“Six years ago, it was easier to identify specific movements and trends,” says Chiu, emphasizing that since then, the world of Chinese art has developed greater diversity and depth. “Many young artists are producing viable, vibrant work, but they have not been part of the so-called economic miracle.” Working in the full range of media from painting, sculpture and mixed-media installation to video, film and photography, the more recent work is as compelling as what preceded it. Many of these young artists offer insights into the growth-above-all mentality gripping China—and the growing pains it has induced.

According to New York dealer Michael Goedhuis, there are artists who did good work in Cynical Realism, but that movement’s time has passed. “We look for painterly qualities, artists who are not derivative and have something fresh to say,” says Goedhuis. He considers oil painter Yu Hong, whose work evokes the classic ink-and-brush tradition, to be one of the best artists working in China today.

Cao Fei might also be considered a rising superstar. Her videos and photography are in several international museums and private collections. In “Whose Utopia,” part of a project commissioned for the 2006 Sydney Biennial, Cao reviews the daily work of factory workers in a docudrama style and then segues into their fantasy lives as dancers and rock musicians.
 
Liu Ding is another “up-and-coming” artist, says Phillips. It’s not just the scope of his imagination and enormous productivity that the curator admires, but “his real determination to stay true to his vision.” Phillips also cites Li Songsong, who is in his 30s, as one of the most talented young painters today. His canvases are less illustrative than those of many Chinese artists, and his vigorous brushwork suggests the influence of Gerhard Richter.
 
Liang Shuo, a sculptor who works in bronze, is also known for forceful work. One of his major pieces is a group of figures called “Urban Peasants.” According to Marc Benda, director of New York’s Barry Friedman Ltd., his “brutally realist works with great patina” represent years of thought and conception.
 
Reflecting on where we are now in this highly hyped field, Dudek says, “A lot of media attention has been centered around market activity, but it’s important to keep in mind this is really the tip of the iceberg for some of the most exciting and interesting developments in contemporary art in a long time.”

Today, the challenge for curators and collectors is to separate contrived and derivative work aiming for instant celebrity from what is truly insightful and original. As artists in the People’s Republic continue to interpret and comment on such global issues as gender, communication, the environment and rapid urbanization, their work will surely find an appreciative audience.

Bobbie Leigh is an Art & Antiques New York correspondent specializing in Asian art and culture.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Chambers Fine Art, New York. 212.414.1169. www.chambersfineart.com
Sperone Westwater, New York. 212.999.7337. www.speronewestwater.com
Ethan Cohen Fine Arts, New York. 212.625.1250. www.ecfa.com
Goedhuis Contemporary, New York. 212.535.6954. www.goedhuiscontemporary.com
Walsh Gallery, Chicago. 312.829.3312. www.walshgallery.com
Tilton Gallery, New York. 212.737.2221. www.jacktiltongallery.com
Max Protetch, New York. 212.633.6999. www.maxprotetch.com
China 2000 Fine Art, New York. 212.588.1198. www.china2000fineart.com
China Institute, New York. 212.744.8181. www.chinainstitute.org
Marc Richard Galleries, Los Angeles. 323.634.0838. www.marcrichards.com
Made in China–Chinese Art Now! Edited by Michael Juul Holm and Anders Kold (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark, 2007).
Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection edited by Bernard Fibicher (Hatje Cantz, 2005).