bplist00=D1=01=02_=10=0FWebMainResource=D4=03=04=05=06=07=08=09=0A= _=10=1BWebResourceTextEncodingName_=10=0FWebResourceData^WebResourceURL_=10= =13WebResourceMIMETypeUUTF-8O=11PA
http://www.= nytimes.com/2006/05/01/arts/design/01zhou.html?ex=3D1147147200&en=3Dd<= O:P>
=0A=0A52753fb0ed8c34c&ei=3D5070&emc=3Deta1
=C2=A0
Chinese=0AArtist=20Zhou=20=
Tiehai=20Proves=20the=20Emperor=20Is=20Naked
By=20DAVID=20=
BARBOZA
Published:=20May=201,=202006
SHANGHAI,=20April=2030=20=
=E2=80=94=20In=20the=20early=201990's,=0Awhen=20Chinese=20contemporary=20=
art=20was=20just=20beginning=20to=20take=20off,=20a=20young=20painter=0A=
here=20named=20Zhou=20Tiehai=20came=20up=20with=20an=20ambitious=20plan=20=
to=20make=20himself=20famous.
He=20would=20succeed=20=
by=20beating=20the=20art=20market=20at=20its=0Aown=20game,=20exposing=20=
its=20commercialism=20while=20exploiting=20it=20to=20the=20hilt.=20He=20=
would=0Aproduce=20paintings=20that=20he=20hoped=20would=20be=20acclaimed=20=
by=20the=20same=20Western=0Acollectors=20and=20journalists=20who,=20in=20=
his=20mind,=20had=20advanced=20the=20careers=20of=20too=0Amany=20=
mediocre=20Chinese=20artists.
And=20he=20would=20do=20=
all=20this=20without=20lifting=20a=20brush:=0Ahe=20would=20delegate=20=
that=20work=20to=20hirelings.
Somehow,=20he=20pulled=20=
it=20off.=20Mr.=20Zhou=20is=20now=20one=20of=20China's=20hottest=20artists.=20His=20=
meteoric=20rise=0Afrom=20marginalized=20rebel=20to=20mainstream=20=
superstar=20culminated=20in=20a=20solo=20exhibition=0Aof=20his=20works=20=
at=20the=20Shanghai=20Art=20Museum=20in=20March.
Many=20of=20the=20=
biggest=20names=20in=20Chinese=20contemporary=0Aart=20were=20on=20hand=20=
for=20the=20opening.=20Mr.=20Zhou=20choked=20up=20with=20tears,=20=
seemingly=20awed=0Aby=20the=20lofty=20stage=20he=20had=20=
ascended.
For=20more=20than=20a=20=
decade,=20his=20work=20has=20mocked=20the=20art=0Ascene.=20In=20an=20era=20=
when=20every=20leading=20Chinese=20artist=20seems=20to=20have=20a=20=
recognizable=0Abrand,=20a=20series=20of=20obvious=20signature=20pieces,=20=
Mr.=20Zhou=20slyly=20appropriated=20Joe=0ACamel=20from=20the=20American=20=
cigarette=20ads=20and=20transformed=20it=20into=20his=20own=0Aimprobable=20=
brand.=20(Many=20people=20here=20refer=20to=20Mr.=20Zhou=20=E2=80=94=20=
pronounced=20Joe=0A=E2=80=94=20as=20the=20Joe=20Camel=20guy.)=20Now=20=
important=20collectors=20boast=20of=20owning=20his=20paintings.=0AHis=20=
works,=20which=20command=20prices=20as=20high=20as=20$100,000,=20have=20=
been=20shown=20in=20New=0AYork,=20London=20and=20at=20the=20Venice=20=
Biennale.
That=20he=20doesn't=20=
paint=20them=20himself=20seems=20to=20make=0Alittle=20difference,=20=
even,=20or=20perhaps=20especially,=20to=20those=20clued=20in=20to=20his=20=
game.=0AKaren=20Smith,=20a=20Beijing-based=20art=20critic,=20calls=20him=20=
"the=20child=20who=20dares=20to=0Asuggest=20the=20emperor=20is=20indeed=20=
naked."=20Others=20hail=20him=20as=20a=20marketing=0A=
genius.
"The=20fact=20that=20=
he=20doesn't=20paint=20much=20doesn't=0Abother=20me,"=20said=20Uli=20=
Sigg,=20a=20former=20Swiss=20ambassador=20to=20China=20and=20a=20major=0A=
collector=20of=20Chinese=20contemporary=20art.=20"Jeff=20Koons=20doesn't=20=
touch=20anything.=0ABridget=20Riley=20has=20workers.=20It's=20accepted=20=
today.=20It=20doesn't=20have=20to=20have=20traces=0Aof=20your=20own=20=
hand."
In=20an=20interview=20=
in=20his=20studio=20here,=20Mr.=20Zhou,=2039,=0Asaid=20that=20what=20was=20=
most=20important=20was=20the=20concept=20behind=20the=20=
work.
"You=20need=20to=20get=20=
someone's=20attention,"=20he=0Asaid,=20sipping=20tea=20as=20three=20of=20=
his=20workers=20busily=20sketched=20and=20painted=0A(sometimes=20with=20=
air=20brushes)=20a=20variety=20of=20portraits=20he=20had=20first=20=
drafted=20on=0Acomputer.=20Typically=20Mr.=20Zhou=20comes=20up=20with=20=
an=20idea=20=E2=80=94=20for=20example,=0Atransposing=20the=20head=20of=20=
Joe=20Camel=20onto=20a=20classical=20European=20painting,=20which=20he=0A=
then=20executes=20on=20his=20computer=20using=20Photoshop.=20After=20=
that,=20staff=20members=20take=0Aover,=20using=20a=20printout=20of=20the=20=
image=20as=20a=20guide.
When=20Mr.=20Zhou=20=
recounts=20the=20story=20of=20his=20own=0Aimprobable=20rise,=20he=20=
can't=20help=20chuckling,=20as=20if=20the=20joke=20were=20on=20the=20=
foreign=0Acollectors=20and=20journalists=20now=20flocking=20to=20his=20=
studio.
"=46rom=20the=20=
beginning=20I=20knew=20I'd=20be=0Asuccessful,"=20he=20said.=20"It's=20=
really=20not=20that=20hard=20to=20create=20art."
Although=20he=20=
doesn't=20paint=20anymore,=20Mr.=20Zhou=20says=0Athat=20he=20can.=20He=20=
grew=20up=20in=20Shanghai=20and=20in=201989=20earned=20an=20arts=20=
degree=20from=20the=0ASchool=20of=20Fine=20Arts=20at=20Shanghai=20=
University.
While=20in=20college,=20=
he=20painted=20and=20created=20collages=0Aon=20discarded=20newspapers.=20=
As=20Beijing's=20avant-garde=20movement=20got=20under=20way=20in=20the=0A=
late=201980's,=20he=20formed=20his=20own=20circle=20of=20artists=20here=20=
and=20even=20experimented=0Awith=20performance=20=
art.
"It=20was=20mostly=20=
violent=20stuff,"=20he=20said.=0A"I=20would=20sometimes=20stick=20=
needles=20in=20people=20onstage."
When=20his=20career=20=
failed=20to=20take=20off,=20Mr.=20Zhou=20took=20a=0Ajob=20at=20an=20=
advertising=20agency,=20producing=20commercials=20for=20state-owned=20=
television.=0ABut=20before=20long=20he=20regretted=20his=20decision=20to=20=
drop=20out=20of=20the=20art=20world.
In=201993,=20he=20met=20=
the=20American=20writer=20Andrew=20Solomon,=0Awho=20was=20working=20on=20=
an=20article=20about=20Chinese=20contemporary=20art=20for=20The=20New=20=
York=0ATimes=20Magazine.=20Mr.=20Solomon=20looked=20at=20his=20work=20=
but=20did=20not=20mention=20him=20in=20the=0A=
article.
Mr.=20Zhou=20was=20=
frustrated=20again=20after=20he=20ran=20into=20a=0ANewsweek=20=
photographer=20who=20had=20come=20to=20China=20to=20take=20pictures=20of=20=
top=20artists.
"She=20had=20a=20list=20=
of=20all=20the=20political=20pop=0Aartists,"=20Mr.=20Zhou=20said.=20"But=20=
I=20wasn't=20on=20the=20list.=20So=20I=20decided=20to=0Acome=20=
back."
Determined=20to=20make=20=
it,=20Mr.=20Zhou=20said,=20he=20analyzed=0Athe=20contemporary=20art=20=
scene=20in=20China.=20It=20was=20dominated,=20he=20said=20by=20=
Western-style=0Apaintings=20studded=20with=20patently=20Chinese=20=
elements,=20such=20as=20images=20of=20Mao=20or=0Areferences=20to=20the=20=
Cultural=20Revolution=20that=20easily=20caught=20the=20eye=20(and=0A=
pocketbooks)=20of=20foreign=20collectors.
"The=20way=20=
foreigners=20thought=20about=20Chinese=20art=0Awas=20too=20simple,"=20he=20=
said.=20"They=20just=20thought=20about=20politics.=20So=20I=0Athought=20=
I'd=20do=20something=20different."
And=20he=20did.=20Mr.=20=
Zhou=20said=20he=20decided=20it=20would=20not=0Abe=20necessary=20for=20=
him=20to=20do=20the=20painting=20himself,=20since,=20to=20his=20=
thinking,=20his=0Acompetitors=20were=20not=20terribly=20skilled=20=
painters=20anyway.=20His=20initial=20subject=0Amatter=20was=20what=20he=20=
saw=20as=20the=20absurdities=20of=20the=20art=20=
market.
One=20early=20work=20=
pictured=20Mr.=20Solomon,=20the=20writer=20who=0Ahad=20passed=20him=20=
over,=20as=20Columbus=20discovering=20the=20new=20world=20of=20Chinese=0A=
contemporary=20art.
Then=20came=20a=20=
series=20of=20fake=20magazine=20covers,=0Aincluding=20one=20of=20=
Newsweek=20proclaiming=20Mr.=20Zhou=20a=20rising=20star,=20and=20a=20=
fake=0Anewspaper=20article=20about=20a=20stock=20called=20Zhou=20Tiehai=20=
that=20went=20public=20and=0Asteadily=20gained=20value=20thanks=20to=20=
foreign=20buyers.
He=20also=20made=20a=20=
short=20silent=20film,=20"Will,"=0Awhich=20depicts=20a=20band=20of=20=
artists=20eager=20to=20build=20their=20own=20airport=20to=20lure=20more=0A=
collectors=20to=20Shanghai.
"We=20must=20continue=20=
having=20exhibitions=20to=20draw=0Aattention=20to=20ourselves,"=20one=20=
artist=20says=20in=20a=20caption,=20while=20another=20adds:=0A"We=20must=20=
establish=20close=20relationships=20with=20critics=20and=20=
journalists."
None=20of=20this,=20of=20=
course,=20was=20a=20solitary=20act=20of=0Acreation.=20Mr.=20Zhou=20hired=20=
a=20team=20of=20artists=20to=20execute=20his=20ideas.=20This=20left=20=
him=0Afree,=20he=20says,=20to=20focus=20on=20refining=20his=20concepts,=20=
and=20networking=20with=0Acollectors=20and=20gallery=20owners=20like=20=
Lorenz=20Helbling,=20founder=20of=20the=20ShanghART=0A=
gallery.
"I=20came=20to=20=
Shanghai=20in=20'94=20and=20saw=20his=20works=0Aon=20paper,"=20Mr.=20=
Helbling=20said.=20"I=20thought=20he=20was=20interesting.=20I=0Aremember=20=
a=20Belgian=20collector=20came=20to=20my=20home=20to=20look=20at=20some=20=
works.=20He=20found=0Aone=20of=20Zhou's=20pieces=20in=20a=20suitcase=20=
and=20he=20got=20excited=20about=20it."=20That=20was=0Ain=201996,=20and=20=
it=20was=20one=20of=20the=20first=20pieces=20Mr.=20Zhou=20sold,=20Mr.=20=
Helbling=20said.
Later,=20Mr.=20Zhou's=20=
work=20caught=20the=20eye=20of=20other=20big=0Acollectors=20like=20Mr.=20=
Sigg.
"The=20fact=20that=20=
he=20criticized=20the=20system=0Abrought=20him=20right=20into=20it,"=20=
Mr.=20Sigg=20said=20in=20a=20telephone=20interview.=0A"It=20was=20a=20=
clever=20strategy."
Since=20then,=20Mr.=20=
Zhou's=20evolving=20series=20of=20Joe=20Camel=0Apaintings=20have=20=
become=20his=20signature=20work.=20Mr.=20Zhou=20calls=20Joe=20Camel=20a=20=
likable=0Acharacter.=20But=20many=20in=20the=20art=20industry=20here=20=
say=20it=20is=20more=20clever=20than=20that.=0AJoe=20Camel,=20they=20=
say,=20is=20the=20prototypical=20Westerner=20(Westerners=20are=20often=0A=
referred=20to=20as=20"big=20noses"=20in=20China),=20but=20also=20Mr.=20=
Zhou's=20alter=20ego.
His=20Joe=20Camel=20is=20=
a=20globe-trotter=20who=20likes=20to=20play=0Ain=20the=20Western=20art=20=
world,=20wears=20dark=20sunglasses=20and=20does=20mischievous=20things,=0A=
like=20inserting=20himself,=20Zelig-like,=20into=20paintings=20of=20=
historical=20scenes.
In=20creating=20his=20=
own=20brand,=20Mr.=20Zhou=20says=20he=20has=0Abeaten=20China's=20great=20=
artists=20at=20their=20own=20game,=20and=20no=20one=20really=20seems=20=
to=0Amind.
On=20April=2023=20in=20=
Shanghai,=20there=20was=20an=20art=20show=0Aopening=20for=20Zhou=20=
Chunya,=20best=20known=20for=20his=20Green=20Dog=20series.=20Many=20of=20=
China's=0Amost=20successful=20artists=20were=20there,=20including=20Mr.=20=
Zhou.=20At=20the=20banquet=0Aafterward,=20upstairs=20at=20a=20=
fashionable=20restaurant,=20he=20strolled=20among=20tables,=0Acigarette=20=
and=20wine=20glass=20in=20hand,=20hugging=20fellow=20artists=20and=20=
joining=20them=20in=0Atoasts.=20He=20was=20now=20firmly=20in=20the=20=
inner=20circle.
Asked=20how=0Ait=20felt,=20= he=20grinned=20and=20said:=20"Ten=20years=20ago=20I=20wanted=20to=20show=20= people=20how=0Aeasy=20it=20is=20to=20make=20art.=20And=20I=20did=20that.=20= Now=20I'm=20on=20the=20list."
=0A=0A