The bright moon does not startle the magpies, and the breeze chirps cicadas in the middle of the night.
At the first sight of Chen Yulian's water town ink paintings, the fresh and pleasant eyes like the clear dew of the breeze made people's words and phrases of Mr. Jiaxuan suddenly appear in people's minds.
In the 1980s, a number of Lingnan water town paintings created by young painters from Rongqi in Shunde were exhibited in the Guangdong Provincial Museum, which attracted the attention of the fine arts circles in the province and then the whole country, which can be described as "a hit and a hit".
Chen Yulian studied under Mr. Ye Qiqing, the initiator of Lingnan Water Town Painting, under the guidance of the teacher, in addition to her work, most of her time was spent exploring and excavating the theme of water town, tempering and polishing with pen and ink techniques. Lingnan water town painting pays attention to realism, emphasizes the scene sketching, melting the scenery, Chen Yulian has adhered to this way of creation for decades, traveling all over the water town, looking for the scenery of "a bright eye", and the dry sunset is admirable.
Figure | Chen Yulian sketches
Works rooted in life are full of moving poetry. Compared with the creative style of her peers, Chen Yulian's paintings show her delicacy and lightness.
The painting is like a person, relying on the peaceful and calm temperament, the work purely exudes a timeless and elegant style; endowed with strong nostalgia and tenderness, the realistic scenery and the chest layout are integrated, so that the most familiar dock boats, high bridge tile houses, pond farmland, etc. are the contemporary taoyuan in the minds of the wandering villagers. Therefore, his creation broadens the expressive connotation of water town painting, not only presented as the work of painters who cultivate their feelings, but also becomes a precious historical memory that resonates with a generation.
"Spring Pu Xie Zhou" silk book
90X80cm
Painting is known by people, and painting is discussed by people. Through the dialogue with Chen Yulian, we can better understand and understand the painter's water town style, touch the painter's deep nostalgia, and feel the beauty of art together...
Artistic Dialogue
Q = Guangzhou International Art Fair
A = Chen Yulian
This article is ≈ 12 min to read
The path of painting | watered by talent and sweat
Q: Please tell us about your early experience of contacting and learning painting.
A: I was born in Rongqi Town, Shunde at the end of the 1960s. Due to the family's financial constraints, when I turned five, I began to go out with my mother every day to set up a stall, relying on the income from renting comic strips to support the family. Immersed in the pile of "Little Man Books" for many years, the "Little Man Book" became the enlightenment teacher of painting by loving to see the idea of copying it later and putting it into action. At that time, my family could not afford to buy paper and pencil, so I used bricks and tiles as pens and painted on the floor. In this way, from the initial page to page to copy, until the fragments of the entire "Little Man Book" can be completed. This particular study of painting continued until I was in elementary school.
At that time, we did not have art textbooks, there were few teaching materials for learning art, and it was very difficult to teach ourselves.
"Scrolls of Lotus" Silk
90X82cm
"White Dew" silk book
84X70cm
In the fourth grade of primary school, the school held the "June 1st Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition" for the first time, I copied a character in the "Book of Little People" to send an exhibition, at that time the teacher did not believe that it was the work of primary school students, and also wrote such a criticism in the painting with a red pen: "This painting is not painted by you." Later, the teacher was confirmed by my father, and the school was pleasantly surprised to discover my "talent" for painting. That year, the town held the "Summer Youth Art Class" for the first time, and Teacher Ye Qiqing, who was the deputy director of the Cultural Station of Rongqi Town at the time, taught in the study class, and finally could really "learn art from the teacher"! Later, I joined the "Rongqi Youth Amateur Art Group" hosted by him, and I began a real painting life.
"After School" on paper
Painted in 1985
In the second grade of junior high school, my Chinese painting "Catching Grasshoppers" won the "Collective Award of the 14th Czech International Children's Art Competition in Lidice", which is an unforgettable milestone for me, after all, in the student team of our town, this is the first time in the world that anyone has won an award in an international art project competition! I remember that day, after the teacher saw the news of my award in the newspaper, he rode his bicycle back to school to inform me. I was in the evening study class when I heard this good news and froze, both surprised and excited, many scenes instantly appeared in my mind, I remembered the teaching and help of my mentors and painting friends, I remembered my parents who silently supported me behind my back, I remembered the hardships I suffered for painting, I was trembling with excitement, and tears came out of my eyes... Perhaps because of this experience, to this day, whenever I see the athletes on the podium with tears in their eyes, I am very touched and understand them: the brilliant moment in front of people contains the endless sweat and hard work paid by people!
"New Voices of the Forest" Silk Book
In the third grade of junior high school, my painting "Noisy Sea" won the "Certificate Award of the 7th International Youth Art Exhibition in Finland", and I became the first person to win a foreign painting competition in Rongqi Town for two consecutive years. There was another interesting thing that year: due to the misunderstanding of the registration conditions, I submitted the second draft of "Noisy Sea" to the painting competition for working art teachers in the province, and I did not expect that this work was actually selected for exhibition! Later, the staff verified that I was only a junior high school student and did not meet the requirements for the status of the contestants, so I could not issue the certificate of selection, but I was still very excited, because this was another compliment and affirmation of my painting level!
"Noisy Sea" on paper
Winner of the "Certificate of Award for the 7th International Youth Art Exhibition in Finland"
"Flower Picture" Silk book
90X83cm
Painted in 1991
I love painting from the bottom of my bones and have been studying hard without sleeping or eating. In the year I graduated from high school, my painting "Spring Drawing" was selected for the "Four Seasons of China" art exhibition jointly sponsored by the China Artists Association and the Japan Kyodo News Agency, won the "Bronze Award", and was collected by the Japan Art Museum. At the age of 19, I was honored to join the Guangdong Artists Association, becoming the youngest member of the Guangdong Artists Association at that time.
"Sowing Spring" Silk
Lingnan water town painting | is nostalgia, but also history
Q: Knowing that you mainly create around the water town of Shunde, why do you love this subject?
A: I am a native of Shunde, born and raised in Sisi, and I am familiar with the customs and customs of Shunde, which is one of the important reasons why I chose "Lingnan Water Town Painting" as the theme. In my lifetime, I have been fortunate to have visited Guan Shanyue, Li Xiongcai, Yang Shanchen, Brother Liao Bing, Mr. Lin Fengguo, and have also received the words and deeds of a large number of famous painters such as my mentor, Teacher Ye Qiqing. Gentlemen have an upright, sincere and persistent attitude towards learning, and I often listen to their academic opinions and teachings, and use them as models to regulate and correct their behavior from time to time.
"Bamboo Rhymes and Lotus Winds" Silk Book
110X70cm
In the mid-1980s, Mr. Guan Shanyue, chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Artists Association, visited Rong Gui many times to inspect our study and living conditions, and eagerly encouraged us to determine the name of the school of "Lingnan Water Town Painting" for us. I remember once Liao Lao said with a heavy heart: "You are right to choose to paint 'Lingnan Water Town Painting', in the past, you can see rural scenery everywhere in Guangzhou, but now it has become a big city, and you can't find the village scenery of that year." You must seize the time to sketch more, use fine art works to record the original ecological scenery of Lingnan, in the future people will have to find memories in your paintings, which is deeply rooted in the heart of the nostalgia, but also the record of history, these are not only fine art works, but more importantly, historical materials! "It is precisely because of these words of affirmation and encouragement from Elder Liao that we have firmly crawled on the country road of painting in the water town for decades. The famous writer Cen Sang also wrote an article titled "Country Road to the World" dedicated to the Lingnan Water Town Painting School. Under the care and guidance and affirmation of many gentlemen, I walked on this humble "country road" without hesitation, and firmly explored the "Lingnan Water Town Painting".
"Banjiang Bridge" Silk book
98X85cm
About painting | techniques, emotions and thoughts
Q: Your works have the elegant poetry of traditional Chinese paintings, as well as the light and shadow effects of some Western paintings. How you deal with the relationship between tradition and the contemporary in your creations, can you give us an example?
A: As a female painter, I see things and experience life through a woman's perspective. I have a strong interest in Song Dynasty painting and European and Japanese modern painting, and the charm of these painting schools and the vastness or delicacy of the pictures have greatly inspired me. I have also visited famous mountains and rivers all over the country, visited art galleries, museums, and stone caves to observe and study, and also visited many European countries to enjoy world famous paintings at close range.
My painting style: delicate, gentle and atmospheric. My works have traditions, especially in terms of artistic conception and connotation, and absorb the technical effects of watercolor paintings, prints, New Year paintings, decorative paintings and other paintings, and have a modern sense of expression. In the long-term practice of scene creation, the hammer forged a more neat, realistic and flexible painting language. As for the relationship between tradition and contemporary in the creation, such as the work "Green Alley", it uses the focal perspective of Western painting, and also uses light and shadow, giving people a kind of natural and visual impact, and the picture also has the idyllic elegance and softness of traditional Chinese painting.
"Xiao Xiang Tu" silk book
83X69cm
Q: What emotions and thoughts do you mainly convey in your creations?
A: I am a "bitter school", usually talk less, like to think. Sometimes when I see the scene of the heart, I am often excited by the passion in my heart, and I keep thinking and thinking carefully. I will pay more attention to how to give the painting thoughts and emotions, how to give all the feelings to the painting. I expect my work to have substance that resonates with and provokes the viewer to think.
Some subjects I will create many times over and over again, there seems to be an inexhaustible heartfelt feeling for the subject, and each re-creation has enabled me to explore a newer and better mood. This is true of works such as "Flower Story", "Stage", "Shocking Fish", "Green Alley" and so on.
"Red Makeup" silk
80X40cm
My favorite work is "Flower Story". I have created three works of different names on this subject, spanning four years. I'm constantly making purification improvements on the picture. During the Spring Festival, people in the Pearl River Delta like to plant peach blossoms in their homes, which means that the new year's career is grand and grand, and it is a festive and auspicious meaning to pray for good fortune. However, behind the beauty and festivities, the hard work and silent efforts of the laborers are often ignored, and I hope that through my own paintings, everyone can see the hardships and efforts of the laborers. Teacher Ye Qiqing once wrote a poem for my work: "The wind supports the rain and rakes, a sweat and a flower, and diligently pours out three thousand trees, turning into a spring breeze into thousands of homes." ”
"Flying Bridge Hidden Smoke" Silk Book
98X96cm
In 1996, I held a personal exhibition at the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing, I remember that one day during the exhibition, Professor Ye Yuzhong of the Central Academy of Fine Arts came to visit at the invitation of painters from adjacent pavilions, and when passing by my exhibition room, Professor Ye, who wanted to come in at will to see and leave at a glance, was attracted by my paintings, stayed for more than an hour, and invited his painters to turn around in a hurry, but did not dare to urge.
In 2016, after a lapse of 20 years, I held a solo exhibition at Water Cube in Beijing, and was the first female painter to hold a solo exhibition at Water Cube. Some experts commented, "After twenty years of hard work, Chen Yulian has lived up to expectations, and her works are full of perception of nature, understanding of life, and strong local feelings." "The work embodies her spirituality, her understanding, and melts into her emotional intelligence and intelligence." Some commentators said more vividly: "Two solo exhibitions, from the Imperial Palace to the Water Cube, the distance is not far, but Chen Yulian has walked for twenty years, how difficult it is!" It can be said that a small step in the art path, a big step in life! ”
Since 1996, I have also held many solo exhibitions in many places in Guangdong, and what is particularly gratifying and "sense of achievement" is that no matter where I hold the exhibition, everywhere I go, I have set off a "boom" of attention to Lingnan water town painting.
"Bright Moon Branches" Silk Book
Lingnan water town painting | unique significance
Q: What do you think is the role of painting in the current social environment?
A: We can't go back to the past, but we can learn about the past from the picture. I hope that people of different nationalities and all young people will understand China through the "Lingnan Water Town Painting", understand the hot land of Lingnan, understand the customs and customs of this land, understand the people living in Lingnan, and understand the history of the changes in the humanities and social development of this land. I hope that the painting path of "Lingnan Water Town Painting" can be broader and can be familiar and loved by more people, and I hope that "Lingnan Water Town Painting" can step out of the country and go to the world.
"Fishing Creek Listening to the Rain" Silk Book
In addition to the painter| a sense of social responsibility
Q: What are your hobbies and interests in painting?
A: The goal I have pursued all my life is to be able to grow, innovate, and make breakthroughs in the art path. I believe that all sincere literary and artistic works must be sent out with feeling, and they are all true, good, and beautiful. Usually, in addition to racing against the clock to create art, in fact, there is no time to take care of other interests and hobbies. If you must search, there may be a sense of social responsibility like a "chain reaction", that is: in recent years, I have paid more attention to the excavation, cultivation and support of the reserve force of Lingnan water town painting. I often squeeze out time as much as possible to go deep into schools, communities, and special institutions to teach painting for free, and I have conducted two years of teaching and counseling for the "Ronggui Art Teacher Professional Growth Class"; I have used the summer vacation time to train the children of employees in art courses, which has improved the artistic accomplishment of teachers, students and government units.
Silk book
Artist Profile
Brief introduction
Chen Yulian, female, from Shunde, Guangdong. He is currently a director of the Guangdong Provincial Artists Association, a director of the Guangdong Chinese Painting Society, the vice chairman of the Foshan Artists Association, a director of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Fine Arts Alliance, a director of the China Pastoral Landscape Painting Institute, and a member of the China Women's Calligraphy and Painting Association. He has held many solo exhibitions at the Imperial Palace in Beijing, Beijing Water Cube, Foshan, Zhongshan, Shunde and other places in Guangdong. Many of his works have been selected or awarded in domestic and international art exhibitions, and have been collected by art museums, government agencies and individual collectors at home and abroad. He has published "Chen Yulian Painting Collection", "Chinese Fine Art Chen Yulian Pastoral Water Town Painting Collection", "Color Ink World Chen Yulian Pastoral Water Town Works Selection".
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