b. 1962 in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, lives and works in New York.
Wang Mansheng is a self-taught ink painter who explores a wide range of techniques, tools and media in concert with literati brushwork to compose subject matter in dialogue with classical Chinese literature. Incorporating modern strategies into the introspective serenity of traditional Chinese art, Wang aims to capture the spirit of Chinese master painters, while revitalizing and transforming the essence of their work in his landscape painting, calligraphy, monotype and woodcut Buddha sculptures.
Wang started practicing calligraphy and digging deep into Chinese classical literature on his own in his early years, growing up with five siblings in a coal mining town in Northern China. Following his graduation in 1985 from the Chinese Department of Fudan University in Shanghai, where he majored in classical Chinese, Wang worked for over a decade as an editor, director and producer at China Central Television in Beijing. His work took him throughout China, where he experienced museums, natural landscapes and cultural scenes. Early on in his career, Dunhuang’s caves, wall paintings, and sculpture, as well as the endless desert, far-away hills and mountains greatly influenced his ideas on use of media, brush strokes, and tools. In 1996, he immigrated to the United States where he began his career as an artist, adeptly combining his Eastern education and philosophy with Western perspectives.
Wang has managed to develop his unique approach by uniting his modern experiences with China’s collective cultural history. Taken from the indivisible interconnection of text and image inherent to Asian praxis, Wang’s art frequently employs symbolic Chinese themes, such as the Buddha, the waterfall, mountains, and silence.
Wang's works are drawn primarily from his imagination, informed by his deep love of nature, particularly mountains, a favorite destination for the sketches and photography that serve as a resource. His feelings and mood lead him to his subject matter; he often begins with an abstract monotype image and then steps back to see where the 'veins' of the formations and flow of water reveal themselves. Through the layering of bold brushwork, ink washes and unconventional techniques that combine printing and painting, his works feel more three-dimensional than classical Chinese paintings.
Wang's accomplishments are substantiated by the recognition and support he has received from institutions and collectors. His works have been exhibited around the world and are in the permanent collection of museums, including the Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Brooklyn Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery and the Princeton Art Museum. In China, he has shown his work at the Beijing Art Museum, Today Art Museum in Beijing, Xuhui Art Museum in Shanghai and Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan. Wang has also lectured and given demonstrations on Chinese art and culture at universities and museums, including Columbia University, Rubin Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York University, The New School and Boston University.
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At Night, Going out from Western Archery Hall, 2021
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Climbing Incense Burner Peak, 2021
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High hills rising to graceful peaks,From afar, all are marvelous. Tao Yuanming (c. 365—427) Matching [a verse] by Registrar Guo, 2017
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崖上丹枫 A Flaming Maple on the Cliff, 2017
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Reed Brush to Paint Ancient Pine, 2016
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Watching a South Mountain Evening, 2015
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Deep in the Mountains Searching for Ancient Trees No. 5, 2014
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山中清凉 Refreshing Mountain 01, 2014
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Calling the Recluse by Lu Ji, 2013
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Diary of Travels West of Changchun Zhenren, 2013
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Gazing at Mt. Lu’s Waterfall Springs from Hukou, 2013
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Gazing North Toward Mt. Su Dan, 2013
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Responding to Yan Gong, 2013
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Rocks on Travels Down the Gan River, 2013
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山静如太谷 The Silent Mountain, 2013
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明月如霜,好风如水 Frosty Moonlight, Mellow Wind, 2013
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Remaining Snow, 2010
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還家 Going Home, 2010
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Calling the Recluse, 2009
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Poem of Roving in the Mountains, 2009
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Searching for Master Yong’s Hermitage, 2009
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Stone Gate Cliff Lodge, 2009
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最后一抹余晖 Alpenglow, 2008
Education
1981-1985 | Bachelor in Arts (Classical Chinese Literature), Shanghai |
Fudan University, Shanghai, China |
Solo Exhibition
2022 |
Cloud Wanderings of Wang Mansheng, Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden, New York, USA |
Moonlight on Stones, Fu Qiumeng Fine Art, New York, USA |
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2020 | From Silk Road to Hudson River, Charles E. Shain Library, Connecticut College, USA |
2019 | From Silk Road to Hudson River, Hastings on Hudson, New York, USA |
2016 | Mansheng Wang: Mind Landscape, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China |
2014 | Deep in the Mountains, Seeking Ancient Trees, Shanxi Museum, Taiyuan, China |
2013 | One Can Pick Lotus in Jiang Nan, Shanghai Xuhui Art Museum, Shanghai, China |
2012 | Brushing Aside Clouds, Seeking the Ancient Road, Rockefeller Brother Fund, New York, USA |
Against a Tree, Listening to the Flowing Spring, The Galleries at the Interchurch Center, New York, USA | |
2011 | Wang Mansheng: Mind Like Water, Chappaqua Library Gallery, New York, USA |
Mansheng Wang: Art and Artlessness, Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Queens College, CUNY, New York, USA |
Group Exhibition
2022 |
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2021 | Contemporary Ceramics and Ink Paintings, The Montmeat Maurel Gallery, Paris, France | |
Fine Art Asia, The Hong Kong Convention Center, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China |
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On Gathering, 4th Street Gallery, Texas, USA |
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A Garden of Words: The Calligraphy of Liu Fang Yuan Part II, Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Garden, San Marino, USA |
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2020 | A Garden of Words: The Calligraphy of Liu Fang Yuan Part I, The Huntington, San Marino, USA | |
2019 | Arts of China: New Acquisitions of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA | |
Fine Art Asia, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China | ||
Summerfest, Kaikodo, New York, USA | ||
Chinese Landscape Rethought, Lyman Allyn Art Museum, Connecticut, USA | ||
The Experience of Looking, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China | ||
Same Window, Different Dream, Shanghai Qiuhaitang Art Center, Shanghai, China | ||
Art Week New York: Migration, New York, USA | ||
2018 | Fine Art Asia, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China | |
Purity of Mind, Fu Qiumeng Fine Art, New York, USA | ||
2017 | Soul Apart, Fu Qiumeng Fine Art, New York, USA | |
Beyond the Landscape, Fu Qiumeng Fine Art, New York, USA | ||
2016 | Gifts from the Tang Center, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey, USA | |
Embracing Antiquity, Kaikodo, New York, USA | ||
Ink Asia, Rasti Chinese Art, Hong Kong, China | ||
2015 | Asian Art In London, Longdon, England | |
Masterpiece London, London, England | ||
2014 | INSPIRED BY DUNHUANG: Re-creation in Contemporary | |
Chinese Art, China Institute, New York, USA | ||
Asian Week, Kaikodo, New York, NY, USA | ||
TEFAF, Netherland |
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News | Eight FQM Artists showcase their works at the United Nations
IN CELEBRATION OF CHINESE LANGUAGE DAY 2023 April 21, 2023In celebration of the 2023 United Nations Chinese Language Day, the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the UN, the Chinese Translation...Read more -
News | FQM Artists Wang Mansheng and Tai Xiangzhou Featured in Special Exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art September 24, 2022Oneness: Nature & Connectivity in Chinese Art opened at The Philadelphia Museum of Art, featuring the works by four contemporary Chinese artists Tai Xiangzhou, Wang...Read more -
News | The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Gardens Opens “Cloud Wanderings of Wang Mansheng”
Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Gardens May 26, 2022This exhibition presents paintings and calligraphy in the Chinese tradition by Wang Mansheng that explore the spirit of the natural world and venture into contemporary...Read more -
News | Wang Mansheng's Collection of Rotted Wood is exhibiting at Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art April 27, 2022Wang Mansheng, Collection of Rotted Wood, Chinese ink on paper; mounted as an album, 11 × 7 7/8 inches (28 × 20 cm) The 2019...Read more -
News | The Calligraphic works of Michael Cherney and Wang Mansheng are exhibiting at the Huntington Library
The Huntington April 27, 2022Celebrating the recent opening of the final phase of its Chinese Garden, The Huntington presents an exhibition of contemporary Chinese calligraphy as the inaugural installation...Read more -
News | Five artists FQM represents are exhibiting at United Nations
In Celebration of Chinese Language Day at United Nations April 23, 2022In celebration of UN Chinese Language Day 2022, the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Chinese Translation Office of DGACM/DD, and UNSRC Chinese...Read more -
News | Wang Mansheng: “Wang Mansheng: From Silk Road to Hudson River” Solo Exhibition at Connecticut College
June 10, 2020Wang Mansheng’s solo exhibition opened on February 5, 2020 at Connecticut College. Entitled “Wang Mansheng: From Silk Road to Hudson River,” the show features about...Read more -
News | Wang Mansheng - Washi and Four Artists From The World
October 16, 2016EXHIBITION OVERVIEW WASHI AND FOUR ARTISTS FROM THE WORLD Ino-cho Paper Museum October 1 – October 30, 2016Read more -
News | Wang Mansheng - At Princeton Art Museum
August 4, 2016Sound in the Mountains 2010 Silence Series 2008 On display at Princeton Art Museum to honor Professor Jerome Silbergeld. Jan 2016 – July 2016 EXHIBITION...Read more -
News | Wang Mansheng at Godwin-Ternbach Museum
February 15, 2011This retrospective of over 70 works, organized in conjunction with Queens College’s “Year of China,” reveals the inspiration for Mansheng Wang’s serene, contemplative creations in...Read more
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QM Talks | Understanding the perpetuation of the Chinese literati tradition in the present day
Summer 2023 24 Jun - 30 Sep 2023This summer we cordially invite you to join our “QM Talks · Understanding the perpetuation of the Chinese literati tradition in the present day ”...Read more -
Scholar’s Lecture | Dr. Chao Ling: Poetic Construction of Multiple Times in the Tang Poetry
10 Jun 2022In this Scholar's Lecture, Dr. Chao Ling will use the Tang poet Li Shen's (772–846) 李紳 'Twenty Poems on the New Tower' 新樓詩二十首 as an...Read more -
Artist Tour | Wang Mansheng's Moonlight on Stones
4 Jun 2022We are pleased to host an exhibition tour led by artist Wang Mansheng this Saturday at noon. Please join us to know more about Wang's...Read more
Send me more information on Wang Mansheng
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Virtual Tour | Transcultural Dialogues: The Journey of East Asian Art to the West
By Jeffrey Wechsler October 8, 2024Jeffrey Wechsler is our guest curator of the current exhibition at FQM, Transcultural Dialogues: The Journey of East Asian Art to the West . Specializing...Read more -
Catch a glimpse of life—Wang Mansheng
August 10, 2020“Lately, I have gathered the seeds I collected before. I have been doing research on these seeds. Then I will determine how to proceed with...Read more -
Interview with Mansheng Wang
August 13, 2019“The first of the six rules of Chinese painting is rhythmic vitality. How to achieve rhythmic vitality? One must follow the rhythm of nature and...Read more