Ding Wenqing

Ding Wenqing was born in Shanghai, China, in 1981. He started learning landscape painting from Master Shi Guodun in 1990. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Art in 2005 from China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China. He then earned his Master of Arts in Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China.

Ding Wenqing is famous for the perfect fusion of traditional Chinese ink wash painting with elements of Pop Art. In Ding’s paintings, Eastern landscapes, butterflies, cranes, and figures from ancient times coexist with geometric shapes and human sculptures from Western culture, bridging a dialogue between the East and the West. At the same time, he uses layered clouds and mountains to ease the sense of conflict when juxtaposing elements from Chinese and Western cultures, creating blank spaces in both visual form and contemplative space. Ding Wenqing’s paintings feature subject matter and abstract geometric color blocks never before seen in Chinese painting. These elements, derived from Western culture and minimalism, are seamlessly integrated into richly layered realistic scenes, akin to flashes of inspiration that bring joy to the heart and provoke viewers to contemplate, like question marks illuminating their thoughts.

Ding’s solo exhibition Stage Play (2023) curated by Youyu Huang was in the Suomi M50 Gallery, Shanghai, China. This exhibition primarily showcases Ding’s latest paintings from 2022 to 2023. As natural landscapes drift further away from our reality, Ding’s understanding of them becomes increasingly profound. He utilizes the language of painting to create a world of landscape appreciation that is uniquely his own.

His work has been the subject of solo museum shows around Asia including SUOMEI M50, Shanghai (2023); The Gallery, Shanghai (2017); Reflex Art, Shanghai (2013); Z-art Center, Shanghai (2013).

His work has been exhibited in group shows including West Bund Art Center, Shanghai (2023); Life is Dust Museum, Wuxi (2022); Shanghaimart Exhibition Center, Shanghai(2021); Shanghai He Art Museum, online (2020); Meibo Art Museum, online (2020); Shanghai Duolun Museum of Art, Shanghai (2019); Conrad Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2019); Russian National Museum, Russia (2018); Qi Run Shan Art Center, Anhui (2017); Regency Hotel Art Gallery, Macau (2016); Yan Huang Art Museum, Beijing (2015); Nanjing International Exhibition Center, Nanjing (2015); China Academy of Art, Hangzhou (2015); Goodman Arts Center, Singapore (2014); Sanchuan Museum of Contemporary Art, Nanjing (2012).

Ding Wenqing’s work is in the public collection of Duolun Museum of Modern Art, American 21 century Art Museum, Singapore DAHUA Art Museum.

Ding Wenqing currently lives and works in Shanghai.