Modern water painting joins past with present
- By Wu Jin
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E-mail China.org.cn, November 22, 2012
The painting “Home" (家园) of Yan Xinsheng, a member of the China National Artists Association, was simple in its sketch and color.
Painted in shades of black and grey, it contains no sophisticated lines to delineate traditional Chinese signs of beauty, like the lotus, the butterfly or the snail.
The scene he created, depicts the traditional Chinese lifestyle that still occupies an important place in the lives of many-not only those keeping with tradition, but even those taking a more modern or up-to-date approach to their lifestyle. A flower basket sent from Hong Kong would indicate that much.
Yan's calligraphy accompanying the painting, roughly translated as "Year after Year, Farming in the Spring, Herding in the Fall," emphasizes this tone.
His paintings, along with the works of seven other influential artists are now on display at the China National Academy of Painting until November 26.
Organized by the Center of International Strategic Studies of Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, Central Academy of the Fine Arts and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts among others, the exhibition launched a few days after the close of the18th National Congress of the CPC, signaling that cultural development is considered a crucial element for the country's future progress.
"The arts play a significant role in taking the historic responsibility and mission in introducing China's cultures; the exhibition is like a drop of water in the huge network that woven by the role," organizers wrote in a preface featured at the entrance to the exhibition.
Despite their commonalities in using the traditional painting tools like rice paper, Chinese brushes and ink, the styles of the eight artists are starkly different.
There are Li Geng's abstract mountain paintings, in which his dark black strokes depicted towering Chinese mountain vistas, cast in clouds and forested with rustling trees; Yin Canghai's drawing of a much seasoned person's mind is quite unique ― with a typical Chinese cat staring at a long nose inset, whose face looks a little bit like Jerry, the naughty mouse in the US cartoon series "Tom and Jerry".
An Lin's traditional painting, which follows the strict rules of the traditional landscapes, is delicate in his depicting of stone walls and flowers.
Xin Shuyang, a teacher from Yunnan province who attended the exhibition, especially favored An's style.
"[In An's painting], [I feel] he has found his roots and his flesh, he paints the things that belongs to himself," said Xin, who teaches at Xishuangbanna Occupation and Technical School in southern Yunnan. He happened upon the exhibition while attending training at neighboring Capital Normal University.
The exhibition also incorporates a couple of female painters, Huan Xun and Gao Yi. With a combination of scientific precision and the mystique of Chinese traditional art, Huan's drawing of a lotus leave can be interpreted as a neuron or a clouded mountain.
Gao and male painter Huang Huasan's selection in depicting Inner Mongolian life also reveals differences in the inner world of female and male artists. Gao's picture of a family of three generations with the grandmother, mother and son were presented, while, Huang depicted the masculine characters of the nomadic groups.
"It's all about exploration, the exploration to adopt modern language in traditional painting," said an old man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"Arts are eventually the reflection of hearts. And the feelings can only be shared when understanding resonates in different individuals," he said.
Address: China National Academy of Painting, 54 West Third Ring Road, Beijing.
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