Qiu Zhijie

The thirty year artistic career of one of China’s most respected artists, Qiu Zhijie, co-published by Skira and Galleria Continua.

This volume brings together all the significant works of maps of one of China’s most respected and celebrated artists, created over more than a decade. Qiu Zhijie is known for his calligraphy and ink painting, photography, video, installation and performance works. His art is representational of a new kind of experimental communication between the Chinese literati tradition and contemporary art, social participation and the power of self-liberation of art.

In Qiu’s maps, he utilizes traditional ink painting techniques to crate maps interpreting relationships among various topics. They are based on his own research, writing, imagination, and logical thinking. Qiu weaves different ideas and objects together and outlines the relational web on landscapes including mountains, lakes, islands, railways, etc., offering a possible gateway for the audiences to enter his cartographic world.

The publication accompanies the exhibition at Galleria Continua in Beijing starting from March 2020.

About the Authors

Birgit Hopfener is Associate Professor of Art History at Carleton University in Ottawa, where she is also cross-appointed to the Institute for Comparative Studies in Literature, Art and Culture (ICSLAC).

Shen Qilan, receiving her Ph.D. from University of Münster, Germany, is a famous writer, art critic and curator.

Hans Ulrich Obrist is a Swiss art curator, critic and historian of art. He is artistic director at the Serpentine Galleries, London. Obrist is the author of The Interview Project, an extensive ongoing project of interviews. He is also co-editor of the Cahiers d'Art review.

Philip Tinari is a notable writer, critic, art curator, and expert in Chinese contemporary art. Based in Beijing since 2001, Tinari is currently director and CEO of the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing.