Gong Dong

Biography

Born in Fujian, China in 1977, Gong Dong graduated from the Fuzhou Art Institute, Sculpture Department. Gong Dong constantly draws inspiration from the abundance of life experiences as he feels that art will never move a viewer if it lacks real emotion. He strongly believes that art is a necessary pleasure that enhances the lives of individuals and humanity, saving it from being a barren life. He is particularly mindful of the usage of the philosophies and language of art. His sculptures have a few distinct features that make them stand out: accurate and sharp portrayals of emotion, a flair for simplicity and a meticulous attention to the smallest detail. As a contemporary sculptor – immersed in the developments of daily life and the influences of present-day schools of thought towards art – he is able to express his individual flair in his pieces whilst recognizing that these forms have to be infused with an air of modernity. He performs this infusion not with a separate, deliberate attempt to inject additional meaning to his pieces because it is required of him. Rather, they are derived from his particular intuition and experience in art, guiding him towards a natural expression that is uniquely his own.

Gong Dong has named his latest series of artworks Witnesses. These sculptures showcase a variety of everyday men and women, each adopting stiff postures and ignorant expressions, with heads titled towards the sky. Gong Dong based this series of sculptures on his personal life experiences and the knowledge or lessons he has gleaned from them. He has observed that many people existing in our modern society harbour many desires and wants in their hearts, causing them to be intensely focused on the constant changes of their dynamic environment and of the rapid streams of information. Conversely, their investment of time and effort to understand these new occurrences and information dampens their spirits and denies them peace of mind; unsettling them and making the rest of their days restless and unfulfilled. Once Gong Dong analyzed the issue, he realized it was a trend of our current times that was worth highlighting, and this spurred him to create Witnesses. Exhibitions: 2003 Fuzhou state Art Exhibition (Fuzhou, China) China First Contemporary Art exhibition (Shanghai, China China- Korea Exchange Sculpture Exhibition (Xiamen, China) 2006 Sea. Music. International Sculpture Exhibition (Xiamen, China) 2007 We. Sky Solo Contemporary Art Sculpture (Xiamen, China Beijing 798 Art Festival (Beijing , China) 2007 Art Singapore (Singapore)