Gallery 55 is proud to present Yang Maoyuan’s first solo exhibition in Shanghai GOBI from the 18th of November through the 13th of December, 2015. The exhibition is curated by Bao Dong.

Yang Maoyuan was born in 1966. Yang received his Bachelor’s degree in Engraving from Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1989. In 2002, he won the CCAA Modern Art of China Prize. His art works have been exhibited in many museums, including Pompidou Center in Paris; Dresden Art Center in Germany; Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum; Padua Villa Breda Museum in Italy; Medici Riccardi Palace in Italy; The National Museum of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland; Today Art Museum in Beijing, China; Erdos Art Museum in Inner-Mogolia, China; etc. In 2011, Yang Maoyuan took part in the exhibition in China Pavilion at Venice Biennale.

Yang Maoyuan takes China’s traditional culture and philosophy as his inspiration. His works often express his understanding on the sources of culture and the core of life. The theme of how art generates the inner power that could adapt with its time is his favourites. He is an artist who expresses his inner power through his own way.

Since 1994, Yang Maoyuan has entered the deep heart of Taklamakan Desert and Lop Nur (the most mysterious area in the Silk Road) twice. Facing the wonders of sand dunes and barren lands, Yang Maoyuan was totally won over by the supreme power of nature. By explore in the remains of ancient Loulan city, whose demolishment is still a mystery, the disappeared civilization inspired Yang’s magnificent imagination.

The research experience of the Gobi Desert in the early nineties initiated Yang Maoyuan’s art practice. The history and humanities of the Gobi Desert appeared in many of his art works as a kind of cultural resources, such as images, patterns and colors of Central Asia origin. The cultural bearing and destruction of Gobi’s natural geographic broadness and desolation became part of his artistic style, technique and content. Gobi brought an awareness of absoluteness to Yang Maoyuan, existing as a system of contemporary daily life. This kind of consciousness reflects in his grasp of the material, physical properties and art ontology.

The exhibition GOBI will present the artist’s new photo series Sky and new drawing series "Gobi", both finishes in 2015; and another photo series MaiDeKe, which was taken during his trip to the Gobi Desert in 1993.

About the exhibition

Date: Nov 19, 2015 - Dec 13, 2015

Opening: Nov 18, 2015, 16:00, Wednesday

Venue: Gallery 55

Courtesy of the artist and Gallery 55.