Response #2. Chinese Contemporary Art. Visual & Performing Arts Essay

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Chinese Contemporary Art
Art is a process of arranging thoughts and concepts in a manner that touches the senses and emotions of people. It's a way of expressing thoughts and emotions. It's sharing the things we experience in the world. The concepts communicated through art are so intimate that they cannot fully be expressed in words alone. And since words cannot be enough to express such thoughts there has to be a way to express them (Stroetzel, Joanna, 2020). The vehicle to convey these thoughts is art. It involves a range of creations and expressions through film, music, literature, paintings, and sculpture. These ideas are transmitted across generations and cultures and they are prone to change with time.
Art has revolutionized the way the Chinese government relates to its people and the outside world. Over time the government has sought the creation of visual culture to communicate its ideologies and goals to the citizens. Artists have since been used to mobilize ideas reflecting the day to day events in people’s lives (Svensson, Marina, 2016) The traditional oil painting was replaced by ink painting which was seen as the preferred painting style. The heroes who have created an impact on the Chinese people such as soldiers, workers, and peasants were the most conspicuous art forms that revolutionized the traditional landscapes. 
For many years Chinese art has formed its philosophy which is different from the west. Their contemporary art however has seen a radical change as a result of exposure to western art. As a result of more cultural, military, and economic pressures from the western world, Chinese artists tried to revive their traditional art by seeking help from the west. This new intellectual interaction came to modernize Chinese art and revolutionized modern art in China. 
Mao was actively involved in the Chinese art revolution. After his death Avant-garde movement started with an aim of enlightening people to fight for new social reforms. These involved moving masses to rebel against the ideology of state domination which had interfered with individuality. This movement happened in the 1980s but failed to attain its goal as its popularity dropped (Stroetzel, Joanna, 2020). The failure of democracy and increased involvement in mass culture led to many artists losing their passion for humanity. This gave rise to the Cynical Realism movement in the 1990s. This movement was neutral in terms of political acceptance and gained monetary success. It tried to bridge the gap between western and Chinese art cultures by bringing social realism. They came at a time when there were socio-political issues that arose as a result of the revolution of the Chinese art culture.
Among the artists whose artworks inspire me most are Ai Weiwei, Fang Lijun, and Zeng Fanzhi. Their artworks followed a cultural revolution that followed new ways of expression. They faced different challenges in their art live but managed to overcome them. 
Ai Weiwei is a famous Chinese most famous artist. He was an artist, architect, filmmaker, and activist. He was well known for his critic...