「BUILDING SELF-FULFILLMENT」Shen Na’s Solo Exhibition:

2023.11.26-12.20

展览现场

BUILDING SELF-FULFILLMENT

Text / Duan Jun

20 years ago, Shen Na entered the contemporary art scene in China and quickly became a hot new star in painting. I also heard and saw her famous works in Beijing at that time: Shen Na used female friends around her as reference objects, used slightly cartoonish and expressive methods, and applied bright background colors to create a batch of recognizable and highly stylized oil paintings, The depiction and exposure of the colorful life and existence of urban women around 2000 have attracted widespread attention in the art and collection circles.

Exhibition Site

From 2009 to 2015, Shen Na was exposed to and studied ancient Chinese history, frequently inspecting buildings and artifacts in Beijing, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and other places. She subsequently created a batch of canvas oil paintings with themes such as mountains, rocks, plants, pavilions, and towers. The color was purple and black, and the artistic conception was desolate, desolate, and stubborn, belonging to her inner fantasy of unreal historical scenery. At that time, it accelerated the utilization and transformation of ancient landscapes in contemporary painting.

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In recent years, Shen Na has devoted herself to new experiments, mainly based on her personal childhood memories and infused with Buddhist concepts and martial arts culture. She strives to break out of the flat creative mold and choose more three-dimensional and spatialized forms such as cloth painting installations and felt soft sculptures to depict the internal psychology and external environment of contemporary women in the spiritual background of secular, destiny, martial arts, and other aspects.

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Since ancient times, needlework (female worker, female martial arts, female affairs) - needlework, weaving, embroidery, patchwork, flower cutting, dyeing, sewing, etc. - have been essential skills for women in deep boudoirs; Shen Na extensively uses the hooking and pulling of ropes, the deployment of fabrics and felt, and the jumping and bouncing of sewing machine needles to construct surreal works and spatial landscapes.

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There have been several female artists in the contemporary art world in China who used the form of needlework and have achieved remarkable results. Each female artist's choice and use has its own reasons and significance.

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For Shen Na, the reason for her adoption of needlework is more about stitching herself together, stitching together fragments of memories from her childhood life in a military factory, stitching together the pain of her original family, and the ups and downs of her personal and worldly life. Her growth journey is condensed into a hanging piece of writing by the artist: "It's okay if you don't forgive me.".

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It can be said that Shen Na's female celebrities, like the various martial arts roles played by her beloved Lin Qingxia, replace the needle, thread, cloth, and rope that define and bind women with sharp weapons of attack; She took the initiative to break away from gender discrimination and focused her creative focus on the field of language style and conceptual expression. The images were mainly delineated and shaped using lines, with color blending and sprinkling, including large areas of background white space, which embodies the fast-paced and emotionally exaggerated comic style of the current internet age.

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The works and overall space construction exhibited in this exhibition make it easy for audiences to discover the influence of martial arts culture on Shen Na. Different martial arts character images, as well as scenes of tension, bloodshed, and dependence on life and death, converge into the "Dragon Gate Inn" series. In the world of martial arts, the center is the struggle and fighting of men, but Shen Na has a special fondness for it. Behind it lies the heroism that she has always admired.

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The "Chang'e" and "Medusa" in the works, together with lofty chrysanthemums and weird the Taihu Lake Lake stones, convey the artist's impact on the image of a fairy who satisfies the male fantasy and the symbol of evil snake, scorpion and beauty. At the same time, roller skates, camphor wood boxes, and childhood relics from military factories, which are closely related to Shen Na's early life, are also intertwined in the exhibition hall to create a stunning fusion of ancient and modern landscapes.

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My understanding and opinions on society, history, politics, and other aspects are vastly different from those of Shen Na, and even completely different. However, in terms of artistic creation alone, I support her constant attempts to update and appreciate her innate talent in language style.

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In summary, since 2003, Shen Na's creations at three different stages have been unwilling to repeat her past, attempting to closely embed the development trend of contemporary Chinese art. From urban women to the contemporary transformation of traditional culture, and even to the expansion of materials and spiritual exploration in recent years, all reflect her ups and downs in life experiences, as well as her slightly split or extreme thinking consciousness. I also want to stubbornly say that being an artist cannot be ordinary or normal.

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Building Self-Fulfillment Shen Na’s Solo Exhibition

2023.11.26-12.20

Curator: Duan Jun

Common Art Cennter

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On the afternoon of November 26th at 4:00 pm, the Common Art Center presented Shen Na's solo exhibition "Cute Games with World Names", which was coordinated and presented by curator Duan Jun. Artist Shen Na imbues her works with a unique Eastern charm through unique hand embroidery techniques on fabrics made of pure linen, silk, and other materials. Silk material not only reflects the historical inheritance of Chinese civilization, but also is as soft and tender as women's skin.

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Whether it's the Dragon Gate Inn series or the trendy Japanese anime element series, Shen Na has given her unique growth experience in her works. As Shen Na, who has many years of teaching experience and a career as a freelance artist, she has built a rich and colorful life picture for herself.

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Having gone through the changes of different eras, Shen Na has always been passionate about art, exploring her own peaceful place through meticulous creation. The exhibition will continue until December 20th.

「BUILDING SELF-FULFILLMENT」

For the 11th Beijing Huimin Cultural Consumption Season

One of the key activities of the Art Capital section

About Artist

Artist Shen Na

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Shen Na,Born in Guangyuan, Sichuan in 1979

Studied at the Oil Painting Department of Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts in 1997

In 2001, I was admitted to the Master's program in Oil Painting at Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts

Obtained a master's degree in 2004 and stayed on campus to teach

Currently working and living in Beijing

Exhibition

2023 "Cute Games with World Names" - Shen Na Solo Exhibition (Beijing 798 Common Art Center)

2023 "Facing the Scene" - Contemporary Art Criticism Literature Exhibition in China in the 1990s (Shanghai Pudong Biyun Art Museum)

2017 "Era Texture" - Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts Exhibition (China National Art Museum)

2015 "Magnification" - New Chinese Painting in the Post Financial Crisis Era (Chongqing Changjiang Contemporary Art Museum)

2014 "College New Art Season 1" (Shenzhen Luohu Art Museum)

The First China Xinjiang International Art Biennale 2014- Urumqi International Convention and Exhibition Center in Xinjiang

2013 "Clear Rivers and Mountains - Stories of Flowing Wings" - Chinese New Painting (Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan)

2013 "Clear Mountains and Rivers" - Chinese New Painting (Santa Monica Museum of Art, Spain)

2013 Yan Wenliang Art Award Series Exhibition - "Fifth Element" Chinese Youth Oil Painting Invitation Exhibition (Suzhou Art Museum)

The work is collected by the Fukuoka Art Museum and Suzhou Art Museum in Japan

2012 "The Art of Others" - Macau Joint Exhibition of 13 Contemporary Chinese Female Artists (Hall of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Macau)

2012 "Weitu Shengjing" - China Contemporary Small Art Collection Plan Winter 2012 (Chengdu Nate Gallery)

70th Anniversary of Speech at the 2012 Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art - Chongqing Art Exhibition (Chongqing Art Museum)

2011 "Zhu Lian Bi" Southern Female Artist Invitation Exhibition (Chengdu Blue Top Art Museum)

2011 "Infinite Reproduction" Visual Case - Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Female Artists (Shenzhen Guanshan Yue Art Museum)

2011 "Clear Mountains and Rivers" - Chinese New Painting (San Francisco Museum of Asian Art)

The first stop of the 2011 "Abnormal Life" Tank Depot Tour Exhibition Plan 1: Switzerland (Lucerne Institute of Design and Fine Arts, Switzerland)

2011 Chengdu Biennale - "Xi Shan Qing Yuan" (Chengdu East District Music Park)

2011 "Future Pioneer - Contemporary Art Invitation Exhibition" (Chongqing Art Museum)

2010 "Transforming History" China New Art - China Youth Art Invitation Exhibition from 2000 to 2009 (Beijing Today Art Museum)

2010 "Clear Mountains and Rivers" - Chinese New Painting (London)

2010 "Invisible Wings" - (Beijing Times Art Museum)

2010 "Muxiang · Dichen" Chinese Contemporary Female Artists Six Person Exhibition (Shenzhen Hua · Art Museum)

The work is collected by the Guan Shan Yue Art Museum

2009 "Internal Power" Contemporary Female Artists Exhibition (Xi'an Textile Art City)

2009 "Performance" Contemporary Art Five Person Exhibition (Beijing 798 Millennium Time Gallery)

2009 "Jingyan" - Opening Exhibition of Hunan Millennium Contemporary Art Center

2009 "Lift Heavy as Light" (Nanjing "Heng" Contemporary Art Center)

2009 "Mirror free" Female Artist Exhibition (Beijing 798 White Box Art Museum)

2008 "Scenery" (Chongqing Tank Depot)

2008 "Women in Progress" (Beijing 798 Muzhen Club)

2008 "One Child Manifesto" 70s Emerging Artists Joint Exhibition

2008 "Various" Academic Nomination Exhibition (SO Space 50 Moganshan, Shanghai)

2008 "Facing the Power of Nature" - Commemorating the Wenchuan Earthquake (Chengdu Blue Space)

2007 "Nuclear Transformation" - New Painting from China (Italy)

2007 "Starting from Southwest" - Southwest Contemporary Art Exhibition 1985-2007 (Guangdong Art Museum)

2007 "Generation Leaving the Center" -2007 Dashanzi Art Festival Series Exhibition (Beijing 798 Art District)

2007 Sichuan Painting School Academic Review Exhibition 1976-2006 (Beijing Zhongwai Bo Yi Gallery)

2007 "Post Pioneer Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition" (Hong Kong)

The work is collected by Guangdong Art Museum

2006 "Self Creation Bureau" Contemporary Art Exhibition (Shanghai Zhengda Art Center)

2006 "Restrictions and Freedom" - Winter City (Art Literature Center)

2006 "Beyond Dimensions - Chinese New Painting" (Nanjing Sifang Art Museum)

2006 "New Power" - China Contemporary Art Biennale (Shanghai Yuangong Art Museum)

2006 "Variational Images" - China Contemporary Oil Painting Invitation Exhibition (Shanghai Art Museum)

2006 "Women in a bisexual society" - Contemporary Chinese Female Artists Exhibition (Chinatown Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand)

2006 "2006 China Contemporary Art Literature Exhibition" (Beijing China Century Altar)

2006 Shanghai Art Expo Youth Artist Promotion Exhibition (Shanghai)

The work has been collected by the Sifang Contemporary Art Museum and the Shanghai Zhengda Art Museum

2005 "The Attic of Language" Emerging Female Artists Exhibition (Beijing Three Quarters Gallery)

2005 "Cloud and Rain" Art Exhibition (Beijing Now Gallery)

The Arrival of the 2005 "Low and Shallow Games" Comic Trend (Beijing 798 Factory 3818 Library)

2005 "Post-70s Art: A Generation of" Art Exhibition "in China after Market Changes (Shanghai Mingyuan Art Center) (Beijing Today Art Museum)

The work is collected by Shenzhen Art Museum

Received a master's degree from Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts in 2004 and stayed on as a teacher

2004 "Youth Spirit" Emerging Painting Exhibition (Shenzhen He Xiangning Art Museum) (Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts Art Museum)

2004 "Blue Space" Invitation Exhibition (Chengdu)

The work is collected by He Xiangning Art Museum

The 3rd China Oil Painting Exhibition (China Art Museum) in 2003

2003 "Youth is Power" - Youth Art Exhibition (Shanghai)

2003 Guizhou Biennale (Guiyang)

2003 "Turning" - Contemporary Artists Annual Invitational Exhibition (Chongqing)

2003 "Multi perspective" Contemporary Art Exhibition (Shanghai Art Scene Warehouse)

The work is collected by Chongqing Art Museum

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Common Art Center, 707-b03 Hongshi Square, No.2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Founded in 2015, Common Art Center is the first contemporary art gallery with a crowdfunding membership system in China. The Common Art Center is jointly initiated by experienced curators, art dealers, collectors and other professionals in the field. It is committed to providing professional collection solutions for contemporary art collectors with a new business model. The gallery takes "paper" as the medium and works of media as its main research and management direction, because of the importance of such works in the Chinese art system and the broad development prospect in the future. Using paper and folk art as the medium, the excellent artists make paper as a tool to resist its fate, allowing it to get rid of the veil of function and reveal its own artistic value.

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「BUILDING SELF-FULFILLMENT」Shen Na’s Solo Exhibition:

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