Jia Lu
Encyclopedia
Jia Lu is an oil painter working in America, known for blending Asian and European imagery in her paintings, predominantly of women.
and is the daughter of Chinese oil painter Lu Enyi (吕恩谊). While living in China, Jia Lu worked as an operating room nurse, an actress and magazine editor. In 1980 she was admitted to the Central Academy of Arts and Design (中央工艺美术学院), now part of Tsinghua University
and studied under Fan Zeng
, graduating in 1983.
Faculty of Visual Arts. She was elected to the Ontario China Artists Association. Her first major solo exhibition was at the Sarnia Public Art Gallery in 1989 and at the Edmonton Art Gallery (now the Art Gallery of Alberta
) in 1994. From 1983 to 1995 she worked primarily in Chinese ink and mixed media, and exhibited her work in commercial galleries in Ontario and Alberta. Jia Lu worked from 1990 - 1993 in Japan and China, where she conducted extensive research into the Chinese figurative art preserved at the Mogao Caves
in Dunhuang
and is credited with the design of the "World's Largest Buddhist Mural" measuring 700 sq m.
In 1995, after travel in Europe, Jia Lu changed her medium to oil on canvas, and began to create realistic figurative work.
In 1997 Jia Lu moved to Los Angeles
where she continues to live and work. From 1997 to 2007 she exhibited annually at International Art Expo and in galleries throughout the United States and Canada. In 1999 she was invited as one of three artist to represent China and exhibited 15 paintings at the UNESCO
China Culture Week in Paris
. In 2000, she was the first Chinese woman to hold a solo exhibition at the UN Headquarters in New York. Her limited edition print “Armillary Sphere” was selected among the top 5 prints of 2000 by U.S. Art Magazine. She was given the key to the city of San Diego as an honorary citizen the same year. In 2002 she exhibited her work at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, and designed the "Goddess of Life" Chinese Memorial statue erected at the Guam International Airport, based on her painting "Flame". In 2009 she returned to China to participate in the Shanghai International Art Fair and Fine Art Beijing and in 2010 at the CIGE and Art Beijing fairs, and was the subject of a two-hour documentary on CCTV-9
.. In 2011 she was chosen among the top 50 most-recognized Chinese in the world by the The Global Times.
, but by the time she exhibited in Canada, she was critiquing new social developments, consumerism and power relations in China through a series of mixed-media self-portraits. Her mature work in oils demonstrates an interest in Buddhism and a purely feminine aesthetic, and can be seen as a response to the masculine, sensual approach to the female nude. However, she has also painted male figures. In numerous interviews she has emphasized the importance of beauty in her work, which she describes as "strength and wisdom."
Biography
Jia Lu was born in 1954 in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and is the daughter of Chinese oil painter Lu Enyi (吕恩谊). While living in China, Jia Lu worked as an operating room nurse, an actress and magazine editor. In 1980 she was admitted to the Central Academy of Arts and Design (中央工艺美术学院), now part of Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
and studied under Fan Zeng
Fan Zeng
Fan Zeng was an advisor to Xiang Yu during the Chu–Han contention period of Chinese history.-Starting his career:Fan Zeng was a native of Juchao . He had a keen interest towards military strategy and politics...
, graduating in 1983.
Career
In 1983, Jia Lu left China to study art in Canada, first at the Toronto School of Art and later as a graduate student at York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
Faculty of Visual Arts. She was elected to the Ontario China Artists Association. Her first major solo exhibition was at the Sarnia Public Art Gallery in 1989 and at the Edmonton Art Gallery (now the Art Gallery of Alberta
Art Gallery of Alberta
The Art Gallery of Alberta is a public art gallery located in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Its collection of well over 6,000 works of art includes historical and contemporary paintings, sculptures, installation works and photographs by Canadian and international artists...
) in 1994. From 1983 to 1995 she worked primarily in Chinese ink and mixed media, and exhibited her work in commercial galleries in Ontario and Alberta. Jia Lu worked from 1990 - 1993 in Japan and China, where she conducted extensive research into the Chinese figurative art preserved at the Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves
The Mogao Caves or Mogao Grottoes , also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas , form a system of 492 temples southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China...
in Dunhuang
Dunhuang
Dunhuang is a city in northwestern Gansu province, Western China. It was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. It was also known at times as Shāzhōu , or 'City of Sands', a name still used today...
and is credited with the design of the "World's Largest Buddhist Mural" measuring 700 sq m.
In 1995, after travel in Europe, Jia Lu changed her medium to oil on canvas, and began to create realistic figurative work.
In 1997 Jia Lu moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
where she continues to live and work. From 1997 to 2007 she exhibited annually at International Art Expo and in galleries throughout the United States and Canada. In 1999 she was invited as one of three artist to represent China and exhibited 15 paintings at the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
China Culture Week in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 2000, she was the first Chinese woman to hold a solo exhibition at the UN Headquarters in New York. Her limited edition print “Armillary Sphere” was selected among the top 5 prints of 2000 by U.S. Art Magazine. She was given the key to the city of San Diego as an honorary citizen the same year. In 2002 she exhibited her work at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, and designed the "Goddess of Life" Chinese Memorial statue erected at the Guam International Airport, based on her painting "Flame". In 2009 she returned to China to participate in the Shanghai International Art Fair and Fine Art Beijing and in 2010 at the CIGE and Art Beijing fairs, and was the subject of a two-hour documentary on CCTV-9
CCTV-9
CCTV-9 is the documentary channel of the television network, CCTV in the People's Republic of China. This channel has a local Mandarin Chinese edition called CCTV-9, and an international English language edition called CCTV-9 Documentary. The English edition is carried by more satellites than the...
.. In 2011 she was chosen among the top 50 most-recognized Chinese in the world by the The Global Times.
Work
Jia Lu's works include Chinese ink paintings, oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, sculpture and prints. Her early work strongly reflected the traditional aesthetics of her teacher Fan ZengFan Zeng
Fan Zeng was an advisor to Xiang Yu during the Chu–Han contention period of Chinese history.-Starting his career:Fan Zeng was a native of Juchao . He had a keen interest towards military strategy and politics...
, but by the time she exhibited in Canada, she was critiquing new social developments, consumerism and power relations in China through a series of mixed-media self-portraits. Her mature work in oils demonstrates an interest in Buddhism and a purely feminine aesthetic, and can be seen as a response to the masculine, sensual approach to the female nude. However, she has also painted male figures. In numerous interviews she has emphasized the importance of beauty in her work, which she describes as "strength and wisdom."