Chen Yufei was part of the first "Avant-Garde" show held in spring of 1989 in Beijing. Touted at the time in the international press as the harbinger of a renaissance in the arts in China, the show was held just months before the Tiananmen crackdown in June of that year. Part social protest, part magnificent display of technical virtuosity, Chen's paintings quickly spurred international interest. Chen continued in this genre but softened his vision after studying in Germany in the mid-late 1990s.
Chen's current works are skillfully painted views of trucks and three-wheel utility trucks ubiquitous to China's roads today. He evokes the decay of junked cars in luscious colors ranging from silvery greys teamed with aqua to cherry reds and leaf greens. There is a mature richness to the paint surface and pleasing cut-off views absent in his earlier works. Further, Chen includes subtle social commentary in his paintings but without the rage of the past.
Born in 1962 in Anhui, one of the poorest provinces in China, Chen graduated from Anhui Normal University Fine Arts Department in 1981. Instead of the charmed life of the select few at the Central Art Academy, Chen broke into the art world from more humble beginnings. While controversial when first shown in the 1980's, Chen has gained the respect of Chinese official art circles as one of the leading oil painters in China today, indicative of the increased tolerance for artistic expression in China. Chen has exhibited widely throughout the world, including London, Melbourne, Taipei, New York, and Toronto. Chen has dabbled in different art forms as well, playing a leading role in an award- winning Chinese Television series, "Searching" Last year, Chen participated in the Performance and Theatre Festival in Berlin with the work "There is a sack of rice falling over in China but nobody cares about it", together with the renowned German performance artist, Jekaterina
1962
Born in Hefei, Anhui Province, China
1981
Graduated from Anhui Normal University Fine Arts Department, Anhui Province, China
1997 - 1999
Studied at the Academy of Arts, Braunschweig, Germany
Now a professor and tutor of master students at the Architectural and Arts Department of Hefei Industry University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2008
Chen Yufe Solo Exhibition, Shenlin Gallery, Shanghai, China
2007
Chen Yufe Solo Exhibition, Redgate Gallery, Beijing, China
2005
M. Sutherland Fine Arts, New York, the United States
2002 - 2005
Avant-Garde Gallery, Shanghai, China
1997
Opening of Chen Yufei Studio, Academy of Arts, Braunschweig, Germany
1996
Knots Art of Chen Yufei, Chinese Great Hotel, Beijing, China
1994
Chen Yufei Art Space, WanFung Gallery, Beijing, China
1993
Ron Einblau Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
1992
Gallery 13, Hongkong
Selected Group Exhibitions
2007
Here and Now, the Academy of Arts, Art Festival of Braunschweig Art Studios, Germany
Post-Avant garde Art, Hong Kong
Art Shanghai, Shanghai, China
2006
Art Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Limit And Freedom, Wuhan Art Warehouse, Wuhan, China
2005
San Francisco International Contemporary Art, San Francisco, the United States
2004
Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Gwang Ju, South Korea Performance and Theatre Festival, Berlin, Germany
2002
The Affordable Art Fair, London, Great Britain Triennial of Chinese Arts
2001
Grosse Kunstausstellung NRW, Dusseldorf, Germany
1999 - 2000
China 46 Contemporary Art Exhibition, Melbourne, Taipei & New York
1998
Volkswagen Internationaler Markfest, Germany
1997
Rounding, Academy of Arts, Braunschweig, Germany
1986
Participated in the Touring Exhibition of the 85's Neo-Trend Slide, Zhuhai, China and New York, the United States
Main Collections
Shanghai Art museum
Today Art museum
Dutch Bank
SIEMENS
Red Classics Gallery
China Everbright Bank
Yuanquan Advertising
BHP Billiton China