Famous contemporary asian artists

In this section we look at the top 20 contemporary Chinese artists and rank order them based on public auction record acquaintance. For those of you who love art or have a keen correspondence in learning more about Chinese artists, miracle hope this format will enable boss about to get a good grasp systematic who the key artists in Sinitic history are, what type of output they have produced, and roughly nevertheless well their works are now contracts in auction.

Number 1 - Ai Weiwei 艾未未 (1957)

Auction Record (2015): US$4,727,100

Average Auction Sales Bowed (2015): US$731,572 (+328% vs. 2014)

Ai Weiwei is an artist and sculptor foreigner Beijing. He became part of a- group of artists called Stars, which refused to create artwork that followed government guidelines. The first unofficial exhibition defer to this group took place by clean up fence by the Beijing National Gathering and attracted international attention.

From 1981 support 1993, Ai Weiwei lived in righteousness United States. During this time agreed focused on Performance and Conceptual Pour out, and graduated from the Parsons Institute of Design. In 2011, after reverting to Beijing Ai Weiwei was listed on account of one of the top 100 show consideration for most influential people in the false by Time Magazine.

Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads by Campaign Weiwei sold for $4,727,100 in Philips, Author UK – 29th June 2015

Proving the connection halfway media / marketing and the expenditure of art, it is not amazing to see Ai Weiwei take representation top spot in our Chinese artists list for 2015. Having been unsatisfactory his passport back from the Sinitic government and the resulting media furor around that period, Ai Weiwei axiom a huge +328% growth on ruler average sales price in auction vs. 2014.

Number 2 - Jia Aili 贾蔼力 (1979)

Auction Tape measure (2015): $1,419,000

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $647,015 (+8.8% vs. 2014)

Jia Aili was by birth in 1979 in Liaoning provenance, China. Born in the era of open restraint and increasing prosperity in China, Jia represents a young generation's worry sustenance losing traditions and values in high-mindedness fast evolving world and his toil reflects the dramatic changes in Sinitic society after the reform and electric socket policy. Using the strong traditional image technique and Old-Masters-inspired paining style, significant deftly combines the socio-economic development grow mouldy china and its wider implications.

Born topmost raised as part of the sibling-less generation, Jia translates his artistic patois to define the plight of goodness lonely generation, abandoned by the state's relentless pursuit for a technological progress.

Good Morning, World by Jia Aili sold fit in $1,419,000 in Sotheby's, Hong Kong – 4th April 2015

He is regarded as combine of the most exciting emerging artists in China, which is backed zip up by his impressive auction sales bringing off since 2010. Unlike many of justness other artists on our list Jia Aili is still relatively young tube didn't have a traceable auction auction until 2010. It is clear yield his growth since that point, turn he has substantial backing from unmixed number of wealthy collectors.

Number 3 - Zeng Fanzhi 曾梵志 (1964)

Auction Record (2013): $20,640,000

Average Deal Sales Price (2015): $633,166 (-26.5% vs. 2014)

Zeng Fanzhi studied oil painting critical remark the Hubei Academy of Fine School of dance, where he was strongly influenced alongside German Expressionism, which is evident welcome many of his works. His work has been shown in museums and galleries around the world, and, in 2008, his Mask Series 1996 No.6 became the highest-grossing work by a Contemporary Asian organizer to date before being eclipsed soak The Last Supper (shown below) spiky 2013.

The Last Supper by Zeng Fanzhi sold provision $20,640,000 in Sothebys, Hong Kong – 5th October 2013

His auction sales prices have been consistently high since 2007, with a bump in 2013 chimp a result of the record $20m sale mentioned earlier. 2015 was a rather slow year in comparison, with less lots sold than in any infer the previous 5 years - infer relatively stability for his market duty in 2016.

Number 4 - Liu Ye 刘野 (1964)

Auction Record (2013): $4,773,000

Average Auction Sales Be miles away (2015): $520,650 (+25% vs. 2014)

Liu Analysis is known for his bright-hued paintings of childlike female figures. His ecclesiastic was an author of children's books during the cultural revolution, and Liu Ye would often create illustrations perform these books. He would also hide banned children's books in a black chest, together with titles such as Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, tales by Alexander Pushkin, Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Journey to the West and The Drinkingwater Margin. It is clear in reward work that the illustrations in these books influenced his work significantly.

Sword by Liu Ye sold for $4,773,000 in Sothebys, Hong Kong – 5th October 2013

Liu Private detective has had a rather roller coaster ride in terms of his repeated auction sales price since 2006, remarkably due to a number of buoy up individual sales in 2010 and 2013, including Sword as pictured above. Enjoy many of the top Chinese contemporary artists, Lie Ye saw a general lagging down in the volume of trade via auction in 2015, but culminate overall market rate is very stable.

Number 5 - Yu Youhan 余友涵 (1943)

Auction Record (2018): $1,656,615

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $359,441 (+12% vs. 2014)

Yu Youhan was born get in touch with Shanghai in 1943 and graduated come across the Central Academy of Art & Design, Beijing in 1970. Yu proliferate went on to teach at greatness Shanghai Institute of Industrial Arts non-native 1973. After visiting an exhibition by Zao Wou-ki in Hangzhou he began admonition paint abstract works during the Decennary, but shifted away from this before the 1990s painting a series good buy bright, Andy Warhol styled images remind you of Mao Zedong, which garnered international acclaim.

Since the early 2000's Yu has correlative to abstract paintings, exploring more customary Chinese landscape painting whilst applying surmount own innovative style.

Abstract 1988-1 by Yu Youhan sold for US$1,656,616 in Sothebys, Hong Kong in March 2018

Yu Youhan has seen steady market growth owing to 2006, and his average sales prices in auction have been stable connect 2014 and 15 at over $300,000 USD, coming off the back constantly quieter periods during 2012-13.

Number 6 - Ai Xuan 艾軒 (1947)

Auction Record (2010): $2,778,700

Average Vending buyers Sales Price (2015): $357,725 (+11% vs. 2014)

Ai Xuan was born in 1947 in Hebei province. He is ethics son of the prominent political sonneteer Ai Qing and half-brother of acclaim artist Ai Weiwei. He graduated foreigner Central Academy of Fine Arts tight spot 1976. During the cultural revolution, Ai Xuan was sent by the pronounce to work as hard labour accomplish a Tibetan military farm from 1969 - 1973.

The early life experience providing him with the subject matter expend his best known finely rendered Asiatic series, often described as using surroundings to express emotions.

Ai Xuan has been concave in realist paintings in the facilitate three decades. His work is well provided for in symbolism, he focuses on influence natural environment and human relationships, Ai Xuan devoted his life in creating fantasies that have proved popular revamp the mainland elite.

The Sacred Mountain by Ai Xuan sold for $2,778,700 in Poly Ecumenical Auction, Beijing China – 1st December 2010

Ai Xuan is mr consistent when it arrives to his average auction sales put in writing. He saw a large jump pretense 2010, aligned to similar behavior evident across other popular Chinese artists during become absent-minded time, and he has maintained clean very stable average sales price by reason of then - hovering at around $300-$350k. A large reason for this steadiness is because Ai Xuan doesn't in actuality move away from his primary issue and medium, sticking primarily with discord on canvas works of Tibetan dynasty. Expect continued stability in his transaction price in 2016.

Number 7 - Chen Danqing 陈丹青/陳丹青 (1953)

Auction Record (2011): $3,090,000

Average Auction Sale Price (2015): $267,565 (+32% vs. 2014)

Chen Danqing is a Chinese/American artist, man of letters, and art critic born in Kidnap and graduated from the Central Institution of Fine Arts. He is evocative a US citizen having moved all over in the 1980s. He is known chiefly for his Realist paintings, which explicit created shortly after China's opening fell the late 1970s and early Decade. His most widely acclaimed work hick portraits of Tibetans. It was Stick up to Town No.3 of his Asiatic series of work which holds cap current auction record of $3m.

Going add up to Town No.3 by Chen Danqing sold sustenance $3,090,000 in Poly International Auction, Peking China – 2nd June 2011 (Image sourced from Artprice)

Chen Danqing enjoyed 2 record transaction during 2011 and 2012 bumping set off his overall average during this reassure, but overall he has maintained elegant very stable market rate, showing satisfactory growth in 2015.

Number 8 - Fang Lijun 方力钧 (1963)

Auction Record (2014): $6,697,600

Average Auction Profitable Price (2015): $246,528 (-29% vs. 2014)

Fang Lijun is a painter and printmaker connected with the Cynical Realist movement, and is unqualified known for his realistic paintings that berate contemporary cultural values in China. He incorporates imagery from pop culture, folk detach, and traditional Chinese painting, and diadem work often features bald, aggressive-looking tally such as Series 2 No 4 as shown below, which currently holds his auction record at $6.7m.

Series 2 No 4 by Fang Lijun sold yearn $6,697,600 in Sothebys, Hong Kong – 5th October 2014

Whilst Fang Lijun shows some reduction in his average auctioneer sales price in 2015, his prices are largely stable and the In every way drop is more driven by righteousness record sale in 2014 of magnanimity work listed above. Similar to innumerable of the other contemporary Chinese artists above, 2015 was a slightly slower year - with less sold fund than in any of the earlier 9 years.

Number 9 - Xu Bing 徐冰 (1955)

Auction Record (2015): $1,639,000

Average Auction Sales Reward (2015): $219,124 (-35% vs. 2014)

Xu Weird and wonderful was born in Chongqing, but grew up mainly in Beijing. He began his studies in the printmaking company at the renowned Central Academy staff Fine Arts in 1977. After torture a BA in 1981 and authentic MFA in 1987 he went wangle produce one of his best known works, Book from the Sky (1987–1991), which earned Xu Bing international recognition in the 1980s. The work is a massive installation sense up of hundreds of volumes avoid scrolls printed with 4,000 imagined Asian characters, which were cut by labourer into wood printing blocks. This aforementioned style is evident in his sale record work titled The Living Locution, which sold for $1.6m in 2015.

The living word(鸟飞了) by Xu Bing vend for $1,639,000 in Poly International Auction, Beijing China, 3rd June 2015

Xu Bing has enjoyed good auction sales growth on account of 2013, enjoying record individual sales worry each of 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Number 10 - He Duoling 何多苓 (1948)

Auction Record (2014): $1,419,000

Average Sale Sales Price (2015): $219,469 (-52% vs. 2014)

He Duoling is widely regarded pass for one of China’s greatest living poet of realism. He resides in Chengdu, where he was born in 1948 and earned his art degree newcomer disabuse of the local teacher’s college in 1977. He went on to study portraiture at Chongqing’s Sichuan Fine Arts in the late 1970s, and in opposition to a number of his colleagues shut in the early 1980s, founded China’s frightful “Scar Art” movement.

Life by He Duoling sold for $1,419,000 in 2014

He Duoling has enjoyed good success in transaction with a very stable average transaction price since 2010. The negative 52% performance vs. 2014 shouldn't be unornamented cause for concern as it compares 2015 vs. a particular strong origin, which included the record sale lay into $1.4m for the work titled 'Life' pass for shown above. 2016 is likely set a limit follow a similar pattern to 2015.

Number 11 - Mao Xuhui 毛旭辉 (1956)

Auction Record (2010): $1,288,999

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $214,069 (+131% vs. 2014)

Mao Xuhui, was one beat somebody to it the leaders of the idealistic Point Art Group during the 1980's. Agreed currently lives in Kunming, China and teaches at Yunnan University. He graduated deprive the Oil Painting Department at high-mindedness Yunnan Academy of Fine Arts inspect 1982. Mao Xuhui, along with Zhang Xiaogang, Hou Wenyi, Zhang Long, Stick in Dehai, and others, organised one dressingdown the first self-funded exhibitions in Better half, titled the ‘New Concrete Image' (Shanghai, 1985).

92 Paternalism by Mao Xuhui wholesale for $1,288,999 in 2010

Mao Xuhui jumped into our top 20 list broadsheet the first time, thanks to veto extremely strong 2015 that saw empress average sales price rise by scan 130%. This was in part sinewy by a relatively low number show consideration for sold lots, with one lot cute a sales price of $774k concentrate on becoming Mao Xuhui's 2nd highest vending buyers sale after the sale of ethics similarly named and themed work - 92 Paternalism in 2010. Expect average auction sales price to potentially reduce in 2016 unless one pale his more sought after works arrives into auction and pushes up greatness average.

Number 12 - Zhou Chunya 周春芽 (1955)

Auction Record (2017): $5,830,440

Average Auction Sale Cost (2015): $209,254 (-49% vs. 2014)

Zhou Chunya studied at the Sichuan Academy cue Fine Arts, which educated students dense creating art that would serve rightfully political propaganda during the Cultural Insurgency. He is arguably most well become public for his green dog series, which began painting in the 1990s, on the other hand it was his time painting nomads in Tibet that produced one accuse his major auction records of $4.1m for sheepshearing, which he painted be sold for 1981. This has since been passed by Chine Scenery in 2017, which sold for $5.8M.

Sheepshearing by Zhou Chunya sell for $4,176,399 in China Guardian Auctions, China – 16th November 2011

Zhou Chunya has peculiar exceptionally strong and steady growth consign his average sales price via sale since 2010, with huge singular sale occurring in each of 2011, 12 and 13 before seeing some compassionate in turnover in 2015 as efficient result of lower sales transactions.

Number 13 - Zhang Xiaogang 张小刚 (1958)

Auction Record (2014): $10,698,699

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $186,401 (-56% vs. 2014)

Zhang Xiaogang was born surround Kunming, in southern China’s Yunnan Subject, and grew up during the Developmental Revolution under Mao Zedong. Whilst realm parents were forced into study camps for ages c in depth he was a boy, Zhang Xiaogang was sent to a reeducation bivouac to perform hard labor as undiluted young adult; these experiences directly wedged his art later in life.

He run through most famous for his Bloodline collection inspired by old family photos, portraying family members in rather stiff, portraits with an almost ghostlike appearance. Colour up rinse was Big Family No 3 detach from the Bloodline series that currently holds the auction record for Zhang Xiaogang at $10.7m (shown below).

Bloodline: Big No.3 (血缘:大家庭3号) by Zhang Xiaogang sold in the direction of $10,698,699 in Sothebys, Hong Kong – 5th April 2014

Zhang Xiaogang has been glaring property since around 2005, but her highness prices really started to rise reject 2006 when his average sales turned via auction went from almost holdup to nearly $500k per piece. Whilst the graph looks choppy, Zhang has enjoyed regular auction record sales hunt down the years - in 2008, 2011, and 2014. Whilst 2015 was topping quieter year, this is in reclaim with the trends evident in myriad of the other high value coeval Chinese artists.

Number 14 - Luo Zhongli 罗中立/羅中立 (1948)

Auction Record (2017): $6,303,800

Average Auction Deal Price: $180,409 (-37% vs. 2014)

Luo Zhongli was born in Chongqing and hype considered one of China’s foremost zoologist factualist painters. He graduated with a degree get round Oil Painting from the Sichuan Diaphanous Arts Institute in 1982, and continuing on to earn an MFA jammy Oil Painting from the Royal Establishment of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgique in 1986. He is most commonly get around for his portraits of the society of southwestern China.

Spring Silkworm (1982) soak Luo Zhongli sold for $6,303,800 in Jun 2017 in China (image credit: Art Price)

Luo Zhongli has enjoyed steady growth by reason of 2006 with particularly strong success purchase 2013 and 14 primarily driven moisten two exceptionally strong sales of $5.5m and $6m respectively.

Number 15 - Zhan Wang 展望 (1962)

Auction Top secret (2014): $2,709,000

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $152,248 (-65% vs. 2014)

Zhan Wang psychoanalysis a Chinese sculptor born in Peking in 1962. He studied at rank Beijing Industrial Arts College in 1978 with his teacher at the time specializing shut in the Soviet style of sculpting once moving on to the prestigious Basic Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) crate 1983 where he continued his sculpting education. After graduation Zhan became intricate in modern sculptors, and famously climbed Everest in 2004 to place skirt of his sculptures at the summit.

Zhan Wang has enjoyed relatively stable business performance via auction, with his crux coming in 2014 thanks to probity sale of Artificial Rock 59, lacing his previous record auction sale gross roughly $2m.

Number 16 - Wang Guangyi 王广义 (1957)

Auction Record (2007): $3,657,060

Average Auction Sales Cost (2015): $101,037 (-36% vs. 2014)

Wang Guangyi was born in Harbin and gradatory from the Zhejiang Academy of Marvellous Arts in 1984. He grew winkle out in an environment saturated with illustriousness propagandistic imagery of the Maoist regimen in China. His work draws upon rebellious favour revolutionary motifs from Cultural Revolution-era posters, brochures, and other materials.

He often incorporates consumer brands into his work, as well as brands such as Google and Coca-Cola.

Mao Ao by Wang Guangyi sold for $3,657,060 pretense Phillips de Pury & Company, Author UK – 13th October 2007

Wang Guangyi has unembellished relatively choppy auction history with many peaks and troughs due to grander than normal sales in 2007, 2011 and 2014. His average sales expense has remained relatively steady at roughly $100k.

Number 17 - Li Shan 李山 (1942)

Auction Create (2009): $3,076,500

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $81,890 (-55% vs. 2014)

Li Shan disintegration a painter and prominent figure speedy the Political Pop movement that civilized in China in the 1990s. His nearly famous series of paintings, entitled Rouge, begun in the late 1980s, depicting conventionalised figures, abstract flowers, and portraits pass judgment on Mao Zedong reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s screenprints of the same subject. Blow a fuse was his work 'Reading' however which currently holds his record auction reschedule at $3m.

Reading (set of 10) by Li Shan sold for $3,076,500 in Shanghai Hosane Auction, Shanghai China – 24th June 2009

Li Shan has a stable auction garage sale record since 2006 with a unite of peaks in 2009 and 2014 off the back of high apparent sales of $3m and $1.2m respectively.

Number 18 - Yue Minjun 岳敏君 (1962)

Auction Record (2008): $6,153,600

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $76,110 (-89% vs. 2014)

Yue Minjun was born in class Heilongjian Province. He worked in righteousness oil industry until the events quite a few the 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising pleased him to join an artists’ domain outside of Beijing. He is near famous for self depictions featuring a pleased man. Yue’s laughing self-portraits often contain surrealist imagery or references to famous paintings; his Tiananmen Square-inspired Execution was the maximum grossing work of Chinese contemporary chief in 2007.

Gweong-gweong by Yue Minjun sold for $6,153,600 in Christies, Hong Kong – 24th Hawthorn 2008

Yue Minjun has a relatively fluctuating average auction price, but has habitually seen singular sales well in over-abundance of $1m.

Number 19 - Ye Yongqing 叶永青 (1958)

Auction Record (2011): $901,320

Average Auction Sales Price: $55,552 (-51% vs. 2014)

Ye Yongqing was born necessitate a remote part of China's State province, and is one of say publicly first generation of Chinese artists stage be exposed to western art. In 1978, he became part of the 2nd class after the Cultural Revolution to suspect admitted to the Sichuan Fine Bailiwick Institute, later becoming a professor all round. During his time studying, he took great inspiration from western artists much as Henri Matisse and Paul Gauguin.

Over the years he experimented with patronize different mediums and techniques, and was also inspired greatly by his concave surroundings, which is evident in indefinite of his works.

Escape Confusion by Import Yongqing sold for $901,320 in 2011

As one of the established artists recompense the back of the cultural sicken, Ye Yongqing like many of those above him, has enjoyed great advertising success with average sales well addition excess of $80,000 over the rearmost 10 years

Number 20 - Li Jin 李津 (1958)

Auction Classify (2015): $813,857

Average Auction Sales Price (2015): $35,932

Li Jin is generally associated condemnation the 'New Literati School' of drop painting and a leading figure in contemporary ink painting, which commenced in nobility 1980s with a desire to reignite traditional forms of ink painting flimsy China. Li Jin follows similar swallow painting techniques, but has drastically at odds the traditional subject matter, primarily meet a focus on scenes depicting refreshment and parties.

Li Jin has seen culminate stock rise significant in recent ripen as collectors have taken to that resignation of old ink painting techniques with a contemporary slant. 2013 enjoin 2014 were particularly strong years, monkey his average sales price jumped arctic of $40k. Expect further growth crop the coming years.