Amongst innermost art circles worldwide, one of the most hotly debated topics is China. Thanks to an unprecedented economic boom, the country’s contemporary-art industry has likewise expanded, allowing its artists’ works to rank among the country’s most valuable exports. Yet, to most in the western world, the Chinese contemporary art scene, much like the country itself, remains a mystery - one which artist Hugo Tillman is in the process of uncovering.

The British-born artist has spent two years in Beijing, immersing himself in the cultural psyche: “The country went from the most communist to the most capitalist in one generation. It’s happening so fast, nobody can figure out what is going on," Tillman says of China’s ever-expanding artist communities (like Ai Wei Wei’s influential compound, 798) and exorbitantly priced work. In an attempt to better understand his adopted surroundings, Tillman interviewed top contemporary Chinese artists like Ai Wei Wei, Wang Guangyi, Ling Jian, Chen Wenling, and Cao Fei about their childhoods, private fantasies and personal philosophies. Tillman then constructed sets based on these interviews in hopes of revealing the artists’ desires, traumas and secrets. Finally, he photographed his subjects within these fabricated realms -- the fruits of which are the photographic series, Film Stills of the Mind, currently on view at LA's DF2 Gallery. We caught up with Tillman just before the opening this past Saturday to get some of his thoughts:

What inspired you to move to China, and what were your first impressions of the art scene?
I was very aware of the hype of Chinese art [though] I didn’t understand the subject matter. All of that intrigued me. There’s a growing community of Western artists in Beijing. I found the community extremely welcoming. China is the dominant power, there is a hell of a lot happening, and we’re seeing a polarization of the focus on it. All of the western governments have been commissioning studies of Chinese contemporary art. Ironically, this research will be used for marketing purposes. Nike has commissioned a massive study to contribute to an ad campaign for use during the Olympic period. Beatrice Leinea is a western thinker, and the best scholar on the matter.

What kind of success can young western artists expect to achieve in the Chinese art scene?
None. People are not interested in what western artists are doing there, because the market is hot for Chinese artists. It’s a great place for westerners to make work, but actually selling it isn’t happening there.

Are Chinese collectors paying the same exorbitant prices for Chinese art that western collectors are?
They are beginning to. Sometimes more.

Whose work are Chinese collectors purchasing?
The market focuses on a certain group of painters that are priced from the mid-hundred-thousands to the millions. Some are masters in Chinese history, like Wang Guangyi. Zhang Xiaogang is famous for family portraits. Zengfan Zhi, Yue Min Jun, and Feng Lijen- those are the core of the painters. They are going on, but not in the gallery scene. They are not dealt with critically. It's already happened. Artists that are happening now are Cao Fei, who had a piece in the Venice Biennale; and Liu Wei, who is the trendiest artist creating important installations. You need to make a lot of money in Beijing to keep up. There is competition as to how much you have sold for, how big your studio is, what car you’re driving. An unbelievable situation is happening. The real moment happened between 1993 and 1998. It was the pinnacle of everything that had been building up since. The star group was in 1979, a starting date for Chinese contemporary art. Then you have the Robert Rauschenberg show in the mid 1989, which brought conceptual art to China. It was a pivotal movement.

What do young Chinese artists think of the acceptance of their work in the western world?
The market is desperate for anything Chinese. The demand far outweighs the supply, which drives up the prices. It’s so hard to get work. The market is very quick to digest the emerging artist. You have dealers going to universities. You have auction houses commissioning young artists’ works. It’s very attractive to the younger generation. They are trying to understand their identity. The dominant discourse has been on urban expansion. 80% of the world's cranes are in China. These discussions exist only among Chinese artists.

Are a lot of young Chinese artists going abroad to capitalize on their works’ worth, or is it more important to study and work in China?
At this point, I would say it is better to stay in China. At present the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou are the most stimulating and experimental institutions that I have ever seen. Also the world wants Mainland Chinese artists, not hyphenated Chinese.

What kind of longevity do the Chinese allot this contemporary art phenomenon?
There is a strong belief in China and the rest of the world that the market has a great deal to grow as the mainland collectors are just beginning to buy. Another factor here is the Olympics, which has different profound meanings for the Chinese. This energy will propel the truly contemporary generation into the international arena armed with art forms and content that will change the world. A great person to watch is curator Li Zhenhua.

How was Film Stills of the Mind received when it debuted this summer in Beijing?
The response was outstanding. All the artists I collaborated with loved the show, the press all featured it, and I gained a lot of respect within the community.

One very influential artist that you featured is Ai Wei Wei. Why is he referred to as "the Godfather"?
Ai Wei Wei is the son of an important poet and comes from an intellectual background. He is also an antique dealer. This is very much kept in the background, but it is a big business. Years ago he went off to NY with a few other artists; they had no money, but began this group. When they went back to China they got signed with Robert Miller and got huge. He does very confrontational pieces - a photo of his middle finger pointed at the White House, or, another image that got attention globally, featured him taking a Ming vase and dropping it. There was videotape of it. At the first Shanghai Biennale he refused to be a part of it and he created a satellite Biennial called Fuck You at his compound. It’s always about fuck you. He’s intimidating, but when you know him, he is a big teddy bear.

~Sara Costello