Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. … What is soft is strong.

― Laozi

China has spend much of the last 300 years lurching from one disaster to another. From military crisis to crisis of identity. Yet, perhaps because China’s past is so full of loss and it’s future is so uncertain, many artists seem passionate to preserve their Chinese sense of identity.

Andrew Graham-Dixon in the BBC 4 documentary series Art of China (2014), SE1 E3

Although Andrew’s quote focuses on artists who work in the field of traditional Chinese art (with it’s ancient background which is still highly appreciated as an art-form and practice), it is also applicable to modern Chinese art. Modern Chinese artists often show their culture in a very honest way. Chinese people have a big sense of community and although there might be inequality, anger and things that need changing; they always feel strongly related to their own culture and country.

Chinese art is growing towards a more abstract practice. But still it relates itself to the country’s origins and culture (seen for example in the work of Ai Weiwei and Song Dong). Referencing its own cultural background, you often find in their work comments or a call for change. The culture of China, its origins and its rigidness towards change, are solid like a rock. Its embedded in peoples minds and souls. Moving slowly forward but not forgetting their past. Modern (Chinese) art however, is fluid like water. Wanting to go forward and moving quickly. It makes people nationally and internationally aware of China’s current position and its potential. Perhaps modern Chinese art can wear away (smooth) a rigid rocks and make change happen. At the same time, modern Chinese art comes forth out of its tradition. Its part of the same culture. It doesn’t want to wear off the rock it is made of. It shapes/reshapes itself but stays true to its origin.

Another perspective found in the BBC series, is that on capitalism: Perhaps there exists a thought that China is becoming more western and westernised. But seen in the following quote and connecting that with the previous statement, you could say that neither art nor culture in China are changing. Rather they are developing.

After all, what could be more Chinese than worrying about materialism. Chinese thinkers have been worrying about that for more than 2000 years. And the tiger economy is hardly new [referring to an artwork shown by Xu Bing]. Capitalism is not a Western import, but a Chinese invention. Visit the financial hearth of Shanghai, gaze up at it’s towering monuments to getting and spending, and what do you see? A bold new skyline, yes; but expressing an ancient Chinese impulse to make money. Modern Shanghai is just another version of Emperor Qinzong’s city of Kaifeng, immortalised in the Qingming scroll [referring to the artwork Qingming Shanghe Tu by Zhang Zeduan], where paper money changed hands, back in the 11th century. It’s just another version of Emperors Qianlong’s Prosperous Suzhou with its 260 shops.

John Tamny in a Forbes article (22 January 2025)

Developing, moving forward with links to its past and staying true to its origin: I have experienced this myself during my time in the country. China is nothing like a western world and not in any way moving towards becoming westernised. China is a country with a very unique culture. I’m interested in understanding more of this and I see the importance of showing it and trying to explain it to others. China does not need to become more western – The west should rather become more understanding of other cultures, including China. By looking at objects of daily life, current culture (its origins and histories) I hope to provide a more complete perspective and understanding of China.