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In the 20th century, China experienced tremendous social and political upheaval, from the fall of the Qing Dynasty to the rise of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to Mao's Cultural Revolution. Amid this turmoil, abstract art emerged as a subtle yet powerful form of resistance. While traditional Chinese art focused on representational landscapes and calligraphy, abstract art provided a creative means to express dissent, navigate censorship, and reflect on their complex realities.
Chinese artists in the mid-20th century were inspired by movements in the West, such as cubism, surrealism, and abstract expressionism. While studying abroad or otherwise encountering modernist works, Chinese artists like Zao Wou-Ki (below) and Chu Teh-Chun incorporated abstraction into their work. These artists blended traditional Chinese elements—like ink painting techniques and Taoist philosophy—with modernist experimentation. In this way, they used abstraction as a visual language to explore issues of identity and cultural tensions.
Chinese abstract artist Zao Wou Ki in his studio in France in 1967.
Abstract Art as Silent Defiance
During the violent and repressive Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), abstract art became inherently radical. Moa and the CCP considered "socialist realism" to be the only acceptable style of art, which left little room for personal expression. Abstract artists quietly resisted this conformity and defied ideological control by creating non-representational works. Such creative expressions allowed them to assert individuality in what was a highly controlled environment.
An example of "socialist realism." During the Cultural Revolution, the CCP commissioned idealized paintings of (a very Western-looking) Mao. 'Chairman Mao Inspects the Guangdong Countryside,' by Chen Yanning, 1972.
A Legacy of Cultural Fusion and Resistance
Today, 20th-century Chinese abstract art is celebrated for its innovative fusion of East and West and its role as a subtle yet enduring form of resistance. For me, this legacy emphasizes the power of abstraction as a tool for challenging oppression.
Book cited: Hawks, S. D. (2017). The art of resistance: painting by candlelight in Mao’s China. University of Washington Press.
Pete Stein
Founder, Galerie Stein
Montreal
Galerie Stein will be presenting more contemporary abstract expressionist artists in 2025, both virtually at GalerieStein.com and in our gallery.
Contact: Pete Stein at peter@GalerieStein.com
