Artist Profile - CP Gill
Chris P Gill was born in Burnley, England in 1970 but grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. His mother left school to work at the mills at age 15 and his father was in the Merchant Navy. The family emigrated to Johannesburg, South Africa when Chris was two years old. He studied fine art at A-level and went on to achieve a degree in Politics at Newcastle University.
Chris, also known by his Chinese name “Li Yunfei”, worked in China for over 20 years.Over this period, he travelled around the country creating a personal diary of his life in China and the changing society around him, documenting and interpreting the reform process in his own style through his painting and mixed-media works.
In 2014 Chris had to return to the UK due to struggling with diminishing eyesight from MS.
He first came to China 1992 to learn Mandarin at the People’s University of China. Later that year he opened his first studio in the artists’ village of the Old Summer Palace, the center of all the emerging Chinese artists at that time.
During his time at Yuanminyuan Summer Palace, Chris explored themes such as Buddhism, relationships and learned to work with Chinese materials, landscapes and language.
Chris moved to Shanghai in 1997, to widen his influence to art and to experience the distinct difference of a new Chinese city.
At this time Shanghai was incredibly vibrant, incessantly active and rapidly developing – both in terms of infrastructure, business and commerce; but also in the widening social consciousness and dare we say – optimism. It was an amazing time to be in the city, eclipsing the heady 1920’s and 1930’s of Shanghai’s heyday.
Chris was a founding resident at 696 Weihai Lu, the Shanghai Artists district and was incredibly active in supporting, promoting and developing this local community of 50 artists.
In 2010, Chris found he was dragging his foot and began having trouble with the vision in his left eye. A friend urged him to get checked for MS... and unfortunately the doctors upheld this diagnosis.
The first attack hit hard in 2011. Chris woke one morning in Shanghai and couldn’t see.
His book, The Dripping Rooms of Shanghai gives an amazing, touching and humorous insight into his experience navigating the Chinese health system.
Chris continued to paint, live and work in Shanghai, but his MS attacks were becoming worse and more frequent. Concerned with the uncertainty of the future of his condition Chris had no choice but to seek medical support from outside China.
Reluctantly Chris had to leave Shanghai and to return to the UK in 2014. Where he continues to paint and remains active, creating some magnificent art despite, his illness.
“In China, he has his own art; in Britain, he represents a part of Chinese art.
This is Li Yun Fei and Chris Gill, two cultural personalities.”
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2017 Works on paper from 1985 to 2017, Robin Wood Mill, UK
2014 “Love”, Wu Space, Shanghai, China
2013- “New Works”, ShanghART Gallery, Shanghai, China.
2012 “Works on Paper”, Stage BACK Gallery, Shanghai, China
2011 “The World Mind”, Yaochao Gallery, Shanghai, China
2010 “Multi Local”, M50 Creative Space, Shanghai, China
2007 “City of Gold”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2006 “Be a Better Part of The Collective Consciousness”, Yaochao Gallery, M50 Creative Space, Shanghai, China
2002 “Works on Paper”, Casj Gallery, Shanghai, China
1997 “China Work”, Zhuqizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1995 “Works on Paper”, Beijing San Li Tun, with Red Gate gallery, Beijing
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012- “Essence of Random”, ‘Secret 7’ artist group exhibitions, Yang Shanghai
2013 Art Space, Shanghai, China (ongoing)
2011 “China Dream”, Red Gate Gallery, Beijing, China
2011 “Lost & Found”, Stage BACK Gallery, Shanghai, China
2010 “Point of Zero”, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
2010 “Weltschmerz”, Stage BACK Gallery, Shanghai, China
2009 “Intervention 3”, Weihai Road Studios, Beijing and Shanghai, China
2009 “Stolen Treasures of Modern China”, ShanghART Gallery, Beijing and Shanghai, China
2000 “Dragon 2000”, French Club of Shanghai with local and foreign artists in Shanghai, supported by ShanghART Gallery, Shanghai, China
1999 “Foreign Artists in Shanghai”, ShanghART Gallery Shanghai, China
1999 “Just 5 minutes”, Eastlink Gallery, Shanghai, China
1992-1993 Various activities, such as studio exhibitions at Yuanmingyuan Summer Palace, Beijing, China
ABOUT US
Nordic Soul Interiors has partnered up with CP Gill and is proud to be able to facilitate custom prints of his work. Nordic Soul Interiors founder Charlotta and Chris are friends from when they were both living in Shanghai.
When Chris had to return to the UK due to struggling with diminishing eyesight from MS, sadly many of his larger oil paintings had to be left behind in China where they remain in a secure warehouse. Thankfully many have been photographed which makes them now available as high quality Giclée prints.
CP Gill’s work would make a fantastic colourful statement in many interior styles or a great addition to a gallery wall. The pieces are offered through the highest quality Giclée printing, which gives the print the closest representation to the original artwork.
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