XIDAN CHEN

Born in Shanghai in 1936. He is currently Director of the  Shanghai Quanhua Watercolour Art Gallery, President of  Shenzhen Watercolour Society, member of China Artist Association, International Member of  Birmingham Watercolour Society, Honourary Member of Australian Watercolour Institute and Signature Member of National Watercolor Society.

Since 1956, a large number of paintings have been shown and won awards in national exhibitions. Many works have also been exhibited and well received in various international art shows, including exhibitions held in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, United States, and France. Works have been regularly published by renowned publishing house within China. Both Shanghai TV and Hong Kong ATV have produced prime-time programs titled ‘Watercolourist Xidan Chen’.

After 1999, solo exhibitions, ‘Xidan Chen’s Watercolour’, were held in Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Paris. Works were collected not only by international art collectors, but also by many art galleries and museums including China Art Gallery and Guan Shan Yue Art Gallery.

Xidan Chen founded  Shanghai Watercolour Association (1979),  Shenzhen Watercolour Society (1999, where he has been acting as President)  and initiated and founded Shanghai Quanhua Watercolour Art Gallery (where he is director). In 2010 he initiated and planned ‘Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Biennial Watercolour Exhibition’.

He was was elected as a member of China Centenary Watercolour Exhibition organizing committee (2006)

He has participated in numerous exhibitions all over the world: National Watercolor Society International 91st Exhibition (2011, NWS, California, USA), ‘Watercolour Exhibition - Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’ (2007, invited artist), ‘21st Century Watercolour’ (2008, RWS, UK, Winsor & Newton 3rd prize), Australian Watercolour Institute exhibitions, Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour  (2011, 2012), 3rd International Watercolour Exhibition (2012, Bellagio, Italy), International Watercolour Biennial of Belgium (2012, Castle of Bourgogne, Belgium), China Master's Invitation Exhibition (2010) just to name some. In 2011 he was also awarded JJC Industries Wholesaler of Daniel Smith Manufactured Products Award.

April - June 2014, Co-curator, ACROSS THE WATER: CHINA - AUSTRALIA  Modern Masters of Watercolour. Work 'Street Stall' exhibiting in the show.

2012, Curator, administrator, and judge for the 2nd Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition

2013/14, Judge, World Watercolour Competition, organized by The Art of Watercolour magazine.

Quiet alley, Barcelona, watercolour, 41x31 cm