Contemporary Chinese art was firmly in the spotlight in London in late September 2016, as SOAS held their two-day conference ‘Ecologies of Art: A Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art Debate.’ The conference coincided with the final days of “Hong Ling: A Retrospective” on show at the SOAS Brunei Gallery, and focused on increasingly global themes in current art practices as well as approaches to the formation of a more complex, transcultural canon that shapes the recording and writing of art history today.

Inspiring the impressive cross section of conference themes was the selection of works by renowned Chinese landscape artist Hong Ling (b. 1955, Beijing), in a show that marked his recent retirement from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, where he had taught oil painting since 1987.

Hong’s stunning pieces illustrate a career that spans over 30 years. Whilst the primary focus lies on his signature oil landscapes, so unique for a Chinese artist, a selection of his sketches, watercolours, ink works and photographs highlight his range and versatility. Hong Ling’s works serve as an important reminder that the most powerful arts often evolves from universal themes, helping to unify rather than divide.