Paper-Cast Sculptures Covered in Traditional Chinese Paintings by Peng Wei

Peng Wei  is a contemporary Chinese artist from Sichuan, China. She is the daughter of Peng Xiancheng. Peng Wei was born in 1974, in Chengdu, China. She graduated from Nankai University with a BA in Fine Art in 1997, and earning an Masters of Philosophy in Aesthetics in 2000.

From 2000 to 2006 she was editor for Yishu art magazine. She was one of 25 artists included in the “Contemporary Art from China: Visual Expression Through Ink and Paper” exhibition. Her work has been featured in exhibitions at the He Xiangning Museum in Shenzheng, the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, the National Art Museum of Malaysia, Fukuoka Art Museum in Yokohama, and Kunstmuseum Luzern in Switzerland. Her work resides in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Art in China, the Brooklyn Museum, the Asian Art Center of San Francisco, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Peng also collaborated with renown Italian shoe brand Sergio Rossi, to create ten editions of hand painted rice paper boots. The Beijing-based artist’s works often feature classical ink and color painting, depicting landscapes of trees, rivers, and pagodas. Her work reflects on the impact of globalization upon China’s cultural heritage, often also featuring motifs of fashion and production. Her paintings are often placed on unconventional materials, such as the insides of shoes or molded torsos or legs made of rice paper, resembling the mannequins from which they were modeled. One series of works also included paintings of classical Chinese robes on paper and silk.

Her mixed-media works deal with collective history, representation and replication, and often have a calligraphic element. After completing a painting, Peng will create a digital reproduction that is placed in conjuncture with the handcrafted original. Her work often contains a slight subversion of what initially appear to be strictly traditional works. Her work on clothing and shoes can also be read as delving into themes of embodiment, femininity, and history.

You can see more of Peng’s paintings and sculptures on Artsy.