Portrait Of Qiang Nationality Woman 

Kun Wang painted this "Portrait of Qiang Nationality Woman" in the recent past using what appears to be oil on canvas. Here, we see the artist depicting a woman from the Qiang ethnic group in China, likely in a rural setting, as suggested by her traditional attire. Wang's painting allows us to consider the representation of minority cultures within contemporary Chinese art. China is a multicultural nation, and images of its 55 recognized ethnic minorities have played a significant role in shaping national identity and cultural policy. What are the politics of depicting ethnicity? We can think about the ways in which the artist chooses to represent the Qiang woman, and how that representation intersects with broader socio-political narratives. Research into the artist's biography, the cultural context of contemporary Chinese art, and the history of ethnic representation in Chinese art institutions can enrich our understanding of this work.