Exhibition Title: The First Flowers Bloom - A Retrospective of the Ten Years of Chilie Deqing 2014-2024
Curator: Wang Yingying
Exhibition time: 2024.06.22-07.07
Venue: Art Zhan Gallery (D10, 798 East Street, Jiuxianqiao Road, 798 Art District, Beijing)
Ten years ago, in the summer, Chilie Deqing was studying for a master's degree in the art department of Tibet University. As a young Tibetan artist who was born, raised and lived in the foothills of the Himalayas, Chilie Deqing's artistic creation is at the forefront of contemporary international art. His works have not only been exhibited in Lhasa, Shanghai, Beijing and other places, but also in recent years, they have been exhibited internationally in Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and other places, and have received wide attention.
If we look at it in a coordinate axis system, we may be able to find the characteristics and positioning of this artist more objectively and accurately.
The first is the horizontal axis, that is, it is placed among contemporary young artists. Among the young contemporary artists, Chilie Deqing's works are highly recognizable. Whether it is the plateau color in terms of color, or the Tibetan and international, traditional and contemporary painting language in composition and artistic expression, there is a unique artistic language of the artist. "Tibet" refers to the fact that although the region is not clearly indicated in his works, the bright colors and Himalayan symbolic language all make people feel the cultural connection in the paintings. In terms of painting language, Chilie Deqing's early portraits ("Self-Portrait" series, "Phase" series, etc.) and recent abstract portraits ("Non-Self" series) are in line with the international contemporary painting language.
The second is the longitudinal axis, that is, in the context of Tibetan art history. From traditional Tibetan thangka painting, to Tibetan realism, to contemporary painting. Chilie Deqing pioneered the "New Tibetan Aesthetics" under the abstract language. Some media reported that it "writes the new Tibetan aesthetics with flat language" and "expresses the three-dimensional spirit with flatness", etc., all of which pay attention to the characteristics of Trilie Deqing. This unique language has created a whole new way of expression. In particular, the recent series of works "Portrait of Non-Self" combines the traditional "Statue Measurement Sutra" with contemporary painting, resulting in a unique style of Tibetan abstract portraits.
In the summer of 2024, we will present to you the "First Flowers Bloom - A Retrospective Exhibition of the Past Ten Years of Chilie Deqing", which will sort out and present the creative process of Chilie Deqing in the past ten years. This solo exhibition covers nearly 10 series of works and his representative works, including "Clouds", "Self-Portraits", "Portraits", "Portraits of Non-Self", "Temples", "Villages", "Landscapes" and "Untitled" created between 2014 and 2024.
"Clouds" series
The "Clouds" series is one of the early works of Akalie Deqing, which began during his graduate studies, and is also the first series of his creations from realistic oil painting to personal style. In this series, we do not see traditional Buddhist subjects, but the artist uses his own image to create the characters in the painting. Clouds, in Tibetan culture, often contain the meaning of impermanence. The artist shapes the self-image as a figure in the picture, adopts a symmetrical composition, and uses a vivid plateau color to construct a picture language with a sense of mystery. The series shows the artist's self-confusion and life thinking, and there is hope in the struggle and contradiction.
Clouds, No.5, Oil on Canvas, 2014, 100x135 cm
Clouds, No.7, Oil on Canvas, 2014, 100x135 cm
"Self-Portrait" and "Portrait of Not Me" series
Created in 2017, the "Self-Portrait" series is an artist's examination and reflection on himself. Created in 2023, the series "Portrait of Not Me" is an artist's re-examination of the self. These two series of works reflect the artist's detachment and rethinking of traditional artistic conventions. From "Self-Portrait" to "Portrait of Non-Self", Akalie Deqing gradually broke through the concept of "image", and the figure became a simpler, almost cold abstract form built with colored lines, and the treatment of color blocks also changed from the original color blocks with clear and smooth boundaries to color clusters with blurred boundaries.
Self-portrait, No.3, Oil on canvas, 2017, 100x100 cm
Phase No.1, Oil on canvas, 2018, 100x130 cm
In traditional Tibetan painting, every detail, proportion, and composition of Buddha statues must strictly comply with the provisions of the Sutra on Statue Measurement. Chilie Deqing boldly breaks with traditional paradigms to create contemporary portraits that reflect his unique visual expression.
The "Non-Self" series reflects on the "letting go of the self" in Buddhism from a deeper level, so as to explore the deeper nature behind the "appearance".
No.2 Acrylic 2023 100x100 cm
Untitled No.9, 2024, Acrylic, 70x95 cm
The Village series
The flatness in Chilie Deqing's paintings is more like a return to the unavoidable and exclusive flatness of painting. He is not obsessed with realism, but like a devout worshipper, he paints truthfully and truthfully what he sees. In his paintings, the flat surfaces, the shapes of the substrates, and even the textures of the paints are displayed in the purest, unadorned way, and in this way, they form his own unique visual language.
Monastery, No.2, Oil on Canvas, 2018, 70x95 cm
Village No.23, Oil on canvas, 2021, 80x60 cm
"Landscape" series
The "Landscape" series is an expression of sacred landscapes in the context of Tibetan culture, and the paintings express the artist's awe for landscapes and nature. In traditional Tibetan culture, mountains symbolize bravery, steadfastness, and standing tall on the ground, and ripples symbolize purity and wisdom, as well as the flow and impermanence of life.
Landscape, No.3, Oil on Canvas, 2022, 90x70 cm
Landscape, No.8, Oil on canvas, 2022, 60x80 cm
About the Artist
Chilie Deqing, a new generation of Tibetan artists born after the 85s
1987 Born in Shigatse, Tibet
2011 Graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the College of Arts, Tibet University with a bachelor's degree
2015 Graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the College of Arts, Tibet University with a master's degree
In 2017, he graduated from the "6th Advanced Seminar for Young Artists of Western Ethnic Minorities"
Director of the Chinese Artists Association, the Academy of Fine Arts of the Central University for Nationalities, and the Tibet Oil Painting Society, he now lives and works in Shigatse, Tibet
Chilie Deqing has created nearly ten series of works, including "Village", "Temple", "Cloud", "Self-Portrait", "Phase", "Landscape", "Non-Self Portrait", "No Phase", "Non-Mountain and Non-Water", and "Untitled". He has held solo exhibitions in Lhasa, Shanghai and other places; group exhibitions in Guangzhou, Beijing and other places; He has also exhibited at art fairs in Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco. In recent years, he has made a name for himself in the international art scene, especially in his "Portrait of Not Me" series, which has created a unique abstract portrait painting, which has attracted much attention from the international art market.