SEARCH FOR A NEW FORMAL LANGUAGE OF CONTEMPORARY CHINESE SCULPTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF INNOVATION OF MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the use of new materials and techniques in modern Chinese sculpture. The authors emphasize that in recent years, Chinese sculptors have very often used experimental materials and techniques that were not previously considered artistic in the context of sculpture. The issue of combining “old” and “new” materials has found its reflection in the development of the artistic language of sculpture. This process has also influenced the evolution of the imagery of sculpture. According to the authors, all of the above explains the relevance of the topic of the article. The article shows the main trends of “mixed techniques” using the example of the work of Sui Jianguo, Ju Min, Xu Bin, Cai Guoqiang and Gu Wend. The influence of modern Chinese sculptors on the general development of modern Chinese sculpture is determined and analyzed. The authors conclude that due to the actualization of new materials and techniques during the late 20th – early 21st centuries, a transformation of the figurative essence of sculptural works began. The introduction of the potential of “non-sculptural” materials (plastics, polymers, ready-made, etc.) into the compositional and formal language has enriched the aesthetics of the works, adding relevant expressive means to their internal figurative essence. An important aspect in the development of modern Chinese sculpture is the interaction of classical and modern approaches, where the new repertoire of materials becomes an important experimental space. The authors emphasize that at the beginning of the 21st century this trend has become a full-fledged direction for the search for a relevant artistic language. In many modern works, the classical formal basis plays the role of an artistic foundation. On this basis, sculptors are looking for new meanings (for example, in the areas of artistic-figurative, compositionalformal, figurative-symbolic solutions). New materials play an extremely important role in this process. This changes traditional approaches to the morphology of sculpture, and also activates new artistic trends.