NING CHEN
NING CHEN
NING CHEN
NING: TRANQUILITY
Curated by: Dr Guan Wei
To be opened by: Professor Jocelyn Chey AM
EXHIBITION
4 MAR - 17 APR
VIP PREVIEW
4 - 6 Mar 2026
9:30 am - 5:30 pm
GRAND OPENING
Saturday 7 Mar 2026
1 - 3 pm
Ground Floor, 317 Pacific Hwy, North Sydney NSW 2060
NING CHEN Ning Chen, born in Shanghai in 1957, is a renowned contemporary Chinese artist based in Melbourne. Chen graduated from the Shanghai School of Arts and Crafts, one of the few art schools in Shanghai at the time, and was a member of the Shanghai Artists Association. In 1989, Chen moved to Australia where he began his cross-cultural journey of artistic exploration. Chen's artistic career has spanned both China and Australia and his works are deeply influenced by both cultures, integrating the essence of traditional Chinese art with innovative elements of modern Western art.
Chen specialises in using traditional Chinese brush and ink on paper in his creation. He is well known for his unique creation of anthropomorphic animals, especially horses. His art explores his understanding and thoughts about life, nature and culture through innovative techniques.
Chen has had many solo and group exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne and Shanghai. His latest solo exhibition entitled Riding on Dreams was held in Live in Art in Sydney in 2023. He was the finalist in the 2023 Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award.
Over the years Chen has continued to create a balance between tradition and modernity, exploring the relationship between man and nature, East and West through his artworks. He is committed to building a bridge of cultural exchange through his artistic creations, and his artistic career is a testimony to the fusion and innovation of Chinese and Western art traditions.
In 1973 she was appointed China Relations Officer in the Department of Overseas Trade, before being posted to Beijing as the first Australian Cultural Counsellor in 1975. She was the first Executive Director of the Australia-China Council 1979-1984, Senior Trade Commissioner in Beijing 1985-88 and Consul General to Hong Kong 1992-95. From 1988 to 1992 she was the Director of the China Branch of the International Wool Secretariat.
Jocelyn Chey is a Councillor of the Australian Institute for International Affairs New South Wales. She was awarded the Australia-China Council Medal for contributions to the development of relations between Australia and China in 2008 and in 2009 honoured with the Medal of Australia and also made a Fellow of the Institute of International Affairs.
OPENING SPEAKER
Professor Jocelyn Chey AM
Professor Jocelyn Chey AMJocelyn Chey is Visiting Professor in the School of Languages and Cultures, University of Sydney, and Adjunct Professor in the Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture, Western Sydney University and the Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney. Her current research fields include cultural diplomacy with relevance to China and Taiwan, and the cultural aspects of Chinese humour. She has co-authored and co-edited two books on the latter subject and published widely on cultural diplomacy and Chinese international relations.
Jocelyn was one of the earliest students in Australia to take up Chinese language studies in the 1950s. She completed her Master degree at the University of Hong Kong and her Doctor degree at the University of Sydney.
In 1973 she was appointed China Relations Officer in the Department of Overseas Trade, before being posted to Beijing as the first Australian Cultural Counsellor in 1975. She was the first Executive Director of the Australia-China Council 1979-1984, Senior Trade Commissioner in Beijing 1985-88 and Consul General to Hong Kong 1992-95. From 1988 to 1992 she was the Director of the China Branch of the International Wool Secretariat.
Jocelyn Chey is a Councillor of the Australian Institute for International Affairs New South Wales. She was awarded the Australia-China Council Medal for contributions to the development of relations between Australia and China in 2008 and in 2009 honoured with the Medal of Australia and also made a Fellow of the Institute of International Affairs.
2026: The Year of The Horse
By Professor Jing Han
Cultural and Curatorial Advisor of Rochfort Gallery
If you were born in 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, or will be born on or after 17 February 2026, you are or will be a Horse, the Chinese zodiac animal symbolising success, strength, stability, and elegance.
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. The Horse is the seventh in the cycle. In 2026, Lunar New Year falls on February 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse — the Fire Horse.
People born in the Year of the Horse are known for their optimism, energy, perseverance, independent thinking, love of freedom, positive mindset, compassion, and charm. They are excellent communicators, able to engage others in conversation and brighten any atmosphere. Passionate about freedom, they strive to break away from restraints. Highly driven in life and career, they make extraordinary efforts to achieve their goals. Horse people are ideal friends, valued for their candour, fairness, understanding, and empathy. The Horse is most compatible with the Tiger, Goat, and Dog, and less compatible with the Rat, Ox, and Snake—this should not be taken as matchmaking or family-relationship gospel.
Horses tend to be impulsive and make hasty decisions. They are easily swayed and may become impatient. Their reluctance to accept defeat can sometimes come across as stubbornness, or even foolhardiness. When their initial enthusiasm fades, they may give up halfway. Horses also need to be careful that their drive for independence does not alienate them from being cooperative.
According to the Chinese Five Elements Theory, each year is assigned one of five elements—Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, or Earth—in addition to the zodiac animal. These elements add extra personality traits to the zodiac signs. The year 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse. Fire Horses are intelligent, charismatic, lively, and full of enthusiasm, but they can also be stubborn.
Horses’ openness and sociability, combined with their eloquence and strong sense of integrity, make them exceptional leaders and social advocates. They excel as entrepreneurs, artists, writers, musicians, designers, journalists, and pilots. On the other hand, they may struggle in roles as accountants, archivists, or public servants.
The Year of the Horse represents success, vitality, strength, good fortune, prosperity, and opportunities. In Chinese ancient history, horses are crucial in winning battles, which is why they symbolise the key to success and good fortune. Many idioms reflect the important role horses play in human endeavours, such as
马到成功: Upon the horse’s arrival, success is secured.
一马当先: The leading horse charges ahead at the forefront.
老马识途: An old horse knows the way; experience leads the way.
汗马功劳: Great contributions achieved through hard work, as a horse sheds sweat.
There is also a sarcastic idiom, 拍马屁: patting a horse’s backside, meaning to flatter or lick someone’s boots.
Famous Horses include: Frédéric Chopin, Edgar Degas, Igor Stravinsky, Aldous Huxley, Mark Twain, J. D. Salinger, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert Menzies, Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel, Warren Buffett, Joe Biden, Malcolm Turnbull, Neil Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Barbra Streisand, Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Sinéad O’Connor, Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion. Emma Watson, Ang Lee, Jackie Chan.