Wang Keping

Wang Keping is one of the most eminent members of Stars Art Group (xing xing 星星画会) , a foundational movement of the contemporary Chinese avant-garde active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Wang’s wood sculptures and his early theatre play uncovered the political opponents’  detention conditions, which also gave rise to sharp polemics in the press in Taiwan and in China.

Presented by Hanart Gallery in Taiwan and Tokyo Gallery in Tokyo very early, Wang achieved great success with the collectors and the support of the press.

His sculpture “Silence” of wood and then of bronze is an icon at the beginning of the Chinese Avant-Garde and has been reproduced many times.

Wang Keping played a decisive role in the Post-89 Exhibition (1992) in Hong Kong. It was he who selected the artists with Li Xianting and presented them to Johnson Chang.

Married to a French person living in Beijing, he benefited from a related immunity, but he still had troubles. Therefore, he immigrated to France in 1984. In Paris, he got to know Gao Xingjian, the future winner of the Nobel Prize for literature.

His wood sculptures, blackened by fire, were first inspired by totems and by idols that reminded him of folkloric tutelary figures in northern China and in Korea. Then his creation turned to the simple forms with the themes: women wearing a bun, kiss/couple, bird, masculine figures with tails, and a pair of teats. The simplification and purification were embodied in his sculptures; moreover, in the best cases reminded one of Constantin Brancusi’s works.

Asked by the Ministry of Culture (like several sculptors at that time), Wang Keping created a large portrait of wood of François Mitterrand.

He was one of the artists who were invited for the exhibition “Champs de la Sculpture” on the Champs Elysées (Paris) in 1999.

EXPOSITIONS PERSONNELLES

2024

The Truth Comes to Light, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, France

Collection Marie et Jacques Barrère, Château de la Haute Borde, France

Dans la Lune, Galerie miniMASTERPIECE, Paris, France

2023

Carte-Blanche, Musée Guimet MNAAG, Paris

2022
Métamorphoses – Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris 8 (15 janv. – 12 mars)
Wang Keping à l’oeuvre – Musée Rodin, Paris (3 mai – 5 juin 2022)
Carte Blanche – Musée Guimet MNAAG, Paris (nov. 2022- mars 2023)

2020
Les Oiseaux – Domaine de Chaumont sur Loire

2019
Stars Forever Stars – 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong-Kong

2018
Sculptures sculptées – Galerie Nathalie Obadia – Paris
Simplicité, nature, sensualité – Galerie Nathalie Obadia – Brussels

2017
Birds, Harmony of the Forest – 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong-Kong

2016
Wang Keping, Galerie Zürcher, Paris

2015
Wang Keping, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong

2014
Musée Cernuschi, dans le cadre d’un partenariat avec Art Paris Art Fair
Wang Keping, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing

2013
Zürcher Studio, New York, USA

2012
Wood Felsh Form Nothingness,10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong
Galerie Dumonteil, Shanghai, Chine
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

2011
Artistes chinois à Paris, Musée Cernuschi, Paris, et Seconde Nature au cours de laquelle des sculptures de l’artiste avaient été installées dans le parc Monceau
Eternal Smile, Solo Show, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong
Eternal smile, Solo Show, Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris, France
Eternal smile, Solo Show, Magda Danysz Gallery, Shanghai, Chine
Blooming in the Shadows, Unofficial Chinese Art 1974-1985, China Institute in America, New York, USA
Zürcher Studio, New York, USA

2010
La Chair des forêts, Musée Zadkine, Paris, France

2009
Wang Keping, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong kong

2008
Works from 1979-2006, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, Chine

2007
10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong, Chine (also 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Duhamel Fine Art, Paris France Gallery Lasés, Paris, France

2006
10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Katie de Tilly Contemporary Artists, Hong Kong
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

2003
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France
De Tilly-Blaru Gallery, Hong Kong, Chine

2001
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France
De Tilly-Blaru Gallery, Hong Kong, Chine

1999
Galerie Jacques Barrère, Paris, France
Galerie de l’IUFM, Lyon, France
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

1997
Alison Fine Art, Hong Kong, Chine
Artist in Residence, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

1996
Etan Cohen Gallery, New York, USA

1995
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

1994
At Work Gallery, Chicago, USA
Museum für Kunsthandwerk, Francfort, Allemagne
Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Francfort, Allemagne

1993
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France
Aidekman Art Center, Boston, USA
Chinese Modern Art Center, Osaka, Japon

1992
Salle Saint-Jean, Hôtel de Ville de Paris, France

1991
Galerie Zurcher, Paris, France
Gaalerie Leuenberger, Zürich, Suisse

1990
Galerie Zurcher, Paris, France
Monte Gallery, Tokyo, Japon
Chine Forum, Zürich, Suisse

1989
Museum of Modern Art, Taiwan

1988
Galerie Thomas, Munich, Allemagne
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

1987
Art Waves Gallery, New York, USA

1986
Galerie de Graaf, Chicago, USA
Galerie Zürcher, Paris, France

1985
Galerie Gérard Laubie, Paris, France

EXPOSITIONS DE GROUPE (sélection)

2026

Embodied Forms- Galerie Dumonteli, Shanghai

2025

Sélection d’été/ À Première Vue, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

Vertiges Croisés, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Bruxelles, Belgique

Gillet et Compagnie, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris, France

2024

Sélection d’Été, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

Wang Keping et le corps représenté, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Bruxelles, Belgique

2023

Enfances, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris, France

2022

Monumental, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

2021

Art Contemporain Chinois, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

Inauguration show, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris, France

High Emission Zone, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris, France

2020
Bêtes de Scène – Espace Monte Christo – Paris
ASHK X HKAGA sculpture exhibition – Asia Society Hong-Kong Center

Loft Selection, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

Art Paris 2020— Projets Monumentaux, Galerie Loft, Paris, France

Looking Forward, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris France

2019
The Naked form in Modern Chinese Art – Asmolean Museum, Oxford
5th Collectors’ Contemporary Collaboration – Hong Kong Arts Center
Bêtes de scène – Villa Datris, L’Isle sur la Sorgue
La Source – Fondation Carmignac, Porquerolles
Of Dreams and Contemplation: Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh – The Private Museum, Singapore
La Lumière des Mondes – Domaine des Etangs, Massignac
Les Étoiles 1979-2019 – Pionniers de l’art contemporain en Chine – Maison du Voyage, Paris
STARS 星星 1979 – OCAT Institute, Beijing
Trésors de Banlieues – Halle des Grésillons, Gennevilliers

2018
Sea of Desire, Opening of foundation Carmignac – Porquerolles
BIS, Biennale Internationale de Sculpture – St Paul de Vence
Turning Point – 40 years of Chinese Contemporary Art – Long Museum, Shanghai
墨境 Ink Worlds: Contemporary Chinese Painting from the Collection of Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang – Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University
别处/此在:海外华人艺术抽样展 HERE/ELSEWHERE: The Sample of Overseas Chinese Art,何香凝美术馆 – Hexiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen

2017
Opening exhibition – Power Long Museum, Shanghai

2016
Face to Face : Regina Bogat, Wang Keping, Zürcher Gallery, New York

2015
Vide et Plein, Maison Bleu Studio, Paris 2013 Alix Le Méléder – Wang Keping, Galerie Zürcher, Paris 2011           Light Before Dawn, Asia Society Hong Hong touring to Houston Blooming in the Shadows, Unofficial
Chinese Art (1974-1985), Chinese Institute in America New York
Artistes Chinois à Paris, Musée Cernuschi, Paris

2008
Origin Point, The Stars 30 Years, Today Art Museum, Beijing
China Gold, l’Art contemporain chinois, Musée Maillol, Paris
Go China – Writing on the Wall, Chinese New Realism and Avant-Garde in the eighties and nineties, Groninger Museum, Groningen

2007
China Contemporary Art : the long march of the Avant-Garde, Contemporary Art Museum, Genova China Onward, The Estella Collection, Chinese Contemporary Art 1966-2006, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhague

2005
Mahjong – Chinesische Gegenwartskunst aus der Sammlung Sigg, Kunstmuseum, Bern
The 2nd Annual China International Gallery Exhibition 2005, Beijing, China ; Marlborough Gallery, New York

2004
Body and Nature, Two Chinese artists, Marlborough Chelsea, New York
Chine, le corps partout ?, Museum of Contemporary Art, Marseille

2002
French May, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2001
Chine without borders, Goedhuis Contemporary, Sotheby’s, New York, USA
Salon de Mars, Galerie Lara Fletcher, Genève, Suisse

2000
Le Corps morcelé, Fondation Daniel et Florence Guerlain, Les Mesnuls, France
Museum of Modern Art, Cheng Du, Chine
Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japon
WeiWei Gallery, Pékin, Chine
Portraits, Figures, Couples and Groups – from the MCAF collection, BizArt, Shanghai, Chine
CAAW, Pékin, Chine

1999
Les Champs de la Sculpture (1970-2000), Champs-Elysées, Paris, France
FIAC, Galerie Zurcher, Paris, France
The Pu-Yeo International Modern Sculpture Symposium, Corée

1998
Musée d’art contemporain, Stuttgart, Allemagne
Michel Goedhuis Gallery, London, Grande Bretagne

1997
National Museum of Art, Pékin, Chine

1996
Face à l’Histoire, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
National Museum of Fine Arts, Pékin, Chine
Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, ETATS-UNIS

1995
Centro de Arte Santa Monica, Barcelone, Espagne

1994
FIAC, Galerie Zurcher, Paris, France

1993
Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japon

1991
Hommage à Camille Claudel, Villeneuve-sur-Fère, France

1990
Chapelle de la Salpétrière, Paris, France
Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong, Chine

1989
Hanart Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
Hanart 2 Gallery, Hong Kong
The Stars–Group from Pékin, Albany University, New York, USA
Galerie du Forum, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

1988
Blue Hill Cultural Center, New York, USA
Hanart 2 Gallery, Hong Kong, Chine

1987
Cadogan Contemporary Gallery, New York, USA

1986
Painting The Chinese Dream. Chinese Art 30 Years after the Revolution, Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, Mass. et Brooklyn Museum, New York, US
Avant-Garde Chinese Art – Pékin/New York, Vassar College Gallery, NY, USA

1984
Carrefour de la Chine, Paris, France

1983
Painting the Chinese Dream – Chinese Art 30 Years after the Revolution, Brooklyn Museum, New York ; Massachusetts; Northampton Smith College Museum of Art, USA

1980
Deuxième exposition du groupe The Stars, National Museum of Fine Arts, Pékin, Chine

1979
Wild, Première exposition du Groupe The Stars, devant National Museum of Fine Arts, Pékin, Chine

Presse

Wang Keping – Art Auction