The Spirit of Individualism Shanghai Avant-Garde Art in the 1980s

This book is about avant-garde art in Shanghai in the 1980s which challenges the narrative in the current discourse on the appearance of contemporary art in China. Offering fresh perspectives and new insights into the art and the artists of this period, the book includes critical events in Shanghai, that will attract the serious attention of art professionals and collectors. The emergence of the Shanghai art scene in the 1980s mirrors the revitalisation of Shanghai that was tasked to lead China’s economic development trajectory onto the world stage. Shanghai, with its semi-colonial, political, economic and cultural history, including the strong legacy of the early twentieth century modernist art movement, has played a vital role in China’s modernisation and presents itself as a unique case in the evolution of contemporary art in China.

Introduction.- Chapter 1. Three Aspects of the 1980s.- Chapter 2. Shanghai Art Museum (SAM).- Chapter 3. Artist Zhang Jianjun and His Art Practice.- Chapter 4. Artist Li Shan and His Career Trajectory.- Chapter 5. Yu’s Artistic Language.- Chapter 6. Ideas and Art Practices of Three Renowned International Contemporary Artists. – Conclusion.

Lansheng Zhang is an art historian and academic, art curator, artist and designer. He has worked in these roles with universities, governments, international organisations, major art institutions in China, Australia, Japan and Europe, with substantial achievements and a record of success. His main research interests are in modern and contemporary art and design, art histories and visual cultures in Asia especially in China. He was an Adjunct Professor at the RMIT University Melbourne, Associate Professor at the East China Normal University Shanghai, Senior Fellow at Lincoln University, UK, Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, and recently a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney.