Shi ZEPING studied at the Tianjin Academy of Art in 1986-90. He has exhibited primarily in Beijing, with group exhibitions in Nanjing Shangdong, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. His paintings consist of three children, dressed in uniform and sitting on top of one another, in an ironic version of patriotism: in each group of three, one of the youths holds a red flag. The theme is serious, but also, like much of the work in this show, absurd; Zeping connects with the jaded cynicism many must feel on seeing the flag of communism raised in a contemporary society that is now deeply capitalistic. The dichotomy of the whimsical children dressed in military uniform suggest a cynicism of the current state of affairs today.

Artist Statement:

“Into this image I put the affection of my youth. The image leaves me considerable space for reflecting on the true concerns of my society: its present and its past. The image, as the incarnation of myself or possibly a friend, allows the viewer to live in the present or return to past in the spiritual world”