Qu Qianmei

= Qu Qianmei (瞿倩梅) =

The life of Qianmei, a Chinese artist who has lived in France since 1986, is a story of redemption through art. Her work can be summarized in the following quote by Christiane Singer: “Only he who has dared to see the Hell in himself can find the Heaven hidden within. It is the work that we do in the shadows, in the dark of the night that leads to the coming of the dawn.”The work of Qianmei tells the story of hope transcending the dark of night. In visually representing the difficulties of life, her paintings testify that the light always shines, even when uncertainty seems to obscure all.

Important dates in the life of Qu Qianmei

1956 : Qu Qianmei is born October 10th in Ruian, in the Zhejiang province of China.

1968-1978 : Cultural Revolution in China

1979 : Qu Qianmei studies art at the Ruian Normal School, where she learns Chinese calligraphy.

1986 : Qu Qianmei arrives in France. She continues to express herself through traditional Chinese painting.

2001 : Thanks to her friend Chow Ching Ling, Qu Qianmei meets Wang Yancheng.

2001 -2008 : Qu Qianmei is unique in the world of contemporary Chinese painting, as she depicts the crossroads between Taoism and Christianity, and the Christian mystery of redemption.

2008 : The work of Qu Qianmei has become highly original. Through the interplay of light and color, she tells of the difficulty of life but also of the hope that can make it bearable.

2006 Prize in contemporary painting at the National Assembly (Paris) : Silver medal

Individual Exhibitions

2001: Maison d'arrêt, Fleury Mérogis

2004: Galerie Figure, rue de Seine, 75006 Paris

2007: Palais ducal de Nevers

2007: Missions Etrangères de Paris

2007: La Fleuriaye, Centre de congrès de Nantes

2007: Hope 2008 – Sneak preview at UNESCO

Group Exhibitions

1975: Cultural Center, Ruian

1980: Normal School, Ruian

1982: Cultural Center, Ruian

2000: Maison d'arrêt, Fleury Mérogis

2005: Maison d'arrêt, Fleury Mérogis

2006: Trois Moulins, Issy les Moulineaux

2006: Boissy Saint Leger

2006: Musée Beaux-Arts d'Orléans

2006: 27ème salon Art expo de Ballancourt

2007: Galerie Christiane Peugeot, Avenue de la Grande Armée, 75017 Paris

2008: Courant d'art – Rouen Cathedral

Participation in the official jury of the La Poste – Red Cross art contest: “Draw your hopes for the children of the world.”

For more information : Qianmei Qu, preface by Gérard Xuriguera – Galerie Figure, 2004 (Paris).