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SHEN, Pei
Chinese Ink Paintings
Artist Statement
Shen Pei’s vision for painting goes back to her childhood experiences, which shaped her unique vision and dynamic perspective of visual art. Here 70+ year career in dance has given her keen observation and a unique understanding of life and nurtured her ability to vividly capture images of imbuing landscapes, flowers, birds, and animals – all incorporating symbolisms full of philosophical meanings. Her paintings capture the essence of Chinese traditional painting - the ability to create an atmosphere with brushwork and to convey the spirit through form, expressing the artist’s insights or the so-called “teaching from nature, inspired from within.” In both her paintings or her work as a dance and choreographer, Shen Pei explores the world based on the Chinese philosophy of “unity of human and nature,” engaging with the ceaseless spirit of the universe. Observers of her work say that her paintings are warm and spirited.
Artist Bio
Shen Pei, a survivor of the Anti-Japanese War and the Cultural Revolution in China, is a Chinese immigrant artist. She has had a long and renowned career in dance spanning over 70 years, first in China and then in the US. From a young age, she also showed talent and love for painting. At age 65, after formally retiring from per position as a dance choreographer, she went back to her lifelong interest and passion for the visual rats, and began dedicating much of her time to painting, specializing in Chinese ink painting.
