Wu Zuoren

Author: Zhou Zhaokan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-03-01
Features: Wu Zuo ren's ancestral home is in Jing County, Anhui Province. He was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in 1908 and spent his childhood and youth there. In 1926, he enrolled in the Architecture Department of Suzhou Industrial College. From 1927 to early 1930, he studied at the Shanghai Art University, the National Art Academy, and the Art Department of Nanjing Central University, where he was a student of the renowned painter Xu Beihong and participated in the Southern Art Revolution. In 1930, he went to Europe to study, first enrolling in the école Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and later entering the painting studio of Director Boeschepe at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium. In his second year of study, he won the gold medal and the title of "Crown Student" in the annual summer oil painting competition held by the entire academy. He studied diligently, mastered professional skills, and created a substantial number of oil paintings, demonstrating extraordinary artistic talent. Director Boeschepe praised him as "neither a Flemish painter nor a traditional Chinese artist, but rather an author with a distinct personality." In 1935, he returned to China to teach at the Art Department of Nanjing Central University. During the War of Resistance, the university moved west to Chongqing. In 1938, he led the "War Zone Sketching Group" to the front lines to paint. From 1943 to 1944, he traveled to the regions of Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia to sketch and replicate the murals of the Dunhuang Grottoes. From 1944 to early 1945, he ventured into the Tibetan Plateau, immersing himself in ethnic minority areas to capture diverse landscapes and create numerous sketches, holding multiple exhibitions along the way. After 1946, he spent the rest of his career teaching and leading at the Central Academy of Fine Arts while producing many beloved works. Throughout his over 60-year artistic career, Wu Zuo ren deeply rooted himself in the fertile soil of China's outstanding cultural traditions. With profound talent, comprehensive knowledge of both Eastern and Western arts, and a relentless pursuit of innovation, he adhered to the artistic philosophy of "letting the method evolve from me, and making art serve life." Following the path of "learning from nature and surpassing it," he inherited and developed tradition, pioneering a new style for "Chinese ink painting" and making significant contributions both theoretically and practically. He stands as an outstanding artist and art educator who bridged the past and future in the history of contemporary Chinese art. His works have been exhibited countless times both domestically and internationally, sought after by collectors and museums worldwide. He was invited to lecture, hold solo or group exhibitions, visit, and engage in cultural exchanges across the globe. In 1984, the French Ministry of Culture awarded him the "Grand Cross of Arts and Literature," and in 1986, the King of Belgium bestowed upon him the "Crown of Honor Medal." Wu Zuo ren served as Vice President, Deputy President, and President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as well as Vice President of the China Artists Association. He was elected as a representative to the first to sixth sessions of the National People's Congress and a standing committee member of the sixth session, a standing committee member of the seventh session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and a standing committee member of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, serving as Director of the Cultural Committee. Currently, he is a professor and honorary president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and President of the China Artists Association. This book compiles over 150 of Wu Zuo ren's masterpieces, providing a detailed introduction to his life and artistic journey, along with excerpts from his own writings on art, a chronology of his life, and comments on his paintings by various critics.