Born in 1970 in Zibo, Shandong, Ma Ke’s paintings captivate viewers with the clarity of their expression and their subtle power. His motifs of people in ostensibly adventurous and challenging settings, at times with dangerous set pieces, appear to us like scenes from a theatrical play. Today, Ma Ke creates figurative paintings, often portraying one or two characters on monochrome backgrounds, depicted with expressive brushstrokes.

Ma Ke graduated with his BA from the Painting Department of Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in 1994. After, he began teaching in the Oil Painting Department at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts until to 2002. Then he graduated from Fourth Studio, Central Academy of Fine Arts, with an MFA in 2005. Between 1998-1999, he seconded to the Ministry of Culture and posted to Eritrea as a teacher. Ma Ke lives and works in Beijing, China.

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 Ma Ke in the collection database