In February 1989, a group of Chinese artists, “Stars,” conducted an exhibition entitled “China/Avant-Garde.” The exhibition was shut down by the authoritarian communist government. The artists defended their attitude through a demonstration that protested against coercion of individual freedom. This event attracted global attention for it was the first act of protest defending individuality in China. Entering the 90s decade, the event that was exposed in a large scale, marked by the student massacre and known as the Tiananmen Tragedy brought a number of Chinese artists up to the global scene. They are recognized as the “China Avant-garde” artists.

　　Fang Lijun was an artist who received most of the attention. His works indeed reflect the sense of avant-gardism at the most. In a general definition, avant-garde is based on the belief in the individual credo—as opposed to collective credo—that has potentials to be pioneers. This credo is what has been shown by Fang Lijun in resisting the collective credo that is communism, which dominates every sector of life in China. This attitude of resistance against power that grounds the works of Fang Lijun had emerged in the early 80s. The most important impetus of the art development was stated by the acclaimed critic Li Xianting. The movement that went along with Deng Xiaoping’s principles of modernization had to deal with ultra-left relations. Li Xianting and his movement had to struggle to face the power relations in adhering to the principles of individual freedom.

　　Fang Lijun is among the artists who have been strongly defending the freedom of individuality. He has a background as the reason for such defense. Fang Lijun was born in 1963 in an intellectual family—his grandfather was quite a prosperous figure in the pre-communism and for that he had to go through a bitter childhood. His family, which was regarded as a part of the bourgeoisie, became the target of the Cultural Revolution conducted by the ultra-left parties. Fang Lijun saw with his own eyes how his family was tortured and brought to undergo a series of violence.

　　Fang Lijun’s works are interesting for the fact that he does not articulate his experiences with violence through means of violence as well. The sense of individuality in his works show a contemplation, which is indirectly related to social problems. He identifies individuality not as the “motor of struggle,” but as a sign of freedom which promises to bring happiness. Famous Japanese critic, Toshio Shimizu sees it as “Visions of Happiness” which reflects that modernism does promise bliss basically.

　　Toshio Shimizu sees Fang Ljun like a Zen monk who does his contemplation by isolating himself in his studio. The result is the works in the form of paintings that greatly show individual experiences. These paintings display a tension between the utopian vision of happiness and the threatening reality. (Jim Supangkat)

　　出处：History Translated《SUPERNOVA ——Art of the 1990s from the Logan Collection》，2004年，P152。