Art exhibition aims to evoke innocent, childhood reflections

Contemporary artist Shen Jingdong is having his first solo exhibition in Shanghai, which is also the largest showcase of his work.

Opening on Nov 2, the exhibition will go on until Jan 5 at the Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery. The exhibition, Keeping It Simple: The Parallel Worlds of Shen Jingdong, features more than 80 paintings, sculptures, installations and videos created by the artist since 2003.

Shen said at the opening he hoped his artworks "could evoke people's longing for the innocent world of their childhood, and inspire people to look deep into their mind and re-examine their understanding about the meaning of life."

Curator of the exhibition Du Xiyun arranged the exhibition in four sections, showcasing different series of Shen's creations. For example, the hero series reflects the artist's observation about the change in the public cognition of "the hero"; the bandage series are about wounds and trauma inflicted by not just the heroes but also ordinary folks; and the party series depict classmate reunions, dinner parties and gathering of families and friends.

Shen's artworks are characterized by bright colors and cartoon-like imagery, and Du the curator believes "Keeping It Simple" summarizes the artist's creative techniques, as well as his philosophical approach. "His works transform the complicated social phenomena into simple and childlike pictures, wrapping the heaviness of reality with seemingly relaxed brushstrokes," Du said. "This allows the audience to feel the profound meaning behind the works in a pleasant atmosphere through humor and wit."