Lost Grace is a group show that celebrates the 6th anniversary of AroundSpace Gallery. In the past six years, we have been exploring, discovering and presenting artworks that we recognize and value greatly; these artworks are made by artists who are poised, and sure of their graceful styles and elegant manners.

In Chinese tradition, artists are always a group of literati, who believe art should be an expression of ethics. Today, comparing to their ancestors, Chinese artists have more media and means to practice with beyond painting: new media such as photography, video and installation have all enhanced the visual and audio experience of the audience tremendously. Nevertheless, the traditional value and aesthetic has been challenged and the grace in art has been betrayed. There are spectacular works that have been made in great scale but with little aesthetic value.

In Lost Grace, AroundSpace proudly present artists who inherited the literati spirit and persistently pursue traditional grace in their art. In his Mirrors series, Maleonn recalled the past in a sentimental and sensitive way; The Introvert , an art book by Charles Bernstein , the celebrated Amercian poet, accompanies with Yang Yongliang's hand-drawn illustrations. Xiang Qing Hua’s Passing Water is airy and tranquil; Shi Xin Ji’s Spring Snow, Ding Bei Li’s Wang Chuan ; Lu Yuan Min’s Shanghai , are all recent master pieces, which showcase the artists’ talent, knowledge and spirit.

We can either put a period or a question mark after the title, Lost Grace; what we would like to ask is whether the “grace” has been lost forever or can be rebuilt in the present. You will find answers in these artworks we enthusiastically present in the show.Artists: