Pu Jie by Stephanie Tasch 

Pu Jie was born in Shanghai in 1959. He spent seven years in Ningxia province, the harsh country-side of China's North-West. Having returned to Shanghai, he graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Shanghai Teachers' University in 1986. From tha year onwards, Pu Jie has exhibited regularly in China, his first exhibition abroad took place in 1991. In 1996, he had a solo show at Shanghai Art Museum, titled "Less Play Chess". In 1997, Pu Jie had solo exhibitions both in Hongkong and at Shanghart Gallery in Shanghai, and his works were chosen by the eminent Swiss curator Harald Szeemann to be included in the Biennale d'art contemporain in Lyon (France), one of the important international group shows taking place in that year. 

These exhibitions need to be mentioned because they point out the growing interest shown in Pu Jie's work both at home and abroad. Looking at his canvasses, a Western viewer unaccustomed to Chinese contemporary art and its issues may be su