Jiang Shuo
Encyclopedia
Jiang Shuo (born 1958, Beijing, China) is a Chinese
contemporary sculptor.
, China
. She studied sculpture at the Central Academy of Arts and Design, now the Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University
, Beijing, China from 1978–1982, and was one of the few women to do so. She studied under the sculptor Professor Zheng Ke for three years, becoming the first sculptress in China to complete a post-graduate degree. Jiang then became a lecturer at the school from 1986-1989. After winning a scholarship to a university in Austria
in 1989, she immigrated with her sculptor husband, Wu Shaoxiang
and their three-year old son. They settled in Klagenfurt
, Carinthia
where they established a joint studio. Since then Jiang has widely exhibited her sculptures around the world, including Austria, Indonesia, Singapore, and Switzerland. Her works are also regularly sold through galleries, and at auctions in Beijing, Hong Kong, and New York. Many of her works are included in major private and museum collections as well.
, and her observations from abroad of China's emergence into a capitalistic machine.
In 1993, after her family gained Austrian citizenship, Jiang returned to China and witnessed first-hand the changes that were occurring, and the ironic situation that was taking place; the Red Guards who previously persecuted the "bourgeois" elements of society had now become the successful businessmen or capitalists driving China's burgeoning economy.
As Jiang's work progressed her Red Guard figures, for example, Cloud Rider - Terracotta Red (2008), and Run 2 (2006), began posing alongside material items that replaced The Little Red Book. They now sang karaoke, drank Coca Cola, ate McDonalds, rode atop flashy automobiles – all reflective of the lifestyles of rich businessmen pursuing a life filled with commercial luxury.
• Shanghai Art Fair 2007, Shanghai, China, 2007
• Jiang Shuo: Monument of Time, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong
, 2007
• ARTSingapore 2007, The Contemporary Asian Art Fair, Singapore, 2007
• Art Beijing 2007, Beijing, China, 2007
• China International Gallery Exposition 2007, Beijing, China, 2007
• Chase! Selected Sculpture Exhibition by Jiang Shuo & Wu Shao Xiang, Linda Gallery, Jakarta and Singapore, 2006
• China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE) 2006, Beijing World Trade Centre, 2006
• Individual exhibition, Red Guards Today, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong, 2005
• Individual exhibition, Red Guards, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong, 2004
• Group exhibition, organized by Plum Blossoms Gallery at The International Asian Art Fair, New York City, New York, USA, 2003
• Group exhibition, First International Biennial of Contemporary Art in Austria, Hüttenberg Exhibition Center, Austria, 2002
• Individual exhibition, Sculpting, AAI Gallery, Vienna, Austria Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Schloss Wolfsberg, Wolfsberg
, Austria, 2001
• Group exhibition, Hundred Years of Chinese Art, China Guardian Auctions, Beijing, China, 2000
• Group exhibition, Salzburg Art Fair, Salzburg, Austria, 1999
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Dida, Graz
, Austria, 1999
• Group exhibition, the International Contemporary Art Fair, Palace Degli Affari, Florence, Italy, 1998
• Individual exhibition, City Hall, St. Veit, Austria, 1998
• Individual exhibition, Central Gallery, Graz, Austria, 1997
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Dida, Graz, Austria, 1996
• Group exhibition, Gallery Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 1995
• Group exhibition by the Austrian Art Association, City Gallery
, Klagenfurt Austria, 1994
• The Spirit of Times, Gallery Hinteregger, St. Pölten, Austria, 1993
• Individual exhibition, Europe House, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1993
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Culture House, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1992
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Nemenz, Judenberg, Austria, 1992
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Akzent K, Stuttgart, Germany, 1991
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Raiffeisen Bank, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1991
• International Art Exhibition, Stadtgarten Gallery, Norden
, Germany, 1990
• Group Exhibition, the International Art Centre, Velden
, Austria, 1990
• China National Exhibition of Fine Arts, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1988
• Today's Fine Arts in China, Toronto Exhibition Hall, Canada, 1987
• Photo Exhibition of Prize-Winning Sculptures, China National Museum of fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1986
• Individual exhibition, Central Academy of Arts & Design, Beijing, China, 1985
• First National Urban Sculpture Exhibition, China National Museum of fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1984
• The Central Academy of Arts & Design Exhibition, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1982
• Lion Rider, Art Museum
Hong Kong, 2006
• Red Guards, Art Museum Hong Kong, 2005
• Red Guards- Going Forward! Making Money!, Langham Place Hotel
, Hong Kong, 2004
• Christ, St. Margareten City, Austria, 2000
• Ancient Vase, Hong Kong New World Development
, Hong Kong, 1996
• Enjoyable Life, County Attendant Centre, Moosburg, Austria, 1996
• Sculpture for Kärtner Landesversicherung, Austria, 1995
• Designed trophies for Evolution Club, Ferlach, Austria, 1993
• Hand (Fountain), Köck Villa, Velden, Austria, 1992
• Designed trophies for Advertising Award, 1991
• Designed trophies for The Chinese Film Festival, Beijing, China, 1989
• Fisherman, Mi Yun Power Supply Bureau, Beijing, China, 1989
• Designed trophies for the Ten Best Enterprises of China, 1988
• Summer, regarded as one of the best sculptures in China
• Spirit of the Drunken City, 10 meters high, Qioatou Square, Luzhou
, china, 1987
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1984
• Summer, Binghe Garden, Beijing China
• The Sea of Knowledge, The Central University of Finance and Economics
, Beijing, China, 1984
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1983
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1982
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
contemporary sculptor.
Biography
Jiang Shuo was born in 1958 in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She studied sculpture at the Central Academy of Arts and Design, now the Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
, Beijing, China from 1978–1982, and was one of the few women to do so. She studied under the sculptor Professor Zheng Ke for three years, becoming the first sculptress in China to complete a post-graduate degree. Jiang then became a lecturer at the school from 1986-1989. After winning a scholarship to a university in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in 1989, she immigrated with her sculptor husband, Wu Shaoxiang
Wu Shaoxiang
Wu Shaoxiang is a Chinese contemporary sculptor.-Biography:Wu Shaoxiang was born in 1957 in Jiangxi Province, China. Having only received ongoing formal education until he was twelve, Wu was sent to work on a farm to lay bricks and saw wood for rafters...
and their three-year old son. They settled in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
, Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
where they established a joint studio. Since then Jiang has widely exhibited her sculptures around the world, including Austria, Indonesia, Singapore, and Switzerland. Her works are also regularly sold through galleries, and at auctions in Beijing, Hong Kong, and New York. Many of her works are included in major private and museum collections as well.
Early works
Jiang's earlier works in bronze possess a folk-like quality. These achieved recognition in China before she left for Austria in 1989. Such sculptures hint at blissful childhood memories of innocent children enjoying themselves in sport, playing music, and returning their mothers' warm embrace – which suggest Jiang's strong family values.Later works
However, Jiang became famous with her iconic "Red Guard" series begun in 2003. These anonymous, open mouthed warriors who wear the Red Guard uniform, are cast in the ancient lost wax technique. They carry either a red flag or The Little Red Book, and reflect both her personal experience as a young Red Guard during the Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, and her observations from abroad of China's emergence into a capitalistic machine.
In 1993, after her family gained Austrian citizenship, Jiang returned to China and witnessed first-hand the changes that were occurring, and the ironic situation that was taking place; the Red Guards who previously persecuted the "bourgeois" elements of society had now become the successful businessmen or capitalists driving China's burgeoning economy.
As Jiang's work progressed her Red Guard figures, for example, Cloud Rider - Terracotta Red (2008), and Run 2 (2006), began posing alongside material items that replaced The Little Red Book. They now sang karaoke, drank Coca Cola, ate McDonalds, rode atop flashy automobiles – all reflective of the lifestyles of rich businessmen pursuing a life filled with commercial luxury.
Selected exhibitions and projects
• Image and Concepts, Jiang Shuo and Wu Shaoxiang exhibition at Songzhuang Museum, Beijing, China, 2007• Shanghai Art Fair 2007, Shanghai, China, 2007
• Jiang Shuo: Monument of Time, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, 2007
• ARTSingapore 2007, The Contemporary Asian Art Fair, Singapore, 2007
• Art Beijing 2007, Beijing, China, 2007
• China International Gallery Exposition 2007, Beijing, China, 2007
• Chase! Selected Sculpture Exhibition by Jiang Shuo & Wu Shao Xiang, Linda Gallery, Jakarta and Singapore, 2006
• China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE) 2006, Beijing World Trade Centre, 2006
• Individual exhibition, Red Guards Today, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong, 2005
• Individual exhibition, Red Guards, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong, 2004
• Group exhibition, organized by Plum Blossoms Gallery at The International Asian Art Fair, New York City, New York, USA, 2003
• Group exhibition, First International Biennial of Contemporary Art in Austria, Hüttenberg Exhibition Center, Austria, 2002
• Individual exhibition, Sculpting, AAI Gallery, Vienna, Austria Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Schloss Wolfsberg, Wolfsberg
Wolfsberg
Places named Wolfsberg include:*Wolfsberg, Carinthia, a district capital in Carinthia, Austria*Wolfsberg , a district of Carinthia, Austria*Wolfsberg im Schwarzautal, a municipality in Styria, Austria...
, Austria, 2001
• Group exhibition, Hundred Years of Chinese Art, China Guardian Auctions, Beijing, China, 2000
• Group exhibition, Salzburg Art Fair, Salzburg, Austria, 1999
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Dida, Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria, 1999
• Group exhibition, the International Contemporary Art Fair, Palace Degli Affari, Florence, Italy, 1998
• Individual exhibition, City Hall, St. Veit, Austria, 1998
• Individual exhibition, Central Gallery, Graz, Austria, 1997
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Dida, Graz, Austria, 1996
• Group exhibition, Gallery Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 1995
• Group exhibition by the Austrian Art Association, City Gallery
City Gallery
City Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Leicester, England.The gallery exhibits arts and crafts including international work but also local work reflecting the city's cultural diversity making the gallery an important venue for artists to showcase their work. The gallery has links with local...
, Klagenfurt Austria, 1994
• The Spirit of Times, Gallery Hinteregger, St. Pölten, Austria, 1993
• Individual exhibition, Europe House, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1993
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Culture House, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1992
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Nemenz, Judenberg, Austria, 1992
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Gallery Akzent K, Stuttgart, Germany, 1991
• Joint exhibition with Wu Shaoxiang, Raiffeisen Bank, Klagenfurt, Austria, 1991
• International Art Exhibition, Stadtgarten Gallery, Norden
Norden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
, Germany, 1990
• Group Exhibition, the International Art Centre, Velden
Velden
Velden may refer to several places:*Velden am Wörther See, a municipality in Austria on the Wörthersee*Velden, Limburg, a village in the municipality of Venlo, Netherlands*Velden , a town in the district of Nürnberger Land in Bavaria, Germany...
, Austria, 1990
• China National Exhibition of Fine Arts, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1988
• Today's Fine Arts in China, Toronto Exhibition Hall, Canada, 1987
• Photo Exhibition of Prize-Winning Sculptures, China National Museum of fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1986
• Individual exhibition, Central Academy of Arts & Design, Beijing, China, 1985
• First National Urban Sculpture Exhibition, China National Museum of fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1984
• The Central Academy of Arts & Design Exhibition, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 1982
Selected commissions and collections
• Bauhinia Rider, Departure Concourse, MTR Lok Ma Chau Station, Hong Kong, 2010• Lion Rider, Art Museum
Hong Kong Museum of Art
The Hong Kong Museum of Art is the main art museum of Hong Kong. The museum was established as the City Hall Museum and Art Gallery in the City Hall in Central by the Urban Council in 1962. In 1991, it was moved to the present premises at 10 Salisbury Road, near the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and...
Hong Kong, 2006
• Red Guards, Art Museum Hong Kong, 2005
• Red Guards- Going Forward! Making Money!, Langham Place Hotel
Langham Place Hotel
Langham Place Hotel, located at 555, Shanghai Street is the only five-star hotel located in the Mong Kok, Hong Kong.The opening of the hotel, adjoining to the Langham Place mall and commercial complex, has brought a new look and experience to Mongkok....
, Hong Kong, 2004
• Christ, St. Margareten City, Austria, 2000
• Ancient Vase, Hong Kong New World Development
New World Development
New World Development Company Limited , based in Hong Kong, is active in property, infrastructure, services and telecommunications. It was established in 1970 with Dr Ho Sin Hang as Chairman and Chow Chi Yuen as Director and General Manager...
, Hong Kong, 1996
• Enjoyable Life, County Attendant Centre, Moosburg, Austria, 1996
• Sculpture for Kärtner Landesversicherung, Austria, 1995
• Designed trophies for Evolution Club, Ferlach, Austria, 1993
• Hand (Fountain), Köck Villa, Velden, Austria, 1992
• Designed trophies for Advertising Award, 1991
• Designed trophies for The Chinese Film Festival, Beijing, China, 1989
• Fisherman, Mi Yun Power Supply Bureau, Beijing, China, 1989
• Designed trophies for the Ten Best Enterprises of China, 1988
• Summer, regarded as one of the best sculptures in China
• Spirit of the Drunken City, 10 meters high, Qioatou Square, Luzhou
Luzhou
-History:The history of Luzhou dates back to Xia and Shang Dynasties. Luzhou became a prefecture level city in 1983.-History of Luzhou:...
, china, 1987
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1984
• Summer, Binghe Garden, Beijing China
• The Sea of Knowledge, The Central University of Finance and Economics
Central University of Finance and Economics
Central University of Finance and Economics , colloquially known in Chinese as Zhongcai （中财） or Yangcai and formerly as the Central Institute of Finance and Economics, is a university in Beijing, China...
, Beijing, China, 1984
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1983
• Designed trophies for the best film of Culture Ministry of China, 1982