Lei Chen is not only an artist working with traditional Chinese media in traditional Chinese style, but also a “modern artist”. Although she was professionally trained at one of the top art academies in China and uses traditional Chinese materials such as rice paper, mineral pigment, and ink, she does not consider her work as typical traditional Chinese paintings.
The most significant factors of one’s art which differentiates him or her from other artists are the concept, his or her emotional and philosophical considerations. Lei Chen is trying to express herself in a way to combine the images of the ancient society and modern society to create new and thought-provoking images. The unknown, such as enigmas, miracles, and secrets of the universe, call her interests toward probing the unknown fields in her art.
In terms of skills and techniques, Lei Chen experiments with new methods based on Chinese traditional painting. She calls this new technique ‘peeling off’, which removes the mineral pigment and keeps the remaining colour on rice paper. It was inspired by medieval European murals. She uses both watercolour and collage in her art as well. In this respect, she believes being a “modern artist” means one should have his or her unique perspective of the physical and moral world; including one’s work and life.
Chen dedicates herself in reading, thinking, and discovering new ideas from her inner self and challenges her own creativity. She believes that inspiration and innovative artistic styles are generated through rational thinking and the constant experiments of different media.
Read Lei Cen’s CV below.
Lei Chen
2019- Associate Professor, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), China
2004-2018 Lecture, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), China
2019-2020 Research Scholar, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), USA
EDUCATION
2004 MA, Tsinghua University, China Major: Fine Arts GPA3.65/4.00
2001 BA, Tsinghua University, China Major: Painting GPA3.60/4.00
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS & TALKS
2021
In the Name of Love – Female Artists of the Twentieth Century, Online, for the Communities in Canada, April 19
2020
• Comparative View of Chinese and Western Painting, Online, for the Communities in Canada, 4 June
• The Skills and Techniques in Chinese Traditional Painting, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, February 24
2019
• Chinese Calligraphy, The Saint Catherine’s School, USA, October 11
• The Colors in Chinese Culture, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, October 2nd
2018
The Composition of Chinese Painting, Chinese Academy of Arts, September 13
2017
The Chinese Traditional Color System, Chinese Academy of Arts, May 8
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Nature’s Breath: Lei Chen Solo Show, Beijing, China
2014 Enigma: Chen Lei Solo Exhibition, Castello 925 Gallery, Venice, Italy
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021
• 2021 “Yuanqi Vientiane” Mi-Autumn Festival Theme Exhibition, Beijing, China
• Highest Good Like That of Water: Contemporary Academic Art Ecology Public Exhibition & The First International Forum of Ecological Art for Women Artists, Beijing, China
2020
• Ink like Her: Chinese Contemporary Women Artist’ Ink Paintings Exhibition, Beijing, China
2019
• The 12th Anniversary Exhibition: New Art Academy Elite, Beijing, China
• Fine Brushwork Writing History in the Contemporary Era, Beijing, China
• Not to Be Unconvinced: Exhibitions of Eight Contemporary Chinese Painting Artists, Beijing, China
2018
• Meticulous Style Painting Nomination, Beijing, China
• The 11th Anniversary Exhibition: New Art Academy Elite, Beijing, China
• Shanggu Yaji · Art Xiong’an – Invitation Exhibition of Famous Chinese Artists, Hebei, China
• Chinese Ink Art Scene Tianjin 2018, Tianjin, China
• Art Beijing: The Post-70s Artist Nomination Exhibition in Contemporary China, Beijing, China
• Mr. Yuan Yunfu and His Students – Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Beijing, China
2017
• Collection of Fine Brushwork Painting Invitational Exhibition, Hebei, China
• Special Fusion: The Ten-Person Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Meticulous Artists, Hebei, China
• The 10th Anniversary Exhibition: New Art Academy Elite, Beijing, China
• Illustra-Ting Life: International Illustration & Contemporary Life, Beijing, China
• Art Beijing, Beijing, China
• Special Fusion: The Nine-Person Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Meticulous Artists, Beijing, China
• New Classics – Forest China 2017 Public Art Collection Exhibition, Beijing, China
2016
• The Duck Weed in the Wild: Salute to the Classical (Second Time), Beijing, China
• The Duck Weed in the Wild: Five Meanings After the Classical (First Time), Shandong, China
• Exploration, Exploration, and Re-Exploration – Art Exhibition in Commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of Pang Xunqin’s Birth, Beijing, China
2015
• The Oriental Ink Language: The Tour Exhibition of Young Ink Artists (Second Time), Zhejiang, China
• The Oriental Ink Language: The Tour Exhibition of Young Ink Artists (First Time), Suzhou, China
• Red Lips – Art Slow Life Theme Invitational Exhibition (First Time), Nanjing, China
• The First Nomination Exhibition of China New Meticulous Painting Association, Beijing, China
• Ancient Law & New Life – CYAP Ink Painting Selection Public Exhibition, Beijing, China
• Between – Related to Tradition, Contemporary Art Special Exhibition, Beijing, China
• Flower Blooming in Six Dust – Invitation Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Female Artists (Fourth Time), Nanjing, China
• Yan Zhi Yi VII New Ink Language: Sino-Korea Art Exchange Exhibition, Beijing, China
• Spring Blossoms: The Flower and Bird Painting Invitation Exhibition in Contemporary China, Beijing, China
2014
• Art Without Border: Stars Shining for the Future, Beijing, China
• Myth – Contemporary Meticulous Painting Trio Exhibition, Beijing, China
• The 12th National Art Exhibition & The Third National Mural Exhibition, Beijing, China
• China Italy Joint Exhibition, Beijing, China
• Inheritance and Change: The New Picture of Art – The Theme Exhibition of the 7th China International Youth Art Week, Nanjing, China
• Meticulous & Chinese Ink Painting in Here & Now, Beijing, China
MEMBERSHIP
• Federation of Canadian Artists
• Chinese Artists Association
• China Hue Art Association
• China Female Artists Association
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Changshu Museum, Guoding Art Museum
陈蕾
陈蕾不仅仅是一位中国画家，更是一位“现代”艺术家。虽然她毕业于中国最好的艺术院校之一，并且使用宣纸、矿物色、墨这些中国画材进行创作，但是她并不认为自己的作品是典型的“中国画”。
一名艺术家区别于他人最重要的特征表现在艺术理念、情感和哲学思考等形而上的层面。陈蕾试图将中国古典形象与现代社会相结合，创造出新的发人深思的作品。她倾向于表现那些近乎哲学思辨的主题，接近未知领域，探寻人生、自然与宇宙谜题。
在技法方面，陈蕾基于中国传统绘画，进行了诸多实验与探索。其中一种被称为“脱落法”的方法，利用宣纸的材质和颜料的脱落，形成了独特的视觉效果，其灵感来源于欧洲中世纪的壁画。此外，她的作品中还广泛使用水彩和拼贴的技法。她认为，一名“成功”的现代艺术家无论在技法还是精神层面，都应该具有与众不同的艺术语言，并且在工作与生活中契合一致。
陈蕾喜爱阅读与思考，不断挑战与创新，探索自己的内心世界。她看重理性思维和反复实验所产生的艺术价值，并坚信灵感和艺术革新均真正来源于此。
1978年 生于北京
2001年 本科毕业于清华大学美术学院，绘画系
2004年 硕士毕业于清华大学美术学院，绘画系
中国美术家协会会员，中国女画家协会会员，中国工笔画会会员
国家公派美国弗吉尼亚联邦大学访问学者
现任教于北京服装学院，副教授，硕士生导师
作品曾入选第十届、第十一届全国美术作品展；第二届、第三届全国壁画大展
个展：
2021年 浮生记——陈蕾艺术个展，南锣画廊，北京
2014年 谜 —— 陈蕾艺术个展，威尼斯925画廊，威尼斯，意大利
部分群展：
2022年 水墨壹佰——后海派艺术大展，扬州市美术馆，扬州
2021年 “圆启万象”中秋主题特展，朝阳文化馆，北京
上善若水——当代生态艺术2021年度公益展&暨首届女艺术家生态艺术国际论坛，华亚艺术基金会，森林中国美术馆，北京
2020年 乘风破浪&“她水墨”——中国当代女艺术家百人作品大展，今日美术馆，北京
2019年 中国工笔画家八人展——五四特展，森林中国美术馆，北京
不服不行——当代中国画名师名家八人展艺术家特别推介，森林中国美术馆，北京
2018年 新粉本·当代中国工笔画2018年度提名展，中国政协文史馆，北京
学院新方阵十一年展，中国政协文史馆，北京
上谷雅集·艺术雄安——中国画名家邀请展，保定上谷美术馆，河北
艺术北京，全国农业展览馆，北京
中国水墨现场 天津2018，天津美术馆，天津
袁运甫先生和他的学生们——绘画雕塑作品展，清华大学美术馆，北京
2017年 非常融合——中国当代艺术家工笔画十人展，石家庄卧云山房，河北
京津冀工笔画邀请展，沧州美术馆，河北
学院新方阵十年展·新粉本，今日美术馆，北京
绘生活 当代国际插画艺术展，北京恭王府乐道堂，北京
艺术北京，全国农业展览馆，北京
非常融合——当代中国工笔画家九人展，北京亨嘉堂，北京
新经典－森林中国2017公益艺术典藏展，中国政协文史馆，北京
2016年 食野之萍——向古典致敬（第二回）·2016北京，天大云华美术馆，北京
食野之萍——古典之后的五种意度（第一回），烟台美术博物馆，山东
探索、探索、再探索——纪念庞薰琹先生诞辰110周年艺术展，泓文博雅艺术馆，北京
2015年 中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利70周年全国名家作品邀请展，北京
东方墨语——新锐水墨画家巡展（第二回），杭州艺术王府，杭州
点绛唇——艺术慢生活主题邀请展（第一回），国艺美术馆，南京
设色记——中国新工笔画会首届提名展，上上国际美术馆，北京
古法&新生——CYAP水墨评选公示展，炎黄艺术馆，北京
之间——与传统有关，当代艺术特展，Zoomart艺术馆，北京
东方墨语——新锐水墨画家巡展（第一回），古吴轩画廊，苏州
花开六尘——中国当代女艺术家邀请展（第四回），六尘艺术馆，南京
晏之艺VII水墨新语——中韩艺术交流展，中森会&墙艺术中心，北京
春来花开——中国当代花鸟画邀请展，新水墨意象馆，北京
2014年 艺术无界，星耀未来展，悦·美术馆，北京
神话——当代工笔三人展，享悦汇，北京
第三届中国壁画大展，中央美术学院美术馆，北京
东成西就·紫禁之巅中意联展，万科会所，北京
承·变：艺术新图景——第七届中国国际青年艺术周主题展，金陵美术馆，南京
即墨——一种当下的工笔与水墨景象，新水墨意象馆，北京
2011年 学院工笔——第二届全国青年工笔画展，国家画院美术馆，北京
庞薰琹先生诞辰105周年师生艺术作品展，常熟美术馆，常熟
2009年 第十一届全国美术作品展，中央美术学院美术馆，北京
第二届中国壁画大展，中央美术学院美术馆，北京
2008年 中国岩彩绘画邀请展，中华世纪坛，北京
2007年 中韩当代艺术邀请展，北航艺术馆，北京
2004年 第十届全国美术作品展，上海美术馆，上海
2002年 从洛桑到北京——2002国际纤维艺术双年展，清华大学美术学院，北京