The Market of Chinese Contemporary Ink Paintings 1979--2013

Chinese contemporary ink painting (contemporary shuimo painting) is a revolutionary and experimental manifestation of traditional Chinese ink painting (also called Chinese national painting). It is a brand-new category that has received very limited attention and has a small market. But with growing interest in and greater media exposure on Chinese contemporary ink painting, its prices have been skyrocketing. By picking eight of the most important Chinese contemporary ink artists, this thesis sheds light on the general pricing situation and geographical breakdown of the secondary market of this specific artistic category. This thesis not only horizontally compares the eight artists inside the sample group, but also vertically compares this group of artists to a similar artistic category as well as the international art market in general to show the market potential of Chinese contemporary ink paintings.