art, San Francisco, USA
- 2019 | Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
- 2019 | 1st Taipei Dangdai, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- 2018 | Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair 2018, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China
- 2018 | Ink Worlds, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, USA
- 2017 | Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair
- 2017 | Crisscrossing East and West, Yinchuan Museum
- 2016 | Art Stage Singapore
- 2016 | Art Basel Hong Kong
- 2015 | Art 15 London
- 2015 | Art Beijing
- 2015 | Art Stage Singapore
- 2015 | INK Asia, Hong Kong
- 2014 | Contemporary Ink, Nan Hai Art, San Francisco
- 2014 | Variation: Contemporary Chinese Ink Art Series, Beijing
2005 – 2013
- 2011 | Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Canada
- 2010 | Hong Kong Central Library
- 2010 | Mingyuan Art Center, Shanghai
- 2010 | Transylvania University, USA
- 2009 | Drexel University, USA
- 2009 | Chambers Fine Art, New York
- 2008 | Chambers Fine Art, Beijing
- 2008 | La Caixa Forum, Barcelona
- 2008 | Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden
- 2008 | Hong Kong Museum of Art
- 2007 | Taipei Fine Art Museum
- 2006 | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- 2006 | World Calligraphy Festival, Seoul
- 2006 | Palazzo Caponi, Florence
- 2006 | Jiangsu Art Museum
- 2006 | Shanghai Duolun Museum
- 2006 | Vancouver Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
- 2006 | Tianjin Art College
- 2006 | Today Gallery, Beijing
- 2005 | Chengdu Biennale
- 2005 | Hong Kong Museum of Art
- 2005 | Seoul Municipal Art Museum
- 2005 | Toronto International Art Fair
- 2005 | China Academy of Fine Arts Museum
Before 2005
- 2004 | Dublin Contemporary Art Museum
- 2004 | Museum Villa Stuck, Germany
- 2004 | Wuhan Exhibition
- 2004 | Galerie Karin Sachs, Munich
- 2003 | China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing
- 2003 | Paris Exhibition
- 2003 | National Art Museum, Malaysia
- 2002 | Taiwan Teachers College
- 2002 | Chambers Fine Art, New York
- 2002 | Guangzhou Triennial
- 2002 | Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
- 2002 | Austria Exhibition
- 2001 | China National Museum of Fine Arts
- 2001 | Shenzhen Sculpture Institute
- 2001 | Guangdong Art Museum
- 2001 | Nanjing Museum
- 2000 | Shanghai Exhibition
- 2000 | Shenzhen Biennale
- 1998–1999 | Inside Out: New Chinese Art (Multiple venues)
- 1998 | Shanghai Biennial
- 1998 | Beijing Exhibition
- 1998 | Shenzhen Biennial
- 1997 | St. Petersburg Exhibition
- 1996 | Arizona University Museum
- 1995 | Lineart International Art Fair, Belgium
- 1994 | National Painting Exhibition, China
- 1993 | Yokohama Art Gallery, Japan
- 1992 | Shanghai Exhibition
- 1991 | Shanghai Art Museum
- 1989 | National Painting Exhibition, China
For the full list of exhibitions and permanent collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Further Information
For further information on Wang Tiande and his work, please refer to the following resources:
Institutional Resources
Market and Auction Records
Artwork Images
