Character volume - Complete Collection of Contemporary Chinese Art (2)

Author: Liu Dawei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: In the world of painting, Chinese figure painting is an independent system with a long history and unique value. It has experienced the brilliance of meticulous brushwork during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the heyday of ink wash painting during the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, and the decline in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Over the long course of history, it gradually developed its own conventions. Since the reform and opening-up, Chinese figure painting has undergone fundamental changes since the founding of the country and has seen an unprecedented revival, forming a new landscape in the Chinese art world with "meticulous brushwork and ink wash painting working in harmony, and colorful and inked brilliance." Artists have maintained the creative spirit of the 1950s and 1960s, which was close to life, embraced nature, and focused on the times. They have actively explored and broken through in subjective feelings, expression of inner worlds, perfection of artistic language and techniques, and the development of artistic personality, thus opening up new fields in themes, artistic techniques, and tools and materials, demonstrating a vibrant and diverse vitality. In terms of the overall development of contemporary figure painting, whether it is meticulous brushwork or ink wash painting, realism remains the mainstream of figure painting creation. However, compared to the realism at the beginning of the founding period, it has become more prominent in the tendency of expressionism, where brushwork, after completing the interpretation of three-dimensional forms, enters a more free, diverse, and personalized context. A large number of rising figure painters indicate that the future of Chinese figure painting is limitless. In the process of using the consciousness of modern Chinese people to choose and promote tradition while absorbing Western painting, they have steadily moved towards modernity. Their remarkable achievements not only far surpass those of their predecessors but are also more powerful and vigorous overall, demonstrating a vigorous vitality. The Complete Collection of Contemporary Chinese Art: Figure Painting is divided into two volumes and is arranged in chronological order by the birth years of the painters, including 661 works by 62 influential artists active in the contemporary art scene. From it, we can glimpse the highest level and overall style of contemporary figure painting, as well as fully understand the artistic characteristics and individual creativity of each painter, making it significant for academic research and promoting the development of figure painting.