How did you get into making art?
When I was a teenager, I was enrolled in the Teenage fine art club in my hometown. From then on, subconsciously I decided that I must be a professional artist in the future. Andy Warhol visited China privately in 1983. I was a student of the Academy of Fine Arts at the time. Before the 1980s, Chinese artists had been allowed to follow the only art standard, the art principles of socialist realism. There is no freedom of individual artistic style. The works created by different artists look almost like the same style. Young artists are dissatisfied with this situation and have opened their eyes to understanding the Western world. “The New Trend Movement of Chinese Art 1985” occurred during that period. I was one of the organizers of the Art New Trend in Hubei in China, participating in important art events and exhibitions at that time. Since then I have been in creating contemporary art.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a series of artworks about the climate crisis in variety of materials.
At present, I am making serial work about the climate crisis.
Hui Tian
What inspired you to get started on this body of work?
I searched the website of The World Counts and read “Square kilometers of land area being degraded”. The numbers are shown on it that beat like life record the degradation of the earth’s land every second, and it is frightening to see. With one-third of the earth’s land surface threatened by desertification, which tends to be exacerbated by climate change as billions of tons of fertile soil are lost each year and many regions are facing drought, have come to be emblematic of the processes that are endangering millions of human lives. These shocking facts are pushing me to create artwork to remind people of this imminent crisis
Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?
I take a broader approach to my practice, where each project is not related to the others. At present, I am making serial work about the climate crisis. Climate change causes harm to the earth’s ecological environment. Drought, desertification, the melting of Antarctic glaciers, and other phenomena have produced unprecedented landscapes. Visions of the future are sad. I was inspired to create artwork to draw attention to this crisis. Another series of works is “the human face as the subject”. Face is the data of heart that reveal the times.
Although the project contents are independent the style is consistent.
What’s a typical day like in your studio?
I usually start work in the studio around 1 pm. When I paint, I focus on it, I don’t like to be disturbed, and I don’t like to listen to music or the news while I’m painting. I usually worked several paintings on at the same time, when I come studio I will judge the previous day’s work, modify or go on. I usually worked several paintings on at the same time, when I come studio I will judge the previous day’s work, modify or go on. I stay in the studio until 7 or 10 pm depending on energy and need.
Who are your favorite artists?
Oscar Kokoschka, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Anselm Kiefer.
Where do you go to discover new artists?
I go to see shows at galleries and museums. There are so many contemporary galleries and museums to visit in New York. I also Brows through social media and gallery websites I am interested in.
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