Within and Beyond Classrooms: Academically Trained Artists in the Era of the ’85 New Wave

This thesis investigates the role of fine art academies in the development of modern and contemporary Chinese art. Based on the affiliation of avant-garde artists with fine art academies, and the conflicts between art teaching and learning in the 1980s, it aims to examine the factors that led to avant-garde practices which became known as the ’85 New Wave movement by students who were trained in the socialist realism system. This thesis is discussed from three perspectives: the foundation of academies and changing approaches to art education within social and political contexts, the reformed pedagogical approach in the academy’s classroom, which was embodied in experimental classes in the mid-1980s, and the impetus behind students’ exploratory practices, including exhibitions, publications, and avant-garde events functioning as ‘classrooms’ beyond the art education system. For this qualitative research, I conducted fieldwork, which included twenty semi-structured interviews and archival research. The primary sources are examined alongside historical literature and archives provided by archives and individuals. The analysis of these sources informs the argument that the art academy created certain privileges for students in terms of accessing the latest information and therefore broadening their views. However, it also had a negative impact in that the conservative art education system limited students’ artistic experimentation. The avant-garde practices of graduates were driven by multiple factors during the era of reform and opening-up. This research sits within interdisciplinary fields, encompassing art history, museum studies, and art education. It not only engages with artists’ individual experiences, but also provides a broader perspective that considers the social, political, and cultural context in 1980s China.