Jiang Peng

When the Cultural Revolution (1967 – 1976) swept across China, Jiang Peng was a little boy; his experience was totally different from that of adults. Artists of Jiang’s generation are nostalgic, constantly looking back with complex emotions toward their childhood, and youth. Sometimes they seem narcissistic, or self-pitying, but most of the time they ridicule the world and history or sneer at themselves with some sadness. The happiness and joys of their childhood are enveloped in the absurdity of the “Revolution.”

For every Chinese who went through the “ Revolution,” all remember the movement called “Destructive Pests.” At that time, the whole country strove to kill every pest, even birds, and all kind of insects in order to save grain. Of course, all children and students became involved into that movement. For days, students needn’t go to school; instead, they chased after rats or flies, or any bugs in their city or in the countryside.

Jiang Peng’s bugs are big, memories of the fun and happy times of his childhood, but you can be sure they all died, whether good or bad - mostly the good - killed by the little people who wore the red scarf with a toy gun or knife or sword, the Young Pioneers (an organization before the Little Red Guards).

Jiang’s world is beautiful and absurd at same time, a world of bright colors - orange, blue, green yellow – which is both naïve and fun. The dead bugs - larger than life ladybugs, bees, caterpillars, worms - indicate not just life’s mystery and happiness, but also life’s inevitability and cruelty. His little people are strange; their faces, seemingly old and serious, are still those of children. Through innocence mixed with cruel killings, he reveals the twistedness of human nature.

Jiang’s art is pure and innocent; smart and fun. He bring you back to your childhood, no matter if you are Chinese or not, had been in the “ Revolution” or not. Like Miyazaki’s anime, his human stories have a greater subject beyond them; through them, he opens up new channels that allow us to see more, think deeper.

Perish Pests No.2

oil on canvas 170 x 150cm

Perish Pests No. 3

oil on canvas 170 x 150cm

The Winner

Acrylic on canvas 200 x 150cm

Red Cat and The Winner are about a famous idea of Deng Xiao Ping that changed China’s modern history. At the end of 70s, after the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiao Ping expressed this idea: no matter what color a cat is, if it can catch a mouse, it is a good cat. Thus he confronted those who argued against his new policy as being more capitalist than socialist.

Red Cat

Acrylic on canvas 140 x 140cm

Deng’s new policy was to give land and some freedom to people, especially to the peasants, allowing them to make some money without fearing accusations of being capitalists. Red Cat, wearing a Mao suit, is honored by having two mice pinned on as his medal. In The Winner, a powerful piece, the cat wears a western suit, with a bloody mouse-tail as a pin on his collar.

Convert

Acrylic and Gold on canvas 140 x 140 cm

Convert and Puzzle Champion are other works which reference brainwashing. Little monkey is from a famous 16-century novel about a monkey who from a rebellious, free king of the mountain becomes a Buddha. In this piece, a little monkey wearing a red scarf also converts to the red Buddha who is clapping his hands praising the young.

Puzzle Champion

Acrylic on canvas 140 x 140 cm

Puzzle Champion mocks at the foolish patriotism embedded in China’s school program.

The Mark of Growth

Acrylic on canvas 30 x 40cm

Mark of Growth is about the communist brainwashing he and his generation were subjected to throughout their lives. Nobody can escape being “educated” by the ideology. Like cuts into the skin which leaves one marked forever, a red tear rolls down the green apple, yes, rolls down everyone's insides.

Flu Patient

Acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

Love Is A Hard Question

Acrylic on canvas 200 x 150cm

Love is a Hard Question Jiang Peng, in a homage to the work of the Dutch artist, M.C. Escher (1898-1972), uses an optical illusion to express what he thinks about romantic and sexual attachment. In this piece, the traditional symbol chocolate, floats freely in an impossible space surrounded by other traditional symbols of love: clouds, roses and bees.

Dream of Shao Ling

Acrylic on canvas 80 x 100cm

Dream of Shaolin depicts the dream of Chinese kids. Shaolin, an ancient temple built in 496, is famous for its Kong Fu. There are numerous movies and novels about this legendary martial art which is popular among kids.

Perish Pests No. 6

oil on canvas 170 x 150cm

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