2012 is the 105 anniversary of Mountain-and-Water painting artist Zhou Huaimin(周怀民), in this occasion Beijing Fine Art Academy and Wuxi Museum hold the exhibition Mountains and Clouds----Retrospective Exhibition of Zhou Huaimin’s Paintings. The exhibition will be held on 21st Mar. and last to 29th Feb. 2012. About eighty paintings finished after the establishment of People’s Republic of China (from 1950s to 1990s) and selected sketches and photos included in this exhibition, the paintings are major on the theme of Mountain-and-Water. Zhou Huaimin’s art development introduced comprehensively in the exhibition, furthermore, accompany the exhibition Beijing Fine Art Academy also published Mountains and Clouds—Selected Paintings from Zhou Huaimin. The exhibition shows Zhou Huaiming’s art development and makes reasonable appraise of Zhou’s effect on 20th Chinese art history.
The Result of Mountain-and-Water Paintings’ Improvement
Like other Chinese artists, Zhou Huaimin’s art career is major in 20th century. Before the establishment of People’s Republic of China he was famous in painting lake scenery, when he was a student of Wu Jingting(吴镜汀), he insisted on collection and coping the ancient paintings in forbidden city which laid him a solid foundation. After the establishment of People’s Republic of China, Mr.Zhou made a lot of researches on Chinese Mountain-and –Water revolutionary, he went different parts of China to make sketches, such as Gansu, Lingxia, Guang Dong and Fujian. Though sketches Mr.Zhou’s paintings made great improvements on tradition’s heritage and represent Chinese traditional painting’s revolutionary result.
Besides a lot of sketches, the exhibition included Mr.Zhou’s representative paintings such as Spring in South China, Qi Lianshan etc. These paintings depict New China’s landscape in construction, convey a radiant spirit though the changing scenery.
Inherit Traditional Culture
Though responsibility of national culture, Mr.Zhou sticked on ancient paintings’ collection and use these antiques in study and appreciation, though collection he absorbed tradition’s essence and use them in his own painting. Mr.Zhou live a simple life and love his motherland deeply, he sent his paintings as leaders’ gifts for international culture communication and donated a lot for disaster areas. 1984, Mr.Zhou donated his collection to the nation, Wuxi Government established Zhou Huanmin’s Collection Gallery for these paintings. In 1980s, Mr.Zhou’s distinguish action brings high appraise in society.
Inspiration of Chinese Painting’s Revolutionary
Mr.Zhou emphasizes on inherit tradition besides learn from the nature, Chinese painting should be improved after the foundation of New China, especially the Mountain-and-Water paintings was required to depict the construction scenery instead of convey literati’s sentiments. Mr.Zhou succeed in his art style’s transform, he accepted realism painting methods. Mr.Zhou’s paintings, especially in 50s and 60s represented the orientation of Chinese paintings’ revolution which owns distinguished art and academic value. The retrospection during the 105 anniversary of Mr.Zhou will bring us a lot of new inspiration in Chinese paintings’ development in 21 century.
