Platform China Contemporary Art Institute is pleased to present the research project on Yuan Yunsheng — Navigating Selfhood and Being Yourself in Hall B. Drawing inspiration from his article 'Contemporary Western Art Impression,' published in the third issue of 'Art Research' in 1996 under the section 'Painter's Interview'. The exhibition will provide insights into several artworks and related documents from the corresponding period. the exhibition offers a glimpse into several works and corresponding documents from that period, focusing on the analysis of Yuan Yunsheng's paintings to comprehend his open perspective and inquiries into the world.

In 2019, Yuan Yunsheng showcased his inaugural solo exhibition "Extol Life" at Platform China, marking the 40th anniversary of his 1979 mural painting "Water Splashing Festival — Extol Life" at the Capital Airport. This exhibition responded to his decades-long artistic pursuit and the intense collision with the era. In 2021, the exhibition "Regeneration," based on Yuan Yunsheng's article of the same name published in 1982, examined his gaze and reflection on traditional Chinese art and the contemporary situation after his 1981 sketching expedition in the Northwest, reviewing his modern practices rooted in tradition over the following decades. In 2022, the third solo exhibition "Look into the Distance" continued to focus on Yuan Yunsheng's retrospection and contemplation of the East during his time in the United States. The exhibition highlighted the paintings created during his American period using ink as a medium, reflecting his personal beliefs, choices, and quests through abundant documentary materials.

In his article "Contemporary Western Art Impression," Yuan Yunsheng mentioned, "Chinese artists face the question of how to navigate themselves." After spending 14 years in the United States and visiting numerous artists, including Robert Rauschenberg, he keenly perceived a common attitude: "Being Yourself." Originating from Nietzsche's philosophical speculation, this imperative became a crucial call and practical orientation in the modernist process. Here, it goes beyond a mere emphasis on individualism; we cannot construct ourselves solely through self-questioning. Individuals always exist within groups and societies; the intrinsic self emerges in dialogical relationships, and new value judgments are derived from value scales. Ultimately, artists must engage in a dialogue with the past and the future through their work, construct language in the handling of form and color, manage their relationship with the era in every stroke, and respond to the world's touch in the construction of a theme with appropriate forms.