Cynical Realism and Fang Lijun

Fang Lijun

According to Wikipedia, "Cynical realism is a contemporary movement in Chinese art, especially in the form of painting, that began in the 1990s. Beginning in Beijing, it has become one of the most popular Chinese contemporary art movements in mainland China. It arose through the pursuit of individual expression by Chinese artists that broke away from the collective mindset that existed since the Cultural Revolution. The major themes tend to focus on socio-political issues and events since Revolutionary China (1911) to the present. These include having a, usually humorous and post-ironic, take on a realist perspective and interpretation of transition that Chinese society has been through, from the advent of Communism to today's industrialization and modernization."  I think it is important to recognize artwork from differing cultures than just our own.  As history has proven, the creation of art is seen across all cultures, whether it is utilitarian or not.  Art always finds a way.  Enjoy!