Lu Xun Literary Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1995) Winner
Shen Wei
シェン・ウェイ
Shen Wei
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1968-01-01 （Hunan, China）
- Nationality
- China, United States
- Languages
- Chinese, English
- Residence History
- Hunan (birthplace) → Guangzhou (study & early career) → New York City (base)
Career
- Occupations
- Choreographer, Painter, Artistic director
- Active Years
- 1984-
- Affiliations
- Shen Wei Dance Arts (Founder & Artistic Director), Guangdong Modern Dance Company (former member)
- Influenced By
- Martha Graham (technique), Andrei Tarkovsky (film), Igor Stravinsky (music), Mark Rothko (visual art)
- Influenced
- Contemporary choreographers and dance makers (influenced generations)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunan Arts School (now Hunan Vocational College of the Arts) | — | Traditional Chinese opera (voice & stage performance) | — | 1978–1984 | China |
| Guangzhou Modern Dance Academy | — | Modern dance | — | 1989–1991 | China |
Hunan Arts School (now Hunan Vocational College of the Arts)
Traditional Chinese opera (voice & stage performance)
Period:
1978–1984
Year of Graduation:
1984
Country:
China
Studied traditional Chinese opera and visual arts from childhood
Guangzhou Modern Dance Academy
Modern dance
Period:
1989–1991
Year of Graduation:
1991
Country:
China
Studied at one of China's first formal institutions for contemporary dance
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | MacArthur Fellowship | — | — | MacArthur Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2004 | Nijinsky Award (Emerging Choreographer) | — | 新人振付家 | Nijinsky Award Committee | 受賞 |
| 2022 | Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement | — | 生涯功労 | American Dance Festival | 受賞 |
| 2022 | ISPA Distinguished Artist Award | — | — | International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) | 受賞 |
| 2001 | Guggenheim Fellowship | — | — | Guggenheim Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2005 | Helpmann Awards (Best Ballet or Dance Work) | — | 最優秀バレエ／ダンス作品 | Helpmann Awards | 受賞 |
MacArthur Fellowship
2007
Organization:
MacArthur Foundation
Result:
受賞
Nijinsky Award (Emerging Choreographer)
2004
Category:
新人振付家
Organization:
Nijinsky Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement
2022
Category:
生涯功労
Organization:
American Dance Festival
Result:
受賞
ISPA Distinguished Artist Award
2022
Organization:
International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA)
Result:
受賞
Guggenheim Fellowship
2001
Organization:
Guggenheim Foundation
Result:
受賞
Helpmann Awards (Best Ballet or Dance Work)
2005
Category:
最優秀バレエ／ダンス作品
Organization:
Helpmann Awards
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Folding
2000 Dance/ChoreographyA dance work combining visual stage design and music, blending Eastern and Western aesthetics; an early signature piece.
East–West aesthetic synthesisBody and spaceIntegration with visual art
Rite of Spring
2003 Dance/ChoreographyA large-scale dance piece set to Stravinsky's score, exploring a balance between structured improvisation and choreography.
Improvisation vs. structureRitual and spiritualityNatural body development
Connect Transfer
2004 Dance/ChoreographyA choreography incorporating contemporary music, notable for close integration of visual design and sound.
Integration of sound and movementCollective interaction
Undivided Divided
2011 Dance/MultimediaA large-scale installation-style performance premiered at Park Avenue Armory, combining video, sound, and dance.
Fusion of installation and danceInteraction between body and media
Small Room
1994 Solo/MultimediaAn early solo multimedia work that toured domestically and internationally, combining video and sound.
Individual and spaceVideo and the body
Bibliography
- Small Room (1994)
- Folding (2000)
- Rite of Spring (2003)
- Connect Transfer (2004)
- Undivided Divided (2011)
Adaptations
- Everything is Connected (film, 2018)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Cinematic choreography that fuses visual art and danceSynthesis of Eastern and Western aesthetics
- Recurring Motifs
- Breath and natural development of the bodyBlack-and-white, ink-like aestheticsLarge-scale installations
Legacy
Shen Wei is internationally recognized as a multidisciplinary artist crossing choreography, painting and installation. His work — including choreography for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a MacArthur Fellowship — has advanced the crossover between contemporary dance and visual art.
Museums
- Miami Dade College Museum of Art + Design Miami, Florida, USA
- Katonah Museum of Art Katonah, New York, USA
Academic Societies
- Organizations associated with the American Dance Festival
Archives
- Shen Wei Dance Arts archives (held by company/institution)
In Popular Culture
- Choreography of the 'Scroll' segment in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony
Quotes
-
Dancers should show expression through their body movement. They're not actors.
Source: Bloomberg (interview) (2011) -
Human beings are not just puppets. A dancer has to have a really open mind and be willing to take a risk.
Source: Bloomberg (interview) (2011)
Trivia
- Founded Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2000.
- Choreographed segments of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony.
- Named a MacArthur Fellow in 2007.
- Originally trained in traditional Chinese opera before moving into contemporary dance.