Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hao Shen . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hao, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I think the search and establishment of goals are often related to personal experience and the influence of the surrounding environment. When I was little, unlike other kids who liked to play outside, drawing and reading storybooks were my pastimes. As I invested a lot of time and energy, this interest in painting grew into a passion. If I didn’t paint for a day, I would feel empty. Painting gradually became an inseparable part of my life. Thus, in high school, I decided to study art and turn it from a hobby to a career. So, I applied for the most professional art school in China, the Central Academy of Fine Arts. The school was very hard to get in — each department only admitted 8 to 9 people per year. However, I got the first place in the sculpture creation exam the first time I applied, but I eventually chose printmaking as my major. During my time in the academy, I met many classmates who also aimed to become professional artists and we supported one another. Meanwhile, professors, who were real professional artists, also gave us a lot of help, explaining in detail the emergence of painting masters’ concepts, their innovations in techniques, their contributions to art history, and so on. After I graduated, due to the lack of professional printing machines required for making prints, I chose oil painting as my main creative means to continue my artistic practice. From 2008 to 2017, I participated in a series of group exhibitions and held two solo exhibitions at the Asia Art Center gallery, Beijing, with which I cooperated. Now, I am still working hard to achieve my career goals as a professional artist.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a professional artist attending MFA program at School of Visual Arts in New York. At this stage, I use oil paint as my main medium. The motifs of my works are imitation, replication and excerpting. Currently, “imitation” is the main theme of my paintings. Imitation is essentially the conscious or unconscious behaviors of people encountering and becoming others, thus a form of deception to people’s vision and cognition. Using one traditional painting tool to imitate the effect of another is the motive and theoretical foundation of my current practice. So, the palette knives have become my primary painting tools. Because it is not as easy to paint details with palette knives as with brushes, my practice can also be seen as a new exploration of the language of painting, though it might meet a tragic end.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Continuous learning is very important. For me, as an artist, I never stop training my techniques. Here, “techniques” refer to not only painting skills, but also experimentation with new tools, study of art theory knowledge, attention to fields other than art, and understanding of world affairs. These are professional qualities necessary for outstanding contemporary artists, because to this day contemporary art has grown so infinitely compatible and so diverse in forms. But to achieve this will be a very long way, a race against time, and a fight against one’s own laziness. For fellow artists who have just started their art journey, cultivating their interest in art to passion is very essential, because if you can keep creating art, you will realize that artistic activities are closely connected with your self-expression and identity. You will then reach out to learn and gain deeper understanding, which in return further nourishes your enthusiasm. With passion, what else can stop you?
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
There is no doubt that the people who have helped me the most are my wife and parents. At the beginning of my career, there were many setbacks. However, my wife and my parents did their best to help me. I have mentioned that I got my BFA in Printmaking from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China. Sadly, I did not have enough space and money to own professional printmaking machines. So, I had to give up the concentration I studied for three years and change my way of working. At that time, I did not have a clear goal and sufficient knowledge. I turned from an optimistic and confident person into a fragile, irritable, and manic. I would not listen to any opinions and suggestions. During the darkest period of my life, my wife not only took on the pressure of taking care of my daily life, but also helped me very patiently to find what kind of art was suitable for me. It was a very long process. We tried installations, sculptures, videos and other art forms, and finally decided to return to the starting point of my artistic career — painting, even though I was not professionally trained before. It took me four years to learn and find my own unique way of expression. Having said so much, it is obvious that my wife is also an artist. She sacrificed a lot of her working time to accompany and enlighten me, which changed my almost distorted personality. I became an optimistic and tough guy who can withstand setbacks again. Of course, this is a bit self-boasting, but I just want to emphasize how important my wife is to my career. With her support, six years after I graduated, I began to work with galleries, held several personal exhibitions, and participated in a series of group exhibitions. My career path has become more and more solid. I love her. My parents also spared no effort to support me. They never questioned my choice. Although they knew that life was difficult and stressful in the early stage of an artist’s career, they still supported me, not only gave me financial help, but also were proud of my insignificant successes. They are the cornerstones of my career path and have made me what I am today. I am very grateful to them.
Contact Info:
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