Deng Yu
The works of Deng yu thus carry within them a freshness, a deceptively naive and "cute" which turn out to be terribly provocative on second reading. Her favorite character, the "Tomie" avatar, the neon yellow cut-out silhouette of a little girl projected into the heart of fantastic and phantasmagorical landscapes can thus, depending on the gaze or the composition be perceived as an erect penis which enters the heart of the work, or conversely a vagina from which emerges the scene taking shape before our eyes.
Artworks
YayoiExhibitions Gallery loft
Biography
Born in 1981 in Guangdong Province, Southeast China, Deng Yu graduated from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (Bachelor of Arts in 2005; Master of Arts in 2008). Presented at numerous collective exhibitions in Guangzhou, Shanghai or Beijing but also in Korea and the United States since 2005, the work of Deng Yu is honored during her first individual exhibition at the Orange gallery in Guangzhou (China) bringing together an anthology colorful works reflecting the fantastic imagination of the artist. Deng Yu is a painter who is part of this generation of young Chinese born in the early 1980s that Zhang Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Art Museum, and curator of the exhibition Infantization presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon in 2010, qualifies as the Gelatin Generation”. “They let their imaginations wander into a world of glamour, kitsch, design, showbiz and are inspired by new scientific theories and futuristic fantasies. Alien, mythological or manga cartoon characters populate their dazzling visions of the future. […] Their life is like a bag of jellybeans, icy but malleable, seemingly transparent but with no center to grasp. Unlike their parents, this generation grew up in a consumer society characterized by a stable political system and exceptional economic growth. But the apparent carelessness of this generation, marked by the same enthusiasm as the mythical years of Pop Art and the contribution of similar elements in the construction of their works (bright colors, derivatives of popular subculture and references evoking youth. ..) should not make us forget that these artists, ultra connected and born in the heart of globalization are also particularly involved in concerns such as cultural democratization, the preservation of the environment or women’s rights.
The works of Deng yu thus carry within them a freshness, a deceptively naive and “cute” which turn out to be terribly provocative on second reading. Her favorite character, the “Tomie” avatar, the neon yellow cut-out silhouette of a little girl projected into the heart of fantastic and phantasmagorical landscapes can thus, depending on the gaze or the composition be perceived as an erect penis which enters the heart of the work, or conversely a vagina from which emerges the scene taking shape before our eyes. Its landscapes, composed of plants and animals from the marine or forest are very graphic and colorful. Both psychedelic and organic, they symbolize the explosion on the surface of the canvas, all the pent-up desires and despair that lurk in the hearts of all those who fail to express their feelings, which is worth to the artist to provoke real echoes among the young populations of the big Chinese cities.
Career
Solo Exhibitions
2020
Float, Laniakea Gallery, Cocopark, Shenzhen, China
Lilliput, Times Square, Shanghai, China
Be the bravest version of yourself, Spring Street, Virginia, USA
2019
The Huge Rabbit and Lilliput, Poly Canal Plaza, Foshan Monster Attack, Binjiang Street, Longhu, Chengdu, China
A Mirror Reflecting Life, HUO·XIAN Art Space, Guangzhou, China
2018
Gulliver’s Journey, K11, Guangzhou, China
Gulliver’s Journey— Lilliput, K11Select, Wuhan, China
2017
Chronology - From Da Vinci to Andy Warhol, Starbucks Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2016
DENGYU - Why Tomie, YANG QUE Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2014
Crazy Zoo - The Adoption Project, FEI Gallery, Guangzhou, China
Tomie’s World, press conference&solo show, RU YI Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2013
The Frog Prince in the Wonderland, FEI Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2012
The Image Kingdom, RU YI Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2011
Fa:-li:-luk, Wilber Gallery, Guangzhou, China
Group Exhibitions
2019
ShangHai Toy Show, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China
THE heART of SUMMER, The Repulse Bay, Hongkong, China
2018
Eyes, Dunxing Gallery, Guangzhou, China
Shenzhen International Art Fair, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Shenzhen, China
2017
Hi21 Young Art Fair, LONG Museum, Shanghai, China
Shanghai International Art Fair, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China
Love is on the way, K11, Guangzhou, China
Contemporary Art Exhibition, Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art, Guangzhou, China
2016
Shenzhen City Art Fair, Shenzhen, China
2015
Shanghai International Art Fair, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China
Shenzhen International Art Fair, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Shenzhen Kids Triennial Canton, Hu Yichuan Art Gallery, Guangzhou, China
2014
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Conrad Hong Kong, Hongkong
Hidden in the Market, Dongguan Farmers Market International Art Festival, Dongguan, China
2013
AArt, Shanghai, China
Other Regionality, Memorial Hall of Lingnan School of Painting, Guangzhou, China
2012
Self-Portrait, Hi Art Store, Beijing, China
China Young Artists Promotion Fair, China World Trade Center, Beijing Common Ground, IFA Gallery, Shanghai, China
2011
A Special Exhibition of Chinese Arts & 16th Annual Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles, USA
2010
53 Art Museum Opening Celebration Series ‘Do My Stuff: Contemporary Art in Guangdong’, 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
Open · Close: Exhibition of Six Young Artists From Guangzhou, Art Karlsruhe, Germany
New Era Animation Aesthetics Exhibition, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
Biochemistry: Between Fiction or Truth, Animamix Biennial Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2009
« Fleurs en pleine éclosion », Galerie de sortie de Hong Kong
« Superheroes - New Forces in Guangzhou Art », Shanghai Spring Salon Expo
Exposition d'art « Young Appartement », Auditorium populaire de Daliang, district de Shunde
« Art Beijing », Hall d'exposition agricole de Pékin)
Exposition de jeunes artistes asiatiques, Musée Chosunil Bo, Séoul, Corée, Musée Chosun
Ilbo
« Aventures », Asian Art Center, Pékin
« Fork », Musée d'art de la ville universitaire de l'Académie des beaux-arts de Guangzhou)
2008
« Tomie's World & Black Party », Trojan Art Platform
« Hanging in the Air, Floating on the Surface, Not Approachable », exposition inaugurale du Linda Art Center
« Déclaration d'enfant », New Era Gallery Beijing 798
« New Vision '08 - 5e exposition d'œuvres de l'École Nationale d'Art », Musée d'art He Xiangning)
« Prix de l'artiste émergent chinois », Art Scene, Shanghai
Foire internationale d'art de Guangzhou, Jinhan Center, Guangzhou
« Beautiful South » - Exposition collective d'artistes de la nouvelle génération du Guangdong, Asia Art Center Beijing 798
« Hommage à Knocklin » - Exposition d'art féminin, Ruyi Gallery, Guangzhou
« 'Trois formes' - Un paysage de rêve caché », Galerie Huihaoshe, Guangzhou
« Réinterprétation du contemporain », Musée d'art de l'Académie des beaux-arts de Guangzhou, Musée d'art de l'Académie des beaux-arts du Sichuan
2007
« Art contemporain asiatique » Acaf, New York
« Dieux et poupées », Qiantong Art Space, Songzhuang, Pékin
« Exposition d'art de la nouvelle jeunesse du Guangdong », Musée d'art du Guangdong
« Introspection, les années 70 et 80 » Distillery International Art District Beijing, Pékin
Musée d'art de Yanhuang, Pékin
« Qui sont-ils ? D'où viennent-ils ? » Shanghai 1918 Gallery
« Sans toi, sans moi », Centre d'art contemporain Songzhuang TS1, Pékin
« Génération décentralisée », Exposition d'art post-70, 798 Art Festival Theme Exhibition Beijing, Pékin
« La nouvelle jeunesse de Shanghai », Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai
« à l'envers », 82 Republic Gallery Hong Kong
2006
« Art chinois aujourd'hui », Musée national d'art de Chine
« Projet Nord-Sud », Guangzhou Loft 345 Art Space
« Superhero », Galerie Ruyi, Guangzhou
2005
Triennale du Guangdong, Guangzhou Loft 345 Art Space
« Peinture contemporaine chinoise », Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art
« L'importance de la recherche - Le nouvel état de la création des étudiants diplômés du Guangmei », Shunde Rongcheng Art Museum