Chu Chu

1975, Hangzhou, China

Introduction

Chu Chu is an accomplished ink painter, calligrapher, photographer, and oil painter. She is currently the Vice Secretary of Lanting Calligraphy Society and the Vice President of Zhejiang female Calligraphers Association in Hangzhou. She was born in 1975 in Hangzhou and graduated from the Department of oil painting at the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou in 2000, where she also received her MFA in new media in 2007, and in 2015 attained her PhD in calligraphy under the tutelage of Wang Dongling. Her diverse academic background covering traditional and modern media has led to her unique artistic language. She has been devoted to ink painting and seeks to incorporate this art form with photography and calligraphy. She has received several prestigious awards since 2000 including the Shiseido Prize of Best Female Photographer, the Three Shadows Photography Award, Beijing, 2011; Yearly Cutting-edge Photographer, selected by www.xitek.com, Beijing, 2010; Creative Award of New Media, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, 2006; Excellent Works Award, New Century Oil Painting Exhibition, Hangzhou, 2001; Excellent Works Award, Zhao Mengfu Prize, National Painting Competition, China, 2000. 

Chu’s work has been widely exhibited in France, Germany, England, USA, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. Important exhibitions include Jetlag: New Media Exhibition, Hannover Exhibition Centre, Hanover, Germany, 2012; Photo Paris, Louvre, Paris, France, 2014; Writing Non-writing, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China, 2015; Out of the Shadows: Contemporary Chinese Photography, Museum of Photographic Art, San Diego, USA, 2020; Summoning Memories: Art Beyond Chinese Traditions, Asia Society Texas, Houston, USA, 2023.

Her works are in the collections of major museums including Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA; Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; Stavanger Museum, Stavanger, Norway, Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China.

Alisan Fine Arts first showcased Chu Chu's work in the gallery's landmark exhibition Beyond the Jade Terrace in 2014. Subsequently, we hosted her solo exhibitions Images of Objects and Awakening in Hong Kong in 2017 and 2023, respectively. In 2024, our New York gallery's group exhibition Landscape as Metaphor also featured her cross-disciplinary calligraphy. Over the past decade, we have exhibited her works at various art fairs worldwide, including Asian Art in London, Art Basel Hong Kong, Taipei Dangdai, and Ink Asia.


BIOGRAPHY

1975    Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
1980    Started to learn Chinese ink painting
2000    BA, Major in Oil Painting, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Curator, Hangzhou group exhibition for 6 female artists Untitled, 2000 Present
2007    MA, New Media, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China, studied under Jiao Jian
Lecturer, Department of Art, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
2015    PhD, Calligraphy, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China, studied under Wang Dongling
Jury, 25th National Photographic Art Exhibition, China Millennium Monument, Beijing, China
2016    Guest professor, Faculty of Humanities, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Associate professor, Research Centre of Modern Calligraphy, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
2017    Christie's produced a video about Chu Chu's art
2018    Featured by Poetry Calligraphy Painting Quarterly No.2, Beijing, China
2020    Featured by Shanghai Photography, 1st issue 2020, Shanghai, China
Potry and All Things, Dialogue with Chu Chu Live-streaming, Hangzhou, China
Chu Chu: Photography and Multi-media, a talk of Chu Chu's new works, Department of Art, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
2022    Waving Clouds and Flwoing River cross media performance, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Hangzhou, China
Present    Vice Secretary, Lanting Calligraphy Society, Hangzhou, China
Vice President, Zhejiang Female Calligraphers Association, Hangzhou, China
Vice President, Zhejiang Culture and Tourism Photographers Association, Hangzhou, China


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 
2024   
  • Ink Shadow and Flowing Light: The Melodic Ensemble of Chu Chu's Ink Photography, Inaugural Shenzhen Metro Art Festival, Shenzhen, China 
2023   
2022   
  • Rose and Pararkeet, Qiushui Villa, Hangzhou, China
  • The Only Green: Chu Chu Solo Exhibition, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Hangzhou, China 
2021   
  • The Whole Creation: Multi-coloured 21g, Shadowless Art Space, Hangzhou, China 
2018   
  • Kiss & Beauty, Yinno Living Art Gallery, Hangzhou, China 
2017   
2014  
  • Material Immaterial, 3 Gallery, Beijing; Kunst Licht, Shanghai, China
2013   
  • About Material: Solo Exhibition of New Media, Photography, Calligraphy, Hanhouse Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2012   
  • Material Immaterial, Hihey.com, Beijing, China
2008   
  • It’s Not It, OFOTO Gallery, Shang

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024   
2023
2022
2021
  • In the Name of Flowers, T Contemporary Art Centre, Changsha, China
2020 
  • Six-A-Side Exhibition: Mount Mogan Resident Art Season, Chaoyang Cultural Hall at Xiaoxi Street, Huzhou, China
  • Lanting Calligraphy Society Biennial, Zhejiang Exhibition Hall, Hangzhou, China
  • Out of the Shadows: Contemporary Chinese Photography, Museum of Photgraphic Art, San Diego, USA
  • Walking Scenery, Moganshan Homestay Space, Shanghai, China
  • Taipei Dangdai, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan

2019  

2018

  • 40 Years of Chinese Contemporary Photography, OCAT Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China

  • 2018 Art Weihai: Research Exhibition of Famous Contemporary Ink Artists, Weihai Art Museum, Qingdao, China

2017

2016  

2015

2014  

2012   
  • International Biennial of Lanting Calligraphy Commune, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
  • Zhejiang Contemporary Photography Exhibition by New Artists, Hangzhou, China
  • Material-Word, Bottega Veneta Art Space, Shanghai, China
  • In situ: Exposition Photo Revelation, Paris, France
  • Impression of Pudong: Exhibition by New Artists, Pudong Library, Shanghai, China
  • Jetlag: New Media Exhibition, Hannover Exhibition Centre, Hanover, Germany
  • Tokyo Photo 2012: International Photography Fair, Tokyo Midtown Hall, Tokyo, Japan
  • Calligraphy Exhibition by Chinese Young Artists, Jinhua, China

2011   

  • Midsummer, OFOTO Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • Fantasy: 3rd Dali International Photography Exhibition, Dali, China
  • Contemporary Photography in China, Tasveer Studio, India
  • Photo LA+Art LA Projects: Art Fair, Los Angeles, USA

2010   

  • Contemporary Photography in China, AKI Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Beyond the Body: Contemporary Video Exhibition, MOCA, Shanghai, China
  • 1st Jimei International Contemporary Art Festival, Art Museum of Jimei University, Xiamen, China
  • Another Landscape: 1st Photography Annual Exhibition by xitek.com, Inter Art Centre, 798 Art Zone, Beijing; ESPON Gallery, Moganshan Art Zone, Shanghai; Dali, China
2009
  • Moving, Likailin Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Manchester, UK
  • Photo Beijing, Agricultural Exhibition Centre of China, Beijing, China

2008

  • Genius, Shopping Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • Creative Women Unite, Houston, USA
  • It's Not It, OFOTO gallery, Shanghai, China
2007 
  • The Light of Searching and the Lotus at Dawn: 12th Lishui International Photography Festival, Photography Museum of Lishui, Lishui, China
  • It's Not It Tool: 3rd Lianzhou International Photography Festival, Lianzhou Culture Centre, Lianzhou, China
  • A Glance: Ten Viewers of the West Lake, Tne China Academy of Art "Mixed Reality" Post-Graduate Exhibition, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
  • The Alchemy Shadow, Lianzhou, China

2006   

  • It's Not It Tool: Light and Shade, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
  • L’ Art de Produire Art Exhibition, Pompidou Centre, Paris, France

2005  

  • China, Green: 1st Video Festival, Ag-Art Loft, Hangzhou, China
  • Thoughts are Seen, Hangzhou, China

2004

  • New Media Arts Festival, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China

2003

  • 3rd National Chinese Young Artists Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

2001 

  • New Century Oil Painting Exhibition, Hangzhou, China

2000

  • 2nd Round of Salon Youth Outreach, Hangzhou, China
  • Untitled, 2000 Present: Six Female Artists Group Exhibition, Hangzhou, China


SELECTED AWARDS 

2011   Shiseido Prize of Best Female Photographer, Three Shadows Photography Award, Beijing, China
2010   Yearly Cutting-edge Photographer, selected by www.xitek.com, Beijing, China
2006   Creative Award of New Media, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
2001   Excellent Works Award, New Century Oil Painting Exhibition, Hangzhou, China
2000   Excellent Works Award, Zhao Mengfu Prize, National Painting Competition, China


SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
Pompidou Centre, Paris, France
Stavanger Kunstmuseum, Stavanger, Norway
Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, Shanghai, China

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2023   
Photographic Apocalypse, Zhejiang Photographic Press, Zhejiang, China
2022   
Rose and Parakeet, Writing Non-writing Culture and Art, Hangzhou, China
2022   
Photography Inspiration, Zhejiang Photographic Press, Hangzhou, China
2019   Xunzhao Taohuayuan, Hangzhou Press, Hangzhou, China
2016   Wuwufeishi - Chu Chu, Jianghong Museum of Art, Hangzhou, China
2014   Beyond the Jade Terrace, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
2014   Chu Chu Photography: MATERIAL IMMATERIAL 2014, +3 Gallery, Beijing, China
2013   The Adjustment of Controversies, Zhejiang, China
2011   
Contemporary Chinese Photography, China Youth Publishing Group, China
2010   25 Cutting-edge Chinese Photographer, Zhejiang Photographic Press, China
2008   Chu Chu, China Academy of Art Press, Hangzhou, China
1997   Poem “Xiangdie” was published in Genesis periodical, overseas & Poem “Bottle” was published in Author periodical

 
The Heart Sutra 3
2016 | 50x50cm | Chinese ink & colour on rice paper
Bright Stars-Beginning of Spring
2020-2022 | 84x140cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour & acrylic on paper
Raining Stars 2
2022 | 94x94cm | Photography, Chinese ink, colour & acrylic on paper
Cities-Ode to the West Wind
2007-2022 | 84x107cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink & acrylic on paper
Lantian Jade under Warm Sun
2020-2022 | 80x100cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour & acrylic on paper
Ten Days of Spring-Consort Qi
2019-2022 | 153x98cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink & colour on silk
The Golden Seal
2020-2022 | 91x153cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour, gold & acrylic on paper
She Walks in Beauty
2007-2018 | 90x135cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour & acrylic on paper
2nd Climate: Insects Awakening
2017-2019 | 35x45cmx2 | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour & silver on paper
12th Climate: Lightning
2017-2018 | 36x45cmx2 | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour & silver on paper
18th Climate: Birds in Mulberries
2016-2022 | 34x42.5cmx2 | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour, gold & silver on paper
55th Climate: Frost
2017-2022 | 32x45cmx2 | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour, gold & silver on paper
60th Climate: Hibernation
2016-2022 | 35x42.5cmx2 | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink, colour, gold & silver on paper
Gardenia-Forever
2011-2017 | 115x150cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink on paper
Gardenia- Butterfly Chase
2011-2019 | 80x100cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink & acrylic on paper
Whispers of Trees- Rough-leaved Holly
2007-2021 | 50x50cm | Photography, calligraphy, Chinese ink on paper