Wu Shanzhuan

Wu Shanzhuan is a prominent Chinese conceptual artist.

Biography of Wu Shanzhuan

Wu Shanzhuan was born in 1960 in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province. He graduated from the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts in Hangzhou (now the China Academy of Art) in 1986. In the late 1980s, Wu moved to Europe, where he obtained a master's degree from the College of Fine Arts at the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg in 1989. Wu has lived in Germany and Iceland for over ten years and returned to China in 2005.

As one of the leaders of the Chinese Conceptual Movement in the 1980s, Wu Shanzhuan is known for his pioneering work that integrates textual pop references. His pivotal installation, "Red Humour International" (1986), laid the foundation for his sophisticated approach to painting, which prioritizes political jingoism, religious scripture, and advertising slogans over traditional imagery.

Wu Shanzhuan has exhibited widely, including solo exhibitions such as "What a Form: A Reportage" at OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shenzhen (2013), and "Thing’s Right(s) 09 The More" at Shanghai Gallery of Art (2009).

Since 1991, Shanzhuan has been working with renowned Icelandic conceptualist Inga Svala Thorsdottir, and they have been collaborating and exhibiting together since then.

Wu Shanzhuan's Art Style

Wu Shanzhuan's art is deeply conceptual, often dealing with issues surrounding language. His work spans painting, drawing, installation, photography, and performance. Known for his experimental approach to language and the use of big character posters, Wu's art is filled with satire, language tricks, symbols, and radical games. He was part of the Red Humor group, which toyed with language and meaning.

Wu's works are characterized by the integration of absurd imagery and fantastical language, often using ready-made objects. His notable work, "Red Humour International," mixes Cultural Revolution slogans with advertising pitches and ancient poems, highlighting the interplay between political and commercial rhetoric.