From May 12 to July 14, 2024, the Long Museum (Westbund) will present Chen Yingjie's solo exhibition, "Intuitive Wanderings," curated by Qi Chao. This exhibition features the artist's new works, inspired by his trips and field paintings in places such as Yunnan and Tibet.

Chen Yingjie's early foray into street art forged within him a relentless pursuit of excellence and an innate demand for speed. In his formative years, he navigated the intricate balance between compressing the creative process while preserving the integrity of his craft. This "semi-underground" approach endowed him with a profound contemplative depth, now unleashed upon the vast canvas with a newfound freedom. Yet, behind the veil of "Intuitive Wanderings" lies a narrative of indomitable spirit, where swift and decisive creation grapples with the invisible shackles of artistic constraint, a testament to Chen's unwavering passion and resilience.

In recent years, Chen's artistic odyssey has led him to the remote reaches of icy mountains and untamed wilderness. Amidst the ephemeral beauty of these landscapes, the interplay of improvisation, temporality, and unwavering presence of mind infuse his works with a sense of fluidity and motion, echoing the fleeting essence of his surroundings.

The meticulously modified spray gun, guided by the force of a hydraulic press, unleashes strokes that oscillate between tension and relaxation, seamlessly intersecting points and planes, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination. As the adage goes, "If a workman wishes to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools." Chen Yingjie's innovative approach to his craft vividly captures the vastness of snow-capped mountains, a testament to the ingenuity of his tools. With each deft movement of the artist's hand, a palpable sense of density emerges—a harmonious fusion of equipment and passion, giving rise to Chen Yingjie's distinctive style of lines. These lines, akin to gossamer one moment and molten magma the next, coalesce into a symphony of visual narratives, ultimately weaving the artist's reverie of boundless space and timeless existence.

Beyond the realm of artistry, Chen Yingjie finds solace and exhilaration in the world of kart racing. With six years of dedicated pursuit, he inexorably inches closer to the realm of semi-professional or professional racing. In the crucible of competition, where speed reigns supreme, the paradox of slowing down to accelerate reveals its profound truth. Whether navigating sharp corners or executing daring overtakes, the delicate balance of "slow" paves the path to victory, affording the driver precious moments to seize opportunities. Thus, the fusion of speed and slowness becomes the foundational ethos of triumph.

On the racetrack, Chen Yingjie continues to refine his skills, while in the sanctuary of his studio, he harmonizes motion with stillness. As technique, methodology, physical prowess, and ambition converge in perfect alignment, the spiritual cosmos of the artist takes shape, radiating with boundless brilliance before our very eyes.

About the Artist 

Born in Guangdong, China in 1991, Chen Yingjie is an artist who works with various mediums, including easel painting, large-scale murals, live performances, and space installations. Starting from Chinese ink painting, through the exploration of materials and forms of creation, he strives to achieve a balance among different styles of cultures. By breaking free from cultural constraints, he seeks to delve into the transcendent space between tradition and street spirit, conveying the evolving nature of traditional Chinese culture in the contemporary era. His works are widely exhibited, such as in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Europe and America, and are collected by important organizations and institutions. Chen was listed as one of the “25 Contemporary Chinese Artists You Need to know” by American magazine Complex, and was selected as one of the “100 Most Influential Chinese” by Forbes China in 2023. 

About the Curator

Qi Chao, a curator, art critic, creator in the art & cultural industry, and the founder of 600 Minutes. He has worked for the world's top art and fashion magazine as editor-in-chief, for which he was the youngest over the industry’s 150-years history. He has written columns for various cultural, art and financial magazines such as ESQUIRE, Gentlemen's Quarterly, CBN Weekly, Boya Media, Wealth Magazine, etc. He is also the founder of the first creative art label "600 Minutes" in China, which provides quality and innovative exhibitions, projects and consulting solutions for the art and cultural industry. In addition, as a veteran observer of the art market, he provides insightful and forward-looking market commentary to over 100,000 collectors in Greater China Area.