Face Off: Contemporary Chinese Portrait Painting in Mainland China

Abstract

This thesis will examine the form, meaning and reception of portrait paintings by Zhang Xiaogang, Yue Minjun and Shen Jingdong in the context of both their moment of production and contemporary Chinese society. It will argue that these paintings reflect on and embody the great political, economic and social changes that have taken place in Chinese society over the past several decades. Additionally, my study will consider the indispensable role that art can play in a one-­‐party state during a time of uncertain transition. Contemporary Chinese art not only witnesses and records the dramatic transformation of mainland China, but it also actively participates in the transitional process and has become an essential aspect of today’s China. ...