Zhang Ding, renowned Chinese artist, educator, professor of Tsinghua University and president of the former Central Academy of Art and Design, passed away on Feb.21, 2010 at the age of 94.
As he said, the master experienced ups and downs with the destiny of the motherland but never stay away from the artistic affairs all his life. He was greatly accomplished in various categories, such as comics, designs, Chinese New Year pictures, decorations, murals, cartoons, pure inks and calligraphy. His works of different fields enriched the aesthetic vision of the visual art. He was a great artist who achieved substantial realm through understanding.
During his 80-year-long artistic journey, Zhang Ding had made outstanding achievements in each key period. In the 1930s, he devoted himself to rescuing the nation as a cartoonist; enjoyed high praise from the predecessors in the respect of designs after entering Yan’an and was reputed to be “modern” in Yan’an. After New China establishment in 1949, He took charge of the design work of the founding ceremony of New China and the Great Hall of the People, designed to construct Huairen Hall and Qinzheng Palace, and was responsible for the layout of Tiananmen Square and New China’s first set of commemorative stamps. He once led the team of designing the national emblem by the Central Academy of Fine Arts. During the 1950s, Zhang was a pioneer of art displays. From 1951 to 1957, he was the major designer of China’s pavilions at expositions held in Leipzig, Prague, Moscow and Paris.
Zhang Ding, an educator of artistic design, put forward to develop the modern Chinese art and establish independent value of artistic education through borrowing extensively from traditional Chinese art and folk art and all the advanced and modern alien culture. In 1954, he initiated an activity of sketch practice along with Li Keran and Luo Ming in order to encourage the sketch practice of the traditional Chinese painting. He developed a new style of creation by going deep into life and nature and became one of the pioneers to promote the transformation of the contemporary Chinese landscape paintings.
Since the reform and the opening up, Zhang Ding has devoted himself into cultural construction of the new period with enthusiasm. He promoted the revitalization of China’s mural by painting a mural for the Beijing Capital International Airport. In later life, he traveled mountains and hills and finally developed the pure-ink technique that existed since ancient times into a complete set of independent artistic language. His efforts brought about remarkable achievements and provided new space and new vision of the landscape art. His pure-ink masterpieces took great advantage of the culture-loaded language as good examples of turning its limitation to pure attainment. His works, featuring powerful structure and smoothness with good combination of softness and strength, boast the beauty of power, simplicity and sentiment.
Zhang Ding, a legend in the art circle with sacred responsibility and lofty spiritual pursuit, made a contribution to promoting theoretical exploration based on inclusive artistic practice and pushing forward the sustainable development based on creative theories. He left numerous spiritual fortune and artistic legacy and deserved the respect from the public for his remarkable achievements, legendary life and lofty mind.
Zhang Ding boasts upright and noble characters. Five years ago, the National Art Museum of China held an exhibition of his artistic achievements and he donated a total of 133 works to the museum then. In order to commemorate the master, the museum holds this exhibition out of his donation.
Eternal glory to Zhang Ding and his artistic spirit!
