Gu Wenda

Independent artist. Gu Wenda was born in Shanghai, China in 1955. He received a postgraduate degree from the Department of Traditional Chinese Painting of the China Academy of Art in 1981 and then continued at the school in a teaching role. He now lives and works between Shanghai and New York.

Gu Wenda positioned himself as the founder of contemporary experimental ink painting in China and an impactful cultural commentator, his works continually bridge the gap of cultural and language barriers in the era of globalization. In 1997, he was named one of the top 10 painters in the history of Chinese painting by China Online. In 1999, his 30-year project United Nations appeared on the cover of American Art magazine, making Gu Wenda the first Chinese artist to win this honor. The New York Times has written that Gu Wenda’s art has been recognised by the international art community. Gu Wenda’s works are collected by national institutions and international museums such as the National Art Museum of China, the Chinese Art Palace, the Guggenheim Museum, the British Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.