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Arts & Communication

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In the Chinese art market, the 1980s were a

turning point between the past and the future

Xintong Guo*
Institute of Arts Administration and Education, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China

Abstract

China’s art market has evolved through several stages of development, with its structure
and operations reflecting the distinct features that are intimately linked to the country’s
political system, social environment, and economic growth. The 1980s are used as the
context for the development of the art market after the People’s Republic of China
was founded to explore the uniqueness of this period and its influence on subsequent
generations. This paper examines the development of the art market during the
1980s, analyzing its constituent elements, operating mechanisms, contemporary
characteristics, and relevant policies and regulations. During this period, Chinese
society underwent a transitional phase, reflected in the art market’s synchronicity and
lag. The art market’s transformation was driven by social transformation, gradually
inclining toward Western trends by the 1990s. One may argue that the 1980s marked
the final phase of the Chinese art market before undergoing a transformative shift,
characterized by a connection between the preceding and succeeding periods.

Keywords: 1980s; Art market; Operation mechanism; Chinese characteristics
*Corresponding author:
Xintong Guo
(guoxintong27@163.com)
Citation: Guo X. In the Chinese art
market, the 1980s were a turning 1. Introduction
point between the past and the China’s art market has been shaped by the export of cultural relics , a thriving export
1
future. Arts & Communication.
2024;2(2):2028. industry, the support of wealthy collectors, and numerous chambers of commerce that
doi: 10.36922/ac.2028 stimulate the growth of local antique and cultural relic stores. Before independence,
Received: October 12, 2023 the antiquities market flourished abnormally, with huge exports and purchases by
international traders. Following independence, the antiques trade was halted, antique
Accepted: February 18, 2024
stores were restructured as public-private partnerships, and a multi-head operation
Published Online: May 14, 2024 followed. The state implemented unified pricing, sales, and purchasing as part of
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). the unified business model from the late 1950s to the late 1970s. Organized artistic
This is an Open-Access article creations, such as gift paintings and custom paintings, replaced free artistic production
distributed under the terms of the for a significant period. In 1978, reforms began with the government easing market
Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial License, permitting regulations, partially restoring the art trade, and ushering in an active art market.
all non-commercial use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, The 1980s marked a turning point in the art market’s history, witnessing a significant
provided the original work is transformation in its operational mechanism, which led to the development of the
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience 1 Cultural relics are traces of historical development, bearing the ancestors’ life production and
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in social activity relics, reflecting their social functions at that time, with historical, artistic and
published maps and institutional scientific values. The cultural relics in the article generally refer to cultural relics and ancient
affiliations. works of art, including calligraphy and painting, ceramics, carving and so on.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/ac.2028