Bǐ Mò Huì Dào: The First High Research Class of the China Academy of Painting, Zhan Gengxi Studio Exhibition Catalog

Author: Wang Xiaohui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: As a guide for personal spirit, Chinese painting has long occupied a position that other art forms find difficult to attain. Before the introduction of Western-style easel painting to the Chinese, across the vast rivers and lush southern regions, Chinese painting was revered. The so-called reforms, whether the "splashing water and powder" technique of the Lingnan School or the symbolic emphasis consistently upheld by the Shanghai School, broadly speaking, have merely engaged in minor repairs, failing to achieve constructive breakthroughs. We have too many empty words to prove that art has no absolute height, but none dare deny the ultimate limit of that height. At its core, it is also the limit of an artist's character and taste, and true personal charm is something that cannot be imitated or replicated. However, with the shift in the relationship between humans and objects; with the friction between ink and wash lines and linseed oil, sensory perception; and with the introduction of new expressive forms such as photography and installation art, Chinese painting has emerged with another layer of discourse significance. Many artists directly impose their perspectives and symbols into their works, boldly breaking the traditional boundaries between freehand brushwork and meticulous painting, as well as between abstraction and representation. Whether these approaches are viable is debatable, but it is undeniable that these attempts and efforts have breathed new life into Chinese painting.