Chen Guangming presents his realist treatment of the harsh everyday working lives of Tibetan coal miners in a series of 22 oil paintings.

“One of China’s Top 10 oil painters,” as lauded by curator Shao Da Qian, Chen invites us to discover the result of his on-the-spot visual impressions of his visits to the inhospitable and remote mines, in his quest to capture the essence of their livelihoods.

Hardened, poorly-paid, low-status, blackened faces are juxtaposed with unlikely vibrancy, optimism and humor of the human spirit reflecting Chen’s deeply moving experiences of the miners’ simple, unadorned lives.

Confrontational portraits, closely cropped, unembellished, raw surfaces and textures, calligraphy like brush strokes and heavy impasto, forceful yet harmonious use of color and hue manifest Chen’s striking skill of encapsulating the unfamiliar spirit of his subjects from a dark corner of the world in his canvases. Lament is not aim of our experience of this work, rather a recognition of the miners’ fortitude, perseverance, and their societal contributions, also our social responsibility to them.

“Emerging from dark mines, they (the miners) feel re-born and value this sensation. In the grey and black environment of the miners, I seek colors, harmony and contrasts showing their changing inner worlds. I aim to generate impact and shock, which I hope inspires more care and protection for these workers,” said the artist.

Chen Guang Ming, born in inner-Mongolia in 1954, began painting in the early 1980s, exhibiting since 1982, graduating from the Xu Bei Hong Studio at the Central Institute of Fine Arts in China; his works are in collections in the United States, Europe, Singapore and China.

-Wellington Gallery

Image: © Chen Guangming