Wang Huaiqing

Wang Huaiqing (Chinese, b.1944) is a painter best known for his Abstract paintings of disassembled furniture. Born in Bejing, he studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, which was sponsored by the government and taught a strict curriculum of Socialist Realism. In 1979, Wang joined a group of artists known as The Contemporaries, who sought to avoid political themes in their work. His most famous work is an ongoing series of monochrome paintings that depict furniture and architecture. Drawing on ancient Chinese calligraphy as well as Cubist painting, Wang deconstructs Ming-style chairs and tables to represent cultural progress in China. Occasionally, his work includes red squares, which serve as reminders of propaganda during the Cultural Revolution. Many of Wang’s works make reference to traditional Chinese art, such as his Han Xizai’s Night Revel Series – 1 (1996), which is based on a 10th-century painting of the same title. In this work, Wang excludes the composition of people and depicts only the furniture. 5000 Years (2003), another homage to traditional painting, is composed of four canvases filled with dark columns that represent ancient buildings. Wang’s work has been exhibited at the Shanghai Biennale, the China National Museum, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Washington. He lives and works in Beijing.