Art + Movement: A Visit With The Work of Shen Wei

Recently, I visited the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum to have a look at the artist Shen Wei and his Painting In Motion exhibition.

Shen Wei, Untitled Number 8, 2013-2014

This monumental work took my breath away. It commands the room and compels you to come in closer in order to have a more intimate experience with it. Upon entering that experience you get the feeling of immersing into a new world, a world of art that is alive with movement. With his mastery of expressive strokes, and his command of a limited pallet it truly is a remarkable work of art.

Shen Wei, Untitled Number 11, 2013

Untitled no. 11 is my favorite. I’m still thinking about it well after my visit. As an artist, I ask myself -how can I maintain interest over a long horizontal plane? Well, it can be done like this. Look how the paint flows beautifully; like a river. And the way in which the values invite you to move around and through is such a powerful experience you want to keep coming back. And so I did, over and over.

Below you will see more examples of the power of a limited pallet, in a beautiful sepia tone. Just gorgeous.

detail of Shen Wei, Reflecting Elements Number 4, 2019

Panaroma gallery view at The Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum Photo credit Marli Thiobdeau

But Shen Wei is not just a painter. He began his training in Chinese Opera Performance when he was nine, went on to study modern dance, and founded multiple dance companies. Movement has always been a part of his work. The image below is from a remarkable film and shows the diversity of his creativity. In it, he expresses the physicality of both the masculine and the feminine, and it is gorgeous.

I WANT TO CAPTURE AND FOCUS ON MOMENTS OF TRANSFERENCE…TO REVEAL THE JOURNEY OF DANCE-MAKING AND ART-MAKING, LIVE IN EACH PERFORMANCE.

-SHEN WEI

Shen Wei film on exhibition at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum

Dance, calligraphy, voice, film, painting, choreography, and passion all make for a beautiful infusion of art and movement from this artist who is a master of multi-disciplines of artistic expression.

The Shen Wei exhibition at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum runs through June 20, 2021

Film with Shen Wei at The Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum

Visit Arts in Education to see more about Shen Wei Dance Arts in New York City’s Public Schools