Lot 25

Overall in good condition.


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East and West Art Gallery, Melbourne, acquired directly from the artist.

Melbourne, East and West Art Gallery, You Si, 'Painting Reaches The Way Through Penetrating Qi', June 2nd - 23rd, 1988.

You Si, born into a family of influential Chinese artists, is the son of Ha Qiongwen and You Longgu-both renowned political propaganda artists of 1960s China. In 1982, he graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy's Stage Design Department as part of the first cohort of university students after the Cultural Revolution, and began his career as a stage designer at China Central Television (CCTV). Alongside his design work, he actively explored abstract ink painting.

In the mid-1980s, You Si held groundbreaking solo and joint exhibitions with artist Mi Qiu at venues such as Beijing Ancient Observatory, Peking University, and Tsinghua University-some of China's earliest privately-organized contemporary art shows. His work gained attention from international media, including Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. He also held solo exhibitions at the U.S., Swedish, and Australian embassies in Beijing, with works acquired by diplomats and collectors.

From 1987 to 1988, You Si was invited by art academies in Canberra and Sydney to visit Australia, where he held solo exhibitions at East and West Art Gallery in Melbourne and Hesworth Modern Gallery in Sydney. His works were acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria and private collectors. Later that year, he joined the "Beijing Young Artists Touring Exhibition" across New York, Boston, and Los Angeles, and subsequently settled in New York.

His U.S. debut came in 1989 at East Manhattan Gallery, followed by significant participation in exhibitions like the Overseas Chinese Artists Exhibition (City University of Hong Kong, 1997), International Ink Painting Touring Exhibition (Shanghai and Japan, 2001), and Big Apple Chinese Painting Exhibition (New York, 2000). A solo show at Abrahams Rubels Gallery in New York (2000) further elevated his presence.

During nearly two decades in the U.S., You Si transformed his artistic language, adopting a bold, abstract approach to ink. He participated in major contemporary group shows, including Boil and Fry (2002), Holiday Tribe (2004, Pinochi Contemporary Gallery), and Brooklyn's Best Artists in Boston (2003).

His works have been collected by institutions and corporations globally, including the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne), the Newsweek Beijing office, and Swedish Embassy in Beijing. From 2005-2006, his art and sculpture were acquired by high-end commercial properties, including Fortune Plaza in Shanghai. In 2006, his painting was gifted to the Italian luxury cruise liner Costa. He also contributed interior designs for the Shanghai International Cruise Terminal.

You Si returned to China in the 2000s, continuing to evolve his practice. He held several important solo exhibitions, including Margins (ART LABOR, 2007), The Evolution of Margins (Shanghai Urban Sculpture Art Center, 2008), and The Bloom of Time (BU-YI Art Gallery, Hong Kong, 2011). His works were also featured in the Sino-Greek exhibition Material Links (2008), touring MoCA Shanghai, CACT Thessaloniki, and Technopolis Athens.

Select Solo Exhibitions
The Bloom of Time, BU-YI Art, Hong Kong, 2011

The Spread of the Margins, ART LABOR, Shanghai, 2010-2011

You Si Solo Exhibition, Michael Goedhuis Gallery, New York, 2009-2010

The Evolution of Margins, Urban Sculpture Art Center, Shanghai, 2008

Margins, ART LABOR, Shanghai, 2007

You Si Ink Exhibition, Abraham Rubels Gallery, New York, 2000

Painting Exhibition, Boston, U.S., 1994

Beijing Young Artists Touring Exhibition, U.S. cities, 1988-1989

Solo Exhibition, Hesworth Modern Gallery, Sydney, 1988

Spilled Paintings, East and West Art Gallery, Melbourne, 1988

Select Group Exhibitions
Material Links (Sino-Greek Contemporary Art Tour), Shanghai, Thessaloniki, Athens, 2008

Big Apple Chinese Painting, Huai Gu Tang Gallery, New York, 2000

Boil and Fry, Pinochi Contemporary, New York, 2002

Holiday Tribe, Pinochi Contemporary, New York, 2004

Brooklyn's Best Artists in Boston, Bonard Toe Gallery, Boston, 2003

International Ink Painting Tour, Shanghai Museum, 2001

Overseas Artists Group Exhibition, City University of Hong Kong, 1997

Contemporary Chinese Painting, Manhattan East Gallery, New York, 1989

Contemporary Ink, Peking & Tsinghua University, Beijing, 1986

Modern Ink, Ancient Observatory, Beijing, 1985

Collections
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Newsweek (Beijing Office)

Swedish Embassy, Beijing

Ilya Lagutenko Collection

Numerous international private collectors