Chen YiFei 陈逸飞

Chen Yifei (1946–2005) was a Chinese painter, film director, and visual artist born in the Zhenhai district of Ningbo City, based in Zhejiang. Known as a leading figure of modern romantic realism, his oeuvre spans painting, sculpture, and cinema. Notable oil paintings of his include Ode to the Yellow River, Occupation of the Presidential Palace, and Pacing; his sculptures include Oriental Girl; and films he produced include Evening Liaison, Escape to Shanghai, Shanghai Ark, and The Barber.

In 1960, Chen entered the foundation course at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1965 and later joining the Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Studio. By 1971, he had already launched his professional career with works such as Smiling Old Man, Seated and Seated Man Smoking; notably, he also collaborated with Wei Jingshan on Pioneers. In 1980, he enrolled in Hunter College at the City University of New York, where he eventually earned a master’s degree in art.

In 1991, his oil painting Reminiscence of Xunyang sold for HK$1.37 million at Christie’s Hong Kong autumn auction, setting a new record for Chinese contemporary oil painting in the global art market. The following year, he directed Old Dreams of Shanghai, which marked his entry into the film industry. In 1995, Chen signed with the prestigious Marlborough Gallery in London, becoming the first Asian artist to join the gallery. Between 1996 and 1997, Marlborough proceeded to organize multiple retrospectives of his work at the Shanghai Museum and the National Art Museum of China. In 2005, on April 10, Chen passed away in Shanghai at the age of 59.

Having moved to the United States in 1980, Chen focused on the medium of oil painting with Chinese themes, embracing a vision of “Grand Aesthetics” that extended into film, fashion, and environmental design. This all-encompassing creative philosophy manifested in remarkable artistic breakthroughs, lending him to much professional success. In May 2023, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration listed him as one of the most significant modern artists (deceased after 1911) whose works are restricted from being exported.