Jin Yucheng & Lu Yuanmin: From blossoming to Suzhou Creek

Photo by Kim Woo-cheng (right) and Lu Yuanmin Gu Yu

Beijing, January 17 (China News Network) (Reporter Gao Kai) "Jin Yucheng & Lu Yuanmin This River Old Shadow - From Flowers to Suzhou Creek" exhibition recently opened. This exhibition covers more than 150 prints created by Jin Yucheng in recent years and Lu Yuanmin's photographic works.

According to curator Chen Rui, although the two artists have different fields, their respective works are mutually referenced and fitted in terms of core and spirit. Both gentlemen are "old Shanghai" and have a common background of growth, and even many of their life trajectories overlap. "If we look at their artistic creations and artistic resumes, we will find a lot of similarities and commonalities." Chen Rui said that for example, "Blossoming Flowers" is a name used by both Lu Yuanmin and Jin Yucheng, one has left a special image memory of Shanghai with a lens, and the other has used words to present the city of Shanghai in the second half of the twentieth century.

Suzhou Creek is also the object of common concern of the two artists. Lu Yuanmin has taken a lot of images about Suzhou Creek, and "Suzhou Creek" has become his most famous series. "These works may not only move us with nostalgic meanings, nor just Lu Yuanmin's unique and delicate artistic perspective and observation, but more importantly, it can evoke a beautiful distant vision and nostalgia unique to that past era."

Suzhou Creek also runs through Jin Yucheng's novel "Flowers", including "a trace of Suzhou Creek moisture in the wind" in the preface to "Husheng knows Xiao Mao and goes to Suzhou Creek to play", to "Suzhou Creek boat to Huzhou" appears many times in the middle, and finally "Husheng and Ah Bao pass by the Suzhou River to hear Huang An's song - it looks like a Mandarin duck butterfly / the age that should not be". The river seems to have a different kind of connection to Jin Yucheng, and his first novel is called "The Lost River", "I often hear him talk about his hometown of Suzhou Lili, next to a Jiangnan water town in Shanghai, adjacent to a large river called The Taipu River, connecting the Taihu Lake and the Huangpu River, and also connecting reality and imagination." Chen Rui said. It is reported that Lu Yuanmin's photography collection "Suzhou Creek" is about to be republished, and the preface uses Jin Yucheng to describe the Suzhou River text, and named it "The Old Shadow of this River", and the main title of this exhibition is also used.

The exhibition is produced by Place M, a 34-year-old photography gallery founded in 1987 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, by Moriyama Avenue and Masato Seto. Li Yidi, founder of Place M China and planner of this exhibition, said that the planning of this exhibition stemmed from his love for the novel "Blossoms", "Anyone who has seen the novel "Blossoms" knows that Jin Yucheng's writing is cold and full of silent silence, but his paintings are full of different scenes. ”

Jin Yucheng's painting creation began in 2012, almost synchronously with the "Blossoms" novel, the earliest works are four illustrations created for the novel - the map of old Shanghai in memory, the purpose is only to help readers solve the context of "the passage of time caused by the lack of literary expectations", but for more than ten years, through special expression and enthusiasm for painting, he has created hundreds of works and held solo exhibitions many times, which are not only sought after by literary lovers, but also fully recognized by the art community.

This exhibition presents a different artistic perception and experience through Jin Yucheng's prints and Lu Yuanmin's photographic works, leaving more room for the viewer's imagination.

It is reported that the exhibition also specially produced a limited edition pictorial and postcard, and the exhibition will last until March 30, 2022. (End)