To celebrate Chinese New Year 2015, Photo Museum Ireland is proud to present the first exhibition in Ireland of work by Beijing artist Wang Qingsong, one of China’s most innovative contemporary artists.

Wang’s large colour photographs embody an insider’s perspective on China’s whirlwind transformation into a global economic superpower. Born in the north-eastern province of Heilongjiang in 1966 – the same year as Mao launched the Cultural Revolution – Wang’s artworks are inspired by his own experiences of what are among the most dramatic social transformations in recent world history: the post-Mao economic opening to the west; massive migration from the countryside to the rapidly growing urban centres; and the enthusiastic embrace of global consumer culture in contemporary China.

Working like a film director with vast sets, Wang constructs elaborate, richly detailed scenarios involving a large cast of actors and many props. His approach combines a wealth of references to traditional Chinese art with a decidedly modern, cinematic scope. The resulting works are funny, sad, angry, perplexing and provocative – all at the same time.

verything is Possible features eight of Wang Qingsong’s large-scale photo works, among them a new diptych completed only last year. A video work ‘Skyscraper’ is also included. This wry take on the building boom will hold particular resonance for Irish audiences. A series of behind-the-scenes short documentaries also give insights into the artist’s production process.

About the artist: Born in Heilongjiang Province in 1966, Wang Qingsong worked on a oil drilling platform for eight years before training as a painter at the Sichuan Academy of Fine Art. He graduated in 1992 and moved to Beijing the following year. Since he turned to photography in the late 1990s, he has exhibited widely in China and internationally. He represented China at the 2013 Venice Biennale.