HONG JIAN
Born in 1967 in Shanghai, Jian graduated from the Department of Chinese Painting at Shanghai University Academy of Fine Arts. Currently, he serves as a painter at the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy and as director of a contemporary art museum. He holds the title of First-Class Artist, and is Vice President of the Shanghai Museum Association, Executive Director of the Shanghai Artists Association, and Deputy Director of the Chinese Painting Art Committee. He is also a peer reviewer for the National Art Fund and a member of the China Artists Association.
Jian’s work has received numerous awards, including the Silver Prize at the 11th National Art Exhibition of China, the First Prize of the inaugural Magnolia Art Award at the 5th Shanghai Art Exhibition, and an Honorable Mention at the 11th Shanghai Art Exhibition Magnolia Art Award. His work was also selected for the 14th National Art Exhibition in Beijing. He has been recognized as an “Outstanding Mid-Career Artist” by the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
Focusing on traditional Chinese painting as a medium to depict Shanghai’s historic architecture, he has created series such as Shanghai Stories, Suzhou Creek, and Shanghai Streets and Buildings. His works concentrate on the city’s historical buildings, streets, and urban spaces, reflecting the material carriers of urban civilization and humanistic history. Combining classical ink painting techniques with a contemporary aesthetic perspective, his compositions convey a strong atmospheric quality.
Infused with a profound attachment to Shanghai, his paintings communicate the human spirit of living spaces through architectural detail, emphasizing dialogue with history. The restrained gray tones and pared-down compositions not only capture the city’s character but also evoke personal memory and emotion, giving his work a layered depth that invites prolonged contemplation.
