Over the past 30 years, art in China has gone through a dramatic evolution. Artists who newly discovered their freedom of expression after the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong have made way for a new generation that has grown up in a very different China. This newer generation of artists, born after 1976, has been raised in a China that follows a free-market economy, practices open-door policy, and welcomes western influences like McDonald’s and Gucci. 

The artwork of these younger artists is creative and unusual and entirely unique from their predecessors. As the Cultural Revolution clamped down on any those wanting to distinguish themselves as an individual, artwork from this era was homogeneous and reflected the propaganda and narrative of Mao Zedong Thought, not of the artist himself.

Now, Chinese people in their twenties and thirties, utilizing the free market, are expressing themselves and selling their works around the world. Most of the pieces draw away from stereotypical “Chineseness” and artists look to incorporate the styles and techniques of global artists. The goal of many contemporary artists is to be heterogeneous. They are not grappling with the challenges of re-creating life post-revolution like older artists. This generation of artists deals with the materialism that now dominants China and the rest of the world. Also, younger artists tend to steer clear of making political statements with their works. Although the contemporary crowd supports older artists like Ai Weiwei and respect their desires to confront touchy political issues in the Chinese government, they have seen the path this can lead to (imprisonment) and are hesitant to follow the same course. 

But because the newest generation of Chinese artists were raised in a China that embraces materialism and open door policies, don’t call them superficial. In fact, this generation is diverse and in their art and philosophies and promise to continue captivating art lovers around the world with their broad display of subjects.