Imperfections in an artwork are not necessarily flaws; sometimes they are indispensible features of the piece itself. Furthermore, the standards by which one can asses a work’s merits and imperfections are derived from the artist’s own individual systems of signification and meaning. There are merits and imperfections in any image, but no matter the result, “imperfections” are ultimately just a misreading of a work’s merits.

In his representational works, Ji Dachun employs a deadpan humor to make unique observations on the world around him. He enjoys leaving “imperfections” and “mistakes” on the canvas, expanding the observational space through paradoxes of convention. “Imperfections” are the cornerstone of his unique painterly language.

For the exhibition “Ji Dachun: Without a Home,” UCCA has invited Ji Dachun and critic Bao Dong to discuss Ji’s near 40 years of painting experience, exploring the relationship between his artwork, creativity itself, and the language of painting.

Ji Dachun was born in 1968 in Nantong, Jiangsu. He graduated from the Department of Oil Painting of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1993. His work has exhibited widely in China, Europe, and the U.S, with major group exhibitions at the Museum Ludwig, Koblenz (2008); Musée Maillol, Pais (2008); Musée des Beaux-Arts Lausanne (2008); Salzburg Modern Art Museum (2007); Guangzhou Triennial (2002); Chengdu Biennale (2001); and Shanghai Biennale (2000).

Bao Dong was born in Anhui province in 1979. He is an art critic and independent curator. His research interests include theories of art history, critical writing, and curatorship.