Born in 1982 in Weifang, Shandong Province, Hu Qingyan studied sculpture at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts before being awarded a master’s degree from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2010. Growing up in a nation experiencing dramatic social change, he wondered how art – and particularly sculpture, with its Chinese historical legacy of realist sculpture – could convey ideas about this society in flux. As a student he immersed himself in contemporary art theory, and was particularly struck by the ideas of Arthur Danto. His undergraduate years in Guangzhou were focused on aspects of technique and craftsmanship, but when he went to Beijing, he says, he found a far freer atmosphere that was very inspiring. His recent works challenge boundaries between painting and sculpture, and between eastern and western aesthetics. Hu’s work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout China, and in Australia and Europe. He lives and works in Beijing.

The White Rabbit Collection is one of the world’s most extensive and significant collections of contemporary art from China. With a focus on works created since the year 2000, the Collection contains almost 3,000 works by over 750 artists and continues to expand. Note that when you click on the link below you will be forwarded to the White Rabbit Collection website.

Explore the work of Hu Qingyan in the collection database