May 9 2025
4C Gallery: Oasis of Becoming
A conversation with 4C Gallery founder Cui Decheng on art, identity, and building a space for Chinese artists to take root.
Featuring 4C Gallery Guest Cui Decheng Interviewer Rachel Wang Editor Yitong Zhang Design Meredith Whisman
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery, featuring Decheng in tan jacket.
4C Gallery is an emerging space for contemporary Chinese art, rooted in the rich cultural fabric of San Gabriel, and it is steadily contributing to and expanding the city’s cultural dialogue. The gallery carries forward the mission embedded in its name: Contemporary and Conceptual Art for the Chinese Community. Since 2023, 4C Gallery committed to discovering, supporting, and promoting the work and ideas of Chinese artists living in the United States, while also offering public programs in art education to encourage broader access to cultural knowledge.
By seeking a balance between curatorial practice and public engagement, its founder and curator Cui Decheng began to cultivate a sustainable artistic ecology, where conceptual art speaks to the present and each artist’s work is shown with clarity and depth.To further explore 4C Gallery’s commitment and goal, today I had the chance to invite Cui Decheng for a conversation about space, art, and the meaning of community.
Interview
Rachel: When I browsed the 4C Gallery website, I noticed something different from many other galleries. Instead of setting a theme first and then picking artists to match, it seems like 4C Gallery starts with the artists and their works, then the exhibition grows from there. Could you talk about how this approach shapes your relationship, as a curator, with chosen emerging artists?
Cui Decheng: I think there are generally three ways to organize contemporary art exhibitions: The first is the traditional commercial gallery model, where the main goal is to sell art. The second is what I’d call the cultural institution model. These exhibitions usually follow a clear curatorial theme, like Feminist Art or Black Art, and aim to offer a kind of cultural service.
However, 4C Gallery takes a third approach. We focus on serving the artists themselves. At 4C Gallery, artists are never just filling a slot in a show; instead, they're at the center of everything we do. We build the theme, the space, and the story of the exhibition around their work.
Our process begins with the work itself. We truly believe that an artwork already carries the spirit of its time. As curators, our job is to recognize that energy, connect the dots, and help bring it to the surface.
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: I also noticed that the works featured in 4C Gallery’s quarterly exhibitions span a wide range of media. Once you’ve gathered and selected the pieces you want to present, how do you go about shaping the theme of the exhibition?
Cui Decheng: We never begin with an a priori theme. Instead, we either issue an open call or directly invite artists to submit their work. The theme then gradually takes shape through the shared emotions, critical concerns, or material languages we observe in those submissions. We intentionally avoid overly fixed or declarative themes, such as terms like “globalization”, because labeling a show in this way can lead viewers to approach the works with preconceived ideas, which interferes with a more direct and open engagement. We prefer open-ended and suggestive themes, a theme that encourages viewers to approach the exhibition with their own questions, rather than simply absorbing a set of answers curated in advance.
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: The question of how to define Contemporary Art remains unavoidable in any serious discussion of the term. 4C Gallery approaches this concept through a temporal lens. However, with emerging technologies like AI, XR, and robotics in artistic practice as creative tools, should contemporary art still be understood primarily in terms of time? In other words, does creating a work today necessarily make it contemporary art?
Cui Decheng: We regard works created in the present as contemporary art, but that does not mean all of them fall under Conceptual Art. “Contemporary” speaks to time, while “Conceptual” concerns the intention behind the work. In fact, the name “4C” reflects a combination of these two dimensions—We focus both on the art of our time and on the art that engages critical questions. New technologies like AI or XR have certainly expanded the tools available to artists, but the evolution of a medium is not the same as that of thoughts. Only when such technologies are used to address the deeper psychological or cultural needs of our time do they truly become part of what we consider contemporary.
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: 4C Gallery is not only building a platform for art, but also nurturing a sense of belonging for the Chinese creative community in Los Angeles, as seen through its public programs and educational efforts. Within this framework, the role of the audience is vital. Is the gallery primarily focused on engaging the local Chinese community, or does it also aim to foster international dialogue through the work of emerging artists? How do you hope audiences respond to the work?
Cui Decheng: While we welcome all audiences, 4C Gallery was founded to offer a space where the Chinese community in Los Angeles could find both visibility and continuity. The city is home to generations of Chinese immigrants, yet there are still few places that reflect their evolving identity through contemporary art. That’s why we’ve placed our focus on building a local cultural presence. At the same time, we believe the voices of emerging Chinese artists carry relevance beyond their immediate context, and we are committed to supporting the wider conversations their work can spark. What matters is not simply visiting, but the work of making, the act of healing, and the effort to rebuild the self behind the creative process. If one day a visitor starts to paint, write, or create visual work because of what they saw in our exhibition, that would be the most meaningful affirmation for us.
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: As 4C Gallery continues to bring contemporary and conceptual art within the Chinese community, have you noticed any particular differences in how Chinese artists approach their work compared to their Western peers? Many of the artists who exhibit at 4C have received Western art education or are actively working within the American art world. In your view, how has that educational and cultural background influenced their artistic thinking and creative expression?
Cui Decheng: Globalization is not only about the flow of capital; it also exposes individuals to collisions that reshape cultural identity. As a decentralized field that values openness, equality, and individual voice, contemporary art invites artists to express their most authentic selves. For many Chinese artists, their roots lie in Eastern culture, yet their artistic thinking has been weaved within Western art education. This cross-cultural experience often rises to a strong sense of artistic “in-betweenness”---- their work is neither strictly Eastern nor fully Western, but traverses, intersects, and reimagines multiple cultural contexts. This state of navigating between layers often leads to expressions that are both highly personal and deeply connected to contemporary society. I believe that some of the most powerful art naturally grows out of these tensions and uncertainties.
Rachel: As a Chinese artist working in the United States and a curator committed to creating opportunities for a new generation of Chinese artists, could you share what you see as the main challenges these artists face abroad today? In supporting and promoting their work, what kind of change or tangible support do you hope 4C Gallery can offer?
Cui Decheng: The biggest challenge for many Chinese artists abroad is the absence of a stable support system. After graduation, many outstanding artists struggle to find platforms that support long-term development. Exhibition opportunities remain sporadic, resources are limited, and most critically, they lack communities and audiences who can truly engage with the cultural frameworks that shape their work. In contrast, other ethnic groups often have nonprofit foundations and networks that offer steady support, and this is something still missing in the Chinese art world.
At the same time, the core principles of contemporary art emphasize decentralization, independent judgment, and critical awareness, which are values differ sharply from the answer-based, standardized education many Chinese audiences were raised with.This disconnect creates a steep barrier for audiences seeking to engage with the work, and leaves artists vulnerable to misinterpretation, caught between expression and recognition.
This is why 4C Gallery doesn’t see itself merely as a space to host exhibitions, but to foster a cultural ecosystem to support Chinese artists as they take root, grow, and find their voice in a new environment. Through exhibitions, education, community dialogue, and international exchange, rather than a stage for brief appearances, we hope to build a lasting and practical supportive structure that carries warmth, care, and continuity.
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: Thank you so much for your generous insights. As we come to the end of this conversation, would you mind sharing a few words with the next generation of emerging artists and curators as a distinguished gallerist and curator in the Chinese American art community?
Cui Decheng: Let art be a way of life: Create even when no one is watching, and even when there is no applause. The work does not gain value because it is seen, but when your soul begins to feel its own weight through creating.
There may be times when your art cannot yet support you, and that’s alright. Let yourself live honestly and work without shame, knowing that survival does not diminish the depth of your practice. Learn to hold space between who you are as an artist and who the world requires you to be. Do not let sales define your worth, or silence your voice just because it is not always understood. What matters most is whether the act of creating brings you clarity, strength, and the quiet freedom to remain yourself.
And most of all, remember this—
somewhere away from the spotlight, someone always gives their time and life to art, just as you are.
You are not alone.
You have never been alone in this journey.
As Cui Decheng noted, a new generation of contemporary artists draws from both Eastern and Western traditions. In navigating the deep similarities and differences between these cultural, social, and developmental systems, they reflect, respond, and begin to speak in their own artistic language. 4C Gallery has become a home for this work, and DART Magazine, too, has been inspired and grown by these voices. Through the acts of collecting and recording, we aim to share these touching narrative practices as part of the story itself, for global audiences to see how these artistic languages make them truly worth stories and arts.
4C Gallery links cultural threads across the Pacific and has become an oasis in Los Angeles, a nourishing place that carries the spirit of Chinese artistic identity and offers space for reflection, growth, and belonging. This commitment—to centering the artist and honoring the work—has nurtured a new generation of Chinese artists living abroad. Here, Chinese artists find the ground to take root and the space to grow with freedom, allowing their practices to unfold organically and extend outward into new directions.
Through this growth, where culture, emotion, and lived experience intertwine, a new kind of life begins to unfold, where belonging is no longer displaced, but begins to take form through creation itself.
Featuring 4C Gallery Guest Cui Decheng Interviewer Rachel Wang Editor Yitong Zhang Design Meredith Whisman
Chinese version available here:
May 9 2025
4C Gallery：
在他乡生长的绿洲
与4C Gallery创办人崔德成的对谈：关于艺术、身份，以及华人艺术家的扎根之所
Featuring 4C Gallery Guest Cui Decheng Interviewer Rachel Wang Editor Yitong Zhang Design Meredith Whisman
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery, featuring Decheng in tan jacket.
4C Gallery 坐落于洛杉矶市郊历史悠久的华人聚居区 San Gabriel，植根于这一深厚文化背景之中，作为一间新兴的华人当代艺术空间，正在逐步参与并拓展本地的文化对话。自成立以来，画廊始终秉持其名称所蕴含的使命——为华人社区带来当代艺术与观念艺术（Contemporary & Conceptual Art for Chinese Community）。自 2023 年起，4C Gallery 持续致力于发掘、支持并推广旅美华人艺术家的作品与理念，同时开展面向公众的美育活动，推动艺术知识与文化在更广泛人群中的传播。通过在展览实践与公众教育之间寻找平衡，4C Gallery 主理人崔德成逐步构建起一套良性循环的艺术生态：艺术家、策展人与观众之间建立了真实而有机的联系，让观念艺术得以深入探讨当代语境中的文化现象，并以更准确、全面且富有趣味性的方式呈现参展艺术家的作品。为了进一步了解4C Gallery 的过往与未来，我有幸采访了 4C Gallery 的主理人兼策展人崔德成，展开一场有关空间、艺术与社区的深入对话。
崔老师您好，非常感谢您接受我们的邀请，与我进行这次对话。
Rachel：在浏览4C Gallery官网时，我注意到其展览方式与许多画廊有所不同：相比先确立主题再邀请艺术家参展，4C Gallery似乎采取了相反的策展逻辑——当前展览中的艺术家及其作品被优先考虑，而展览则由此自然生发。基于这一策展方式，您如何看待展览与新生代艺术家之间的关系？
Cui Decheng: 我认为当代艺术展览大致可以分为三种路径：第一类是传统商业画廊，展览以销售为导向；第二类是文化机构型画廊，展览作为一种文化服务，主题往往围绕某种策展理念展开，比如女性艺术、黑人艺术等；而第三类——也就是4C Gallery——则是以“服务艺术家”为核心。我们并不将艺术家视为展览的“工具”，而是从一开始就将艺术家置于展览的中心，围绕他们的作品去建立主题、空间、叙事结构。我们的策展逻辑是“作品先行”，我们始终相信：作品本身就蕴含着这个时代的精神面貌，而策展的职责，是去识别、整合并放大这种能量。
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel：我也注意到，4C Gallery季度展览所呈现的作品在媒介上极为多元。在收集并确定心仪作品之后，您具体是如何确立展览主题的？又是通过怎样的策展方法来确保整个展览在视觉与概念上呈现出和谐统一的结构，使每一件作品都能与主题建立深刻的联系与共鸣？
Cui Decheng: 我们从不设定先验的展览主题。相反，我们会先进行公开征件或主动邀请艺术家提交作品，再从这些作品中观察到的共通情绪、问题意识或媒介语言中，逐渐形成主题。我们有意避免设置过于明确的主题，比如“全球化”这类词，因为一旦标签化，观众就会戴着滤镜去看作品，反而阻碍了他们与作品的真实交流。我们更希望主题是一种模糊的、开放的引导，让观众带着自己的问题进入展览，而不是只接受策展人预设的答案。
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: 在谈及“当代艺术”（Contemporary Art）时，一个绕不开的话题便是其定义问题。4C Gallery 选择以时间维度来界定这一概念。然而，随着AI、XR、机械等新兴媒介和技术以越来越快的速度进入艺术家的创作视野，并被广泛采用为艺术实践的手段，您是否依然认为“当代艺术”仅应由时间来界定？换句话说，是否凡是创作于当下的艺术作品都可被归入“当代艺术”的范畴？
Cui Decheng: 我们把在当下创作的作品视为“当代艺术”，但并不意味着所有作品都是“观念艺术”。“Contemporary”强调的是时间维度，而“Conceptual”强调的是创作动机。4C Gallery的“4C”其实就代表了这两个维度的结合——我们关注当下发生的艺术，也关注那些通过艺术提出深刻问题的作品。科技媒介（如AI、XR）确实丰富了艺术的表现手段，但媒介的更新不等于观念的革新，只有当它被用来回应我们时代真实的精神需求时，它才是“当代”的。
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: 在我们的交流中，我深切感受到4C Gallery正致力于打造一个属于洛杉矶华人艺术社群的“家”。事实上，从画廊定期开展的各类艺术科普与教育活动中，也可以明显看出这一愿景。而在这一循环中，观众无疑扮演着至关重要的角色。在您看来，4C Gallery更希望吸引的是在洛杉矶本地的华人观众，还是希望借由这些新生代艺术家的作品，进一步拓宽面向国际的交流与传播？在您的策展愿景中，您期待观众如何回应这些艺术家与他们的创作？
Cui Decheng: 虽然我们欢迎所有观众，但4C Gallery的初心始终是为华人群体提供一个可以扎根的文化空间。在洛杉矶，有无数华裔移民，但却很少有一个真正属于当代文化的精神家园。我希望观众不仅仅是来看展，而是能在这个过程中逐步靠近艺术创作本身。因为我深信，艺术创作不仅是表达，更是整理、疗愈与重建自我的一种方式。如果有一天，一位观众因为我们的展览开始尝试画画、写作、拍摄影像，那就是我们最大的成功。
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: 当4C Gallery致力于为华人社区呈现当代艺术与观念艺术时，您是否观察到华人艺术家与西方艺术家在创作上的某些差异？许多在4C展出的华人艺术家都曾接受过西方艺术教育，或长期在美国艺术圈内活跃。您认为这种教育背景和文化环境，对当代华人艺术家的创作观念和艺术表达产生了怎样的影响？
Cui Decheng: 全球化不仅是资本的流动，更意味着文化认同的碰撞与重塑。当代艺术作为一个去中心化、强调民主和平等的领域，本质上是对每一种声音的开放——它鼓励所有人展现真实的自我。对于许多华人艺术家而言，他们往往成长于东方文化土壤，却在西方艺术教育中完成了创作观念的建构。这种跨文化经验让他们的作品带有强烈的“边界感”——既非纯粹东方，也不完全西方，而是在多重文化语境中游走、交错、再创造。这种“在夹层中生存”的状态，反而孕育出许多极具个人性与时代性的表达。我始终相信，真正有力量的艺术，往往就诞生在这些不确定与张力之中。
Photo courtesy of 4C Gallery.
Rachel: 作为一位在美国的华人艺术家，同时也是致力于为新生代华人艺术家提供展览平台的策展人，您是否能分享一下，在您看来当下华人艺术家在海外所面临的主要困境是什么？在推广新生代华人艺术创作的过程中，您希望通过4C Gallery为他们带来哪些具体的支持或改变？
Cui Decheng: 我认为华人艺术家在海外面临的最大困境，是缺乏一个稳定且结构化的支持体系。许多优秀的艺术家在完成学业后，常常难以找到一个持续发展的平台，展览机会零散、资源支持有限，更缺乏能够真正理解他们文化语境的社群与观众。相比之下，其他族裔的艺术家往往可以依靠本族裔建立起来的非营利基金会、社区组织或文化机构，获得稳定的资金支持与推广渠道，而这正是目前华人艺术生态中最薄弱的一环。
与此同时，当代艺术的核心语境强调“去中心化”、“自我判断”与“批判意识”，这与很多华人观众自幼接受的“标准答案”式教育存在显著落差。观众对当代艺术的理解门槛较高，也让艺术家在表达时面临“被误读”或“无法共鸣”的困境。
因此，4C Gallery的初衷不仅是为艺术家提供展览平台，更希望构建一个有持续支持力的文化生态系统：通过展览、教育、社群对话和国际交流，真正支持华人艺术家在异地扎根、生长，并长期发声。我们希望做一个实用的、有温度的结构，而不是一次性的“亮相舞台”。
Rachel: 非常感谢您的分享。在这次采访即将结束之际，能否请您，作为一位杰出的在美华人画廊主与策展人，为正在成长中的新生代艺术家与策展人送上一句寄语？我相信，您丰富的经验与深刻的观察，定能为他们的未来提供宝贵的启示与方向。
Cui Decheng: 请把创作当作一种生活方式——无论有没有观众，无论有没有掌声，你依然选择去创作。不是因为被看见才有价值，而是因为创作本身，让你感觉灵魂有重量。
也请学会将艺术家的身份与社会身份分开。如果你还无法靠创作谋生，那就先好好生活，坦然工作。不要苛求自己大卖，也不要因为别人看不懂你而否定自己。重要的是，你是否能从创作中获得精神上的充盈与自由。
最后，请你始终记得——
在这个世界上，你看不见的地方，总有人在为艺术默默奉献着自己的时间和生命。你并不孤单，你在这条路上从来不是一个人。
正如崔德成所说，新一代的当代艺术家在东西方文化之间汲取养分，在这两种社会、文化与发展路径之间的巨大异同中反思与回应，表达出属于自己的故事与当代艺术语言。4C Gallery因此成为他们的庇护所，而DART Magazine同样深受这些创作所影响，以另一种方式——收集与记录——呈现这些充满叙事性的作品。
循着这样的初衷与使命，崔德成创立了4C Gallery，连接起大洋两岸的文化脉络，成为洛杉矶这片土地上蕴藏着华人艺术精神的一方绿洲。正是这种以作品为先、以艺术家为先的尊重，成为孕育中国艺术文化土壤的养分，支持并引领着许多身处异国的新生代华人艺术家来到此地，扎根于此，并在以加州为代表的西方画廊氛围中肆意延展枝蔓，绽放出融合文化、情感与经历的新生命，让文化不再流离，归属在创作中生长。
Featuring 4C Gallery Guest Cui Decheng Interviewer Rachel Wang Editor Yitong Zhang Design Meredith Whisman
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