Yu Chen (artist)

Chen was born in the Guizhou province of China in 1963.{{cite web|url=https://artist.artron.net/yishujia0007995|title=余陈|website=artist.artron.net|accessdate=17 September 2024}} She has a brother named Chen Yu.{{cite news |last1=Brunton |first1=John |title=Hip Hong Kong: Art: Artists' colony: The rising stars of the Hong Kong art scene have turned their backs on the chic galleries in the city centre and instead have transformed former industrial spaces and abattoirs into spaces for experimental art and media |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/246675128 |access-date=3 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=28 April 2007 |location=London, UK |page=13|id={{ProQuest|246675128}} }} She graduated from the Guizhou Art Institute in 1981 and the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing in 1988.{{cite web|url=http://wellingtongallery.com.hk/index.php?route=artist/bio&artist_id=50&category=5&nation=38|title=Yu- Chen Artist|website=Wellingtongallery.com|accessdate=17 September 2024}}

Chen is best known for her Red Babies (红孩儿) series, which features portraits of Chinese children in Mao suits and other Communist garb.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/420804/children-revolution|title=Children of the Revolution|website=SCMP.com|date=6 July 2003 |accessdate=17 September 2024}} Some of the portraits in the series bear a likeness to Mao Zedong and other well-known Communist officials. The title Red Babies (红孩儿) carries a double meaning, simultaneously referring to children born in Communist China and to the Red Boy from the Chinese epic Journey to the West.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Her works have been sold at various notable auction houses, including Sotheby's,{{cite web |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2007/contemporary-chinese-art-part-ii-hk0257/lot.645.html |title=Red Babies Series (set of two) |website=Sotheby's |accessdate=17 September 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2008/contemporary-chinese-art-ii-hk0267/lot.960.html |title=Mao & Girl (set of two) |website=Sotheby's |accessdate=17 September 2024}} Christie's,{{cite web |title=YU CHEN (Born in 1963) |url=https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4924799 |website=Christie's |access-date=3 May 2025}} and China Guardian Auctions.{{cite web |title=894 Liu Dahong、Yu Chen、Zhang Linhai、Zhao Fang、Shuai Mei、WANG YIGUANG (B.1962、B.1963、B.1963、B.1972、B.1969、B.1962) Mid-Autumn Festival、Red Babies 2007 Series No.4、Purple、Fist Power series No.9A、Bridge Veranda、Wang Yiguang |url=https://www.cguardian.com.hk/en/auction/auction-details.php?id=170695 |website=China Guardian, Hong Kong |access-date=3 May 2025}}

Yu Chen's major exhibitions include:

• Red Babies, Schoeni Art Gallery, Beijing (2003)
• Red Babies, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2003)
• Red Babies II, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2005)

• 1st Annual World of Women Artists, Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing (1990)
• Chinese Contemporary Engraving Exhibition, Portland Museum, Portland, USA (1996)
• Exhibition for the Teachers from the Engraving Department of the Central Academy of the Arts, Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing (1998)
• Out of the Box, Art Scene China, Hong Kong (1999)
• Group Exhibition, Hanmo Art Gallery, Beijing (2001)
• Invitational Exhibition of Fine Sketches from Chinese Academies of Art, Yan Huang Art Museum, Beijing (2001)
• International Women Artists' Exhibition, the National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing (2001)
• Open Your Eyes, Chen Yu and Yu Chen, Lotus Arts de Vivre and Schoeni Art Gallery, Bangkok (2003)
• Through the Artists' Eyes - A Tribute to Manfred Schoeni, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2004)
• Made in China, Opera Gallery, London (2006)
• Beyond the Canvas, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2006)
• The Chen Family, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2006)
• Made in China, Opera Gallery, New York, USA (2007)
• RE-collection, A Retrospective Look at 15 Years of Art & Vision”, Schoeni Art Gallery’s 15th Anniversary Exhibition, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2007)
• The Chen Family, Today Art Museum, Beijing (2008)
• The Chinese Approach, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago (2008)
• WO.MEN - We Are Our Own Women, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2010)
• Latitude/Attitude: 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong (2012)
• "The Chen Family", YCL Gallery, Beijing (2014)
• "Day Dreamer", YCL Gallery, Beijing (2014)
• Art Stage Singapore 2016 (2016)

• Central Academy of Fine Arts

{{reflist}}

• [https://artist.artron.net/yishujia0007995 Yu Chen's Chinese website]
• [https://ravenel.com/cata/artistIn1/d15d8ffa-2db9-4094-bf08-c20047eac770 Yu Chen summary on the Ravenel Auction Site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Yu}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Chinese contemporary artists

Category:Chinese women artists

Category:Central Academy of Fine Arts alumni

Category:Artists from Guizhou