Research On The "Mask" Phenomenon In Chinese Contemporary Art

Some Chinese world influential works of Contemporary Art have been produced over the last three decade,among which easel painting is remarkable.As far as art itself is concerned,we can even think that Chinese Contemporary Art is creating “art types”or even“art schools”.For example,famous artists represented by Zhang Xiaogang,Zeng Fanzhi,Yue Minjun,and Fang Lijun have all created“masked”works.The portrait image in the picture is characterized by solidification of expression,dissociation of living state and continuous replication,which conforms to Hans Belting's concept of “mask” in portrait art.Even though their works can not be called “mask art schools” at present,there is no doubt that a painting phenomenon has formed,and it can be called “mask” phenomenon.If the “mask” phenomenon is understood in the current sociocultural context,it can be considered to be clearly in line with the development of modernity since the1980 s.These “mask” arts have changed the pursuit of elegance in Classical Art.There is no doubt that their giggle or sluggish expressions mean the pursuit for simple realism,implying the cultural spirit of modern reflection.Only when taking the social reality into consideration can we understand the shocking experience under the expressions through the mask itself and realize the active exploration of Contemporary Art on the psychological and spiritual world of modern people.This paper takes the “mask” form of Contemporary Art as an entry point,combines rich examples of works and documentary material,and uses the methods of imaging,aesthetics and sociology to study the phenomenon of “mask” group images in contemporary Chinese art.The thesis is divided into five chapters.Chapter One mainly expounds the historical context and concrete concepts of Chinese contemporary art.First of all,Contemporary art refers to a group of avant-garde arts with “concept” characteristics that have emerged Since the mid-1980 s in China.From the multiple dimensions of “modernism”,“post-modernism” and “Bie-modernism”,we set up a perspective to observe China's“mask” art in the comparative relationship between Chinese and Western art and the parallel relationship between different contemporary Chinese artists to establish the national identity of contemporary Chinese culture and art.Chapter Two analyses the formation process of contemporary “mask” art from the perspective of Chinese representation of solid facial expression,reproduction and mask expression.With Hans Belting's “mask” theory,we define the “mask” form in Contemporary Art,combining with the evolution of masks in history.By comparing different reproductions in Benjamin,Andy Warhol and Contemporary Art,we can reach the conclution that Chinese Contemporary Art is different from western one in contents but is similar in structure.At the same time,the thesis tries to reflect the “double contradiction” behind the phenomenon of “high price mask”.That is,the contradiction between the enthusiasm for works and the artists in the International art market,and the cold reception of artists by the domestic official art platform;the contradiction between the critical consciousness at the beginning of contemporary art and the strategy of symbolization and self-repetition of works under the market economy environment.From this,we can discuss the vanguard connotation and existence significance of contemporary art.Chapter Three focuses on the works of the most prominent “mask” artists in Chinese Contemporary Art,and investigates the diversity,richness and hybridity of Contemporary Art.On the basis of analysizing Zhang Xiaogang's “Chinese Face”mask,Yue Minjun's “Smiling Man” mask,Fang Lijun's “Bald Head” mask and Zeng Fanzhi's tangible “Mask” mask representative works,on the one hand,the rational title of “mask” is summarized,on the other hand,it reveals the Chinese fables and deep humanistic concerns of “mask” works by establishing the aesthetic style of different artists' s masks,In Chapter Four,the author analyzes the function effect and aesthetic implication of Chinese style in contemporary art from the parody,irony and metaphor of “mask”works of art,and believes that contemporary “mask” art has reserved the function of concealment and reclusion of traditional masks,and opens the inner memory and suggestion function of “mask” in the way of concepts and metaphors and fables different from Western art.The main purpose is to reshape the past,resist the fracture and forgetting of memory,and realize self-salvation.At the same time,we use self-deprecating and deconstructing methods to metaphorically express the artist's inner feelings and gain the creative ideas of contemporary art reflection and criticism.Chapter Five analyzes Western art language in China from the outer art form of mask lines,color,composition and other components.It is believed that “memory”and “anti-memory” based on Chinese social reality are the important components of the Chinese mask,and they form the narrative logic and basic emotional Expression of contemporary art in this context.Thus it can be seen that Contemporary Art is an independent one with relatively independent painting vocabulary,logical structure and spatial consciousness,based on Chinese philosophical and closely integrated with Chinese social reality.It is also a pioneer art with cultural,aesthetic and political implications,reflective and critical.Although these masks absorb the methods of Western art,they inevitably bear the imprint of vulgarization,popularization and commercialization,the works show pre-modernity,modernity and post-modernity presented in the works,as well as the irregularity of the interweaving of different cultures and arts in China and the West,which is the unique and lasting vitality of Chinese contemporary art.