Qin Feng

“I am especially interested in the intersection among the abstract expressionist aspects of traditional Chinese art, the forms and languages in Western Abstract Expressionism, and my own ways of thinking.  I turn this intersection into those thematic and secondary symbols and figures in my work.  They transmute into bodies and shadows.  I deconstruct those elements only to re-construct and de-construct them again, giving birth to new forms, paradoxes, and combinations.”

Qin Feng, Recent Paintings by Qin Feng, Goedhuis Contemporary, New York, 2006, p. 3.

West Wind East Water No. 09 was painted in 2006 as part of Qin’s ongoing series titled  “West Wind East Water.”  The artist used a combination of coffee, tea, ink and oil on canvas to create this visually striking and impressive triptych. With an aesthetic that infuses a bold Abstract Expressionist sensibility with the lyrical brushstrokes borne of an engagement with traditional Chinese ink painting, No. 9 offers a stunning example of Qin Feng’s powerful practice. 

 “The ‘West Wind East Water’ series originates from the region where I grew up: its people, its land, and my life experiences.  I am using purely symbolic expressions to represent the integration between China and the West.  The purpose of this symbolism is to represent the vast, harsh natural world of my homeland, its tragic and brilliant history, and the murky and inexplicable reality of today.”

Qin Feng – Artist Statement, Boston, December 2005 (published in Qin Feng’s 2006 catalogue).

Born in Xinjiang Province in 1961, Qin Feng – a prolific artist and professor – has spent the past decade exhibiting, curating and teaching around the world.  Based in Germany from 1996-99, Qin taught at the Berlin University of Art, and in 2001, Qin participated in the artist-in-residence program at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire. Now a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, he currently divides his time between Boston and Beijing. From conceptual mixed media landscapes to sculptural installation and performance, Qin continually explores new methods of production, reflecting upon his role as a citizen of the world.