About the Artist: Tong Hongsheng

Chinese Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale
May 24, 2013 11:42PM

Tong Hongsheng is known for his contemporary religious paintings, stemming from classical Western traditions of religious art and portraiture. His oil paintings typically feature Buddhist monks of all ages in their habits, depicted under dramatic lighting against plain backgrounds. These paintings are, collectively, a portrait of Buddhism in contemporary China, as well as an expression of Tong’s personal approach to spirituality. Before he became dedicated to this subject matter, Tong was known for his portraits of well-known figures.

Image from Tong Hongsheng's Still Life Series © Tong Hongsheng. 

Chinese Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale