Qing Qing Chen

Feminism reached its height in Chinese art in the late 1990s, and Qing Qing Chen is the leading representative of this movement.  Through her works she has established her own individual style of an intense art language.  Her art work touches not only on the popular feminist themes of love, life and feminine culture, but also reflects on topics such as history and politics which span the borders of divisions of the sexes.  She approaches these seemingly heavy topics steeped in essential philosophy and life truths with the light touch of one who is able to see the big by way of the small.  It is in this way that she expertly presents her meanings.  Qing Qing’s working method reveals both an intelligent and intuitive feminism and a truly mature style of concept art.

Qing Qing Chen’s ready-made installations and course fiber clothing employ a high degree of experimentation in visual language and in the range of materials used.  Her fiber clothing installations are in the vanguard of language in contemporary Chinese art, and have played a prominent role in the expansion of art language.  Her box installations depicting miniature man-made scenes use not only the strengths language has to instruct and enchant, but also a “microcosmic” language that presses for a mystical exploration of the spirit.  This kind of spiritual exploration is something seldom seen in contemporary Chinese art.  It is an exploration that brings our thoughts to penetrate an interwoven mesh of history, feminism and humanity, and at a certain level this exploration also works to reveal the power of language Qing Qing has found which can stand as a rescue in the struggle of the individual against the times.

by Zhu Qi