Kang Haitao
A graduate from Sichuan Fine Arts Academy, Kang Haitao is one of the outstanding artists from the 70s. During his university years, he attempted various art forms, which revealed his wide view of art and his passion and eagerness. In recent years, he has been paying more attention to the beauty of darkness. He borrows styles from traditional Chinese paintings to give his acrylic paintings a mood of peace but suspense, beauty but fear. Like Alfred Hitchcock’s movies and Hayao Miyazaki’s animations, they reflect people’s strange states of mind. In this regard, Kang Haitao is concerned with the world while living in a small city. While most artists stream into Beijing and Shanghai, Kang Haitao rarely leaves Sichuan. He is satisfied with the small city in which he is living. To Kang Haitao, art is in the ordinary landscapes, like the buildings, the trees and the bamboo forests. He is absorbed in his poetic world, seeking the simple essence of nature. In his paintings, the far off misty mountains, the old buildings, the ethereal woods at night, or a puddle of water are marvellous scenes. He explores the beauty of night and scenery to make outside objects conform to inner nature. The expression of spirit and soul is more than just outside experiences, to build a pure world of spirit.
Kang Haitao believes that nature is more artistic than human beings. He endows the landscapes with peace and plain beauty. A wavering shadow of the tree brings spirits to the darkness. Kang Haitao never uses light colors, though there are always rhythms of lights within his dark-color acrylic paintings. The rhythms are not aggressive, but electrify the audience with the plainest beauty. The poetic logic tells of the peace and beauty of human nature, which is a treasure to the impulsive environment. Kang Haitao’s detachment from fame and wealth, and his pursuit of art, keep him in the pure land of creation.
1976 Born in Chongqing
Graduated from Sichuan
Fine Arts Academy, Oil Painting Department
Now Living in Chengdu
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012
Kang Haitao’s Solo Exhibition, VA Gallery, Hong Kong
A Burning Within, Kang Haitao Solo Exhibition, PIFO Gallery, Beijing
2009
“Introversion and Meditation—Solo Exhibition of Kang Haitao”, PIFO New Art Gallery, Beijing, China
2001
“Inward”, Solo Exhibition, Mianyang, China
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2013
One Country Two Creations, VA Gallery, Hong Kong
2012
Shedding – New Art from China, Zhong Gallery, Germany
Phase of Heart, Abstract Art Group Exhibition I, Va Gallery, Hong Kong
Long Museum Opening Exhibition, Long Museum, Shanghai, China
Close Observation & Distant Meditation – 2012 Contemporary Art Invitation Exhibition, Luodai Town Nest Art Center, Chengdu, China
China Good Gallery Exhibition, Songzhuang, Beijing, China
Unveiled – New Art from China, Germany Berlin Koppenplatz 5, Berlin, Germany
2011
Redefinition—Skepticism of Post-70s’s Art, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
“Representation of Realistic Art: Exhibition of Painting” — Chengdu Biennale 2011, Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum, Chengdu, China
“Aspects of the Other—Italy in the Eyes of Chinese Artists”, Italy-China Tour Exhibition
City Gusto—The 4th Anniversary of HotSpot, Today Museum of Art, Beijing, China
“From Scenery to Scenery of Culture—Post-70s Artists Research·Jianghan Stars Plan”,
Wuhan Art Museum, Hubei, China
2010
“New Face 1—Group Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Art”, Chintsao Space, Beijing, China
“Youth at Upstairs”, Nomination Exhibition of Young Critics 2010, Time Art Museum, Beijing
Art Beijing 2010, National Agriculture Exhibition Center, Beijing
“RESHAPING HISTORY—Chinart from 2000 to 2009”, China National Convention Center, Beijing, China
2009
Opening Vision — China Contemporary Art Exhibition, The Czech National Gallery, Prague Czech Republic
Time Power, CHANG ART, Beijing, China
2008
People • History — Exhibition of Studies of Chinese Art of the 20th Century, Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
Future Sky — Chinese Contemporary Young Artists Nominated Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
Invisible Youth — Young Artists Exhibition of China, WATERGATE Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Third A+A, PIFO Gallery/Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Beijing/Shanghai, China
2007
Comfortable Way, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China
The Cause — Painting Exhibition of Eight Artists, Mianyang, China
Substantial Man — China Contemporary Art Exhibition, Southwest Texas, USA
Jin — Contemporary Art Exhibition, Capital Normal University of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
The Second A+A, And Art Lab/Gallery of Central Academy of Fine Arts/Sichuan University Art Museum/Chongqing Art Museum, Beijing/Chengdu/Chongqing, China
2006
Comfortable Way, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China
Greater than Beijing, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
Transgression, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China
2005
The Cause — Painting Exhibition of Eight Artists, Mianyang, China
2004
Shanghai Spring Art Saloon, Shanghai, China
Collection records
Art Museums
Minsheng Museum
Wu Han Art Museum
Nrodn Galerie
Brazil Art Museum
Zhong Nanhai
Collector
Wang Wei
He Juxing
Wen Jiabao
Artworks Published Records
L’Officiel Art
Hotspot Weekly
From Landscape to Humans
National Arts
Artitude
Art Map
Beijing Jing Hua Newspaper
Hi Art
1314
Chinese Contemporary Art News
Shedding New Art From China Art Book
Invisible Youth By Chang Art
Reshaping History – China Youth New Art Book
NEW FACE 1 Group Exhibition of Chinese Artists Art Book
Time Energy by Chang Art
Collection Investment
Let’s go
Target
Chinese Art Today
Art Bank
Refined – 70s Chinese Artists Art Book
The Youth from Upstairs: Young Critics Nomination Exhibition Art Book
Comfort
