Newman Huo

    SEEN from a distance, the series of five photographs by woman artist Duan Shunjie looks just like ancient Chinese landscape paintings from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). But if you examine Duan’s photographs closely, you will find the trees and mountains in her works are not done by ink and brushes, but are made up of colorful bras and underclothes.

    “Those images of ancient landscape paintings Duan has employed in her works are well-known and important in the ancient Chinese art history, because in those images you can see not only natural landscapes in ancient China, but also Chinese men’s longing for power,” said Yuan Xiaofang, a painter and art critic based in Wuhan, Hubei Province.

    “In her works, Duan has transformed those classic images into the landscapes of bras and underclothes, which reflect her feminist thinking and pursuit of social equality with Chinese male artists,” said Yuan.

    Born in Wuhan in 1983, Duan is currently studying for a master’s degree in new media art at Hubei Academy of Fine Arts.

    Duan’s works are being displayed at Guan Shanyue Art Museum until March 21, along with more than 60 works by other nine female artists.

    The nine artists include Wang Yichu, Li Guoye, Li Wei, Liu Yujie, Chen Wei, Shen Na, Huang Yan, Xie Zhengli and Kuai Lianhui.

    Titled “Endless Reproduction<2022>Visual Cases,” the exhibition opened Tuesday to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day.

    “We’ve invited 10 avant-garde women artists from over the country to take part in the exhibition,” said the exhibition organizer Xue Yang.

    “Although the 10 artists may not give us a whole picture of the country’s feminist art today, however, with their strong individual identities and art styles, they have provided 10 cases for us to examine the living and work conditions of contemporary Chinese female artists and the social issues they’ve brought forward,” Xue said.

    Dates: Through March 21

    Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Monday

    Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum (关山月美术馆)

    Add: 6026 Hongli Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路6026号)

    Metro: Shao Nian Gong Station (Children’s Palace Station 少年宫站), Exit B