Dai Yinglun
Crowd,naive ambition and matured real world
68x138cm
Ink and color on paper
2026
We are all part of a grand game without a script. Each person is driven by their own role, moving in different directions. Though it may appear that they are making free choices, in truth they are swept along by invisible rules. These countless independent decisions eventually converge into an irresistible tide. It carries with it everyone’s desires, struggles, and hopes, surging relentlessly forward. And yet, as I stand within this tide, I am struck by the realisation that I am moving against the flow, becoming a countercurrent within that roaring torrent. This is not merely a dialogue between the individual and the collective, but a metaphor for fate itself: we are at once the makers of the tide and its bearers.
About the Artist
Dai Yinglun
(China, b.1987）
Dai Yinglun received Master degree in Chinese Painting from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, currently lives and works in Shanghai. Deeply influenced by Zen, Buddhism and Eastern philosophy, he has developed a distinctive visual language characterised by dispersed, flattened compositions depicting the myriad conditions of human existence. Moving beyond binary oppositions, his work presents a dual perspective on the collective and the individual. His practice has garnered significant attention for its vitality and originality. Dai’s works have been exhibited and collected at institutions including the Shanghai Meibo Art Museum, Xi’an Contemporary Art Museum. Awarded the Gold Prize at the Shanghai Annual Youth Ink Exhibition, and the Artand Annual Award for Most Noteworthy Artist.
