Contemporary art has, for 8 years now, been part of the programs at the Museum of Asian Arts. A space is regularly dedicated to it, and the rotunda, designed by the famous Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, minimalist and bathed in natural light, offers a true showcase for these gems of current art.
In this haven of serenity, a subtle dialogue unfolds between contemporary works and the ancient masterpieces of Buddhist sculpture that are permanently exhibited in the location. An alchemy is created between the works, always renewed, establishing a bridge between past and present.
The numerous thematic exhibitions already presented have allowed visitors to discover and appreciate the creative dynamism of talented artists from India, China, Korea, or Japan.
After the presentation of Wang Keping and Ma Desheng, two founding members of the group “The Stars,” the first avant-garde artistic movement in China, and after the 2015 exhibition of works by Wang Yan Cheng, a representative of the lyrical abstraction movement, the Museum of Asian Arts opens its doors to Chinese artist Chen Jian.
A renowned watercolorist in his country, the artist offers works, sometimes large in format, centered on nature and landscapes. By mastering his technique perfectly, he manages to create a secretive and mysterious atmosphere. According to his inspiration, he contrasts, in a spectacular manner, large dark areas with a twilight sky and transforms an ordinary scene into a spiritual space, imbued with reverie and poetry. Many of his watercolors gently drift towards abstraction. By losing some points of reference, the viewer is then liberated and can “see” the work as they wish, immersing themselves in a flow of colors with subtle gradations.
