Gong Jian, a young artist born in 1978 and educated in Hubei, works in a diverse range of media from painting to installation. Notable for his resistance to the centrism of Beijing via his work from the artistic periphery of Wuhan, he has proven himself to be one of the most interesting artists of his generation. Always willing to forge his own path in terms of stylistic development and social intervention, Gong Jian works in a field of cultural production distinct from his peers in and around the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the results are fascinating.

In his earlier work, he playfully adapted the vernacular of Chinese folk painting to approach absurdist political and historical themes. Particularly well-developed is his blending of oil materials with the older graphic styles of pre-socialist realism folk painting. His brushwork reflects this variety of influences, while his use of color creates striking visual compositions that draw attention to his subtle and ironic social commentary.

Recently, he has moved towards less playful and more academically informed experiments with discourses of depth and authenticity, examining the relationship between style and content. Throughout his career, the artist has concentrated on the concept of the intervention, in both public space and in art history. His newest oil paintings capture the vibrancy and visual interest of his colorful earlier works while maintaining the academic edge of his conceptually rich recent work.