▲ "Angels turn decay into magic here"
[Bangladesh] Nargis Poly
Acrylic on canvas 223.5×155cm
In 2021
The healing of art
□ Chen Yin
Qing poetry has clouds: "Moss flowers are as small as rice, and they also learn to bloom peonies." "Compared with industry and agriculture, science and technology, economy and trade and other industries, art can only be regarded as a small flower, but it is also equally open." In the big garden of the global village, it can sometimes play a role that the "big flower" cannot play, although this role affects the surface is not large, but this "noodle" must also have. Art is an innate and natural and effective way of expression for human beings, and the British philosopher Alain de Botton said: "If art is regarded as a healing, solutions can be found to many of life's problems." ”
▲ "Hardship and Hope"
[Indonesia] Rutheri
Composite material 144×177cm
In 2020
Since the global outbreak of the new crown epidemic in early 2020, the spirit of people around the world to help each other, watch out for each other, fight the epidemic and save lives can be sung and wept, and art works are undoubtedly the most intuitive expression and presentation of this spirit of the times. In February this year, the Beijing Winter Olympics, held in the world's first "City of Two Olympics", lit up the light of life, which symbolizes peace, fraternity and light, and increased the courage to fight, the strength of unity and the hope for the future. For living individuals, in the face of the invasion of the virus, movement is the most basic way to maintain their state of life. The Olympic concept of higher, faster, stronger and more united makes the Olympic flame radiate a strong flame of life, and also reflects a huge spiritual force for mankind to defeat the epidemic. The 2022 China Beijing International Art Biennale, held with the theme of "Light of Life", was launched in the above two contexts and was officially listed as a city cultural activity by the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee. Sport is the bright light of life, art is the bright color of life, "The Light of Life" (The Light of Life), covering the Olympic spirit and the anti-epidemic spirit, the two are highly compatible, and epitomize the value, dignity, strength and brilliance of human life. The light of life not only reflects the light of human nature in human society, but also embodies the ideological light of the Olympic spirit, and at the same time presents the artistic light of fine art works. Compared with before, this exhibition has great and far-reaching social significance, and the hundreds of excellent works selected from nearly 10,000 works around the world are undoubtedly a warm and powerful artistic healing for the human society deeply affected by the new crown epidemic.
▲"Towards the Light"
[France] Chantal Andrea Bartelmi
Oil on canvas, 105×154cm
In 2021
Igniting the "Light of Life" of the Times
Under the background of the covid-19 pandemic in most countries and regions around the world, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese society has made great achievements in fighting the epidemic, and a safe, orderly and vibrant social environment has not only ensured the smooth holding of this international exhibition, but also fully demonstrated the fruitful results achieved by the Chinese people and the people of all countries in fighting the epidemic. Under the unfavorable conditions of the new crown epidemic, this year's Beijing International Art Biennale has submitted articles from as many as 124 countries and regions, which have been widely respected, recognized and praised by artists around the world. The author saw at the exhibition site that a small number of foreign works could not be present due to the epidemic and other reasons, and the exhibition was played on a loop through the electronic display screen of the art museum, and the special exhibition method was transmitted to the audience with a different kind of documentary color, which also made the exhibition appear more real, rich and complete. 707 works by 573 artists from 117 countries and regions were exhibited on the spot, creating the record of the largest offline international exhibition held since the epidemic, the largest number of participating countries, regions, numbers and exhibits, the extraordinary volume and scale can be called an "Olympic Of Art", the Biennale and the Winter Olympics, together ignited the "light of life" in the cold winter, led people to understand the Olympic spirit and the concept of the Beijing Winter Olympics from the perspective of art, and built a bridge between Chinese art and world culture dialogue.
▲"Light of Hope"
[India] Lakshman Prasad
Acrylic on canvas 74×120cm
In 2021
Focusing on the theme of "Light of Life", the exhibited works adopt a variety of artistic expressions such as painting, sculpture, installation, and video, pursue a new and unique and colorful contemporary art style, carefully shape a pure and noble soul, and show the common ideal of "cleaner, more humane and more united".
Celebrating the "Olympic Light" of Life
The spirit of the Olympic Movement is people-oriented, as the art of art biennale, is the pursuit of art to explore people's aesthetic instincts, the relationship between sports, art and the light of life, reflecting that sports is the strong light of life, art is the bright color of life, and the inspiration of art shines with the brilliant brilliance of life.
The integration of sports and art is the proper meaning of the modern Olympic spirit. The famous ancient Greek sculpture "Discus Thrower" is a symbol of strength and beauty. Modern Olympic pioneer Coubertin said: "Sport must create beauty and provide opportunities for beauty." It creates beauty because it creates living sculptures— athletes; it offers opportunities for beauty because it brings beauty through architecture, scenes, and celebrations. ”
▲ "Countdown to 500 Days"
[Ukraine] Demitreko Mikola
Oil on canvas 200×208cm
In 2021
Russian painter Olga Schvedeskaya's oil painting "Morning Swimmer", with soft brushwork, soothing tones, depicts the scene of two Russian women swimming in the morning, the figures in the painting are dressed in white swimsuits, swimming horizontally towards the left and right sides, through the change of body dynamics, the body images of the two characters form a perfect combination relationship on the entire picture, showing the elegant, healthy, positive human body beauty and sports beauty, while through delicate facial expression and detailed portrayal, The aesthetic mood of the work is further strengthened.
▲"Tiny Beginning"
[Zimbabwe] Numazamo Preersi Debel
Acrylic on canvas 68×87cm
In 2021
Chinese painter Xie Guangyue's work "Upward" depicts the different postures of ski competitors in the air and gliding upwards, and the composition of the picture pays attention to the blank layout, looking for subtle changes in its color and space in the constantly overlapping shapes, so that it has the spirit of the times of upward progress. The work is not only a cheer for Olympic athletes, but also a drum and a call for the close connection of human destiny under the epidemic. Li Hongjun's large-scale themed Chinese painting "Light of Life" with the theme of "Winter Olympics" adopts a grand composition of time and space, and depicts many characters related to the Winter Olympics with heavy brushwork and color expression, highlighting the spirit of unity and fraternity in building a community with a shared future for mankind. Liu Qing's sculpture "Eternity of Moments", the life-size scale "solidifies" the moment when the disabled swimmer prepares to jump into the pool. The form of the monument expresses "quiet and greatness", and the classical sculptural language is extremely artistically appealing, highlighting the brilliance of human nature. The sculpture work "Prometheus and Father Kwa" by Huang Benkai and Wang Weining is quite symbolic in the realistic image of the knife carved and axe. Shi Zhongying and Ren Shikun's sculpture Flying on snowy mountains uses highly generalized abstract techniques to show the image of skiers flying in the snowy mountains, showing their heroic posture of working the ice and snow field and chasing the dawn of spring.
The "light of humanity" under the epidemic
What role does art play in healing psychological wounds? This proposition continues to be raised at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping the world. In fact, in the face of disaster, artists have never stayed out of the matter, but have continued to update their forms of expression and intervene in society with a more positive attitude.
▲ "New Life Unites for Peace"
[Peru] Augusto García Penalva
Oil on canvas 145×170cm
In 2020
The domestically selected Olympic theme and anti-epidemic theme of this exhibition account for half of each, while the more than 500 works selected internationally are the most anti-epidemic themes, and the oil painting "Light of Life" by Belarusian artist Surayeva Natalia depicts a large tree with a lot of red ribbons tied against the background of Chinese court architecture, taking the tree as the embodiment of life and peace, integrating into the Chinese prayer tradition of tying red ribbons, praying for mankind to be free from various tribulations. Indonesian painter Rutheri's oil painting Hardship and Hope depicts a weary-faced health care worker with a blue globe around his hands, alluding to the beautiful vision of guarding the human homeland. There are also works such as the oil painting "Light of Life" by Iraqi painter Saman Abbecil Said, and the acrylic work on canvas by Ecuadorian artist Giorgio Perucachi, "Light of Hope IV", all of which express people's thoughts and emotions of eagerness to defeat the epidemic. The forms and perspectives of domestic artists to express anti-epidemic themes are more diverse, from medical staff to ordinary people, from home-based anti-epidemic to life rescue, including characters, events and scenes such as the recovery of production and life after dynamic zeroing, the artist uses a series of timeless works to let people remember a series of severe terms such as "social distancing", "nucleic acid testing" and "home", and also hints that we should think about our harmonious relationship with nature and how art can make due contributions to the changes in social life. In front of these dignified and contemplative works, the viewer's ears seem to ring in the ears of the timeless lines of poetry written by the Indian poet Tagore in his Asuka Collection: "The world kisses my soul with pain, and I will respond with song." ”
The "Light of Art"
It can be seen from previous international art exhibitions that the subject matter, performance and form of the exhibited works are often diverse, with huge differences, and the free expression of individuals has always occupied the mainstream position. This biennale can be said to be an exhibition that unites people's hearts and strength, although the appearance of the works is very different, but the ideological connotations presented in the works - the anti-epidemic spirit, the Olympic spirit and the artistic spirit - have formed an unprecedented unity under the artist's pen, and the broad interpretation connotation and expression space contained in the "Light of Life" also make the works in this exhibition the closest to the theme.
▲ "Light of Hope IV"
[Ecuador] Giorgio Perucachi
Acrylic on canvas 130×120cm
In 2020
In fact, tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors were able to express their state of mind through art, painting murals in caves to express their reverence for nature. In the history of art, there is no shortage of stories that use artistic creation to resolve adversity and suffering. The Mexican female painter Frida Caro spent her life in physical pain. She integrates many difficulties in her life, as well as her thoughts on emotions, life, and the natural universe, into her paintings, not only highlighting her unique feminine beauty, but also obtaining the order and self-healing of life from it. The most important work of Edward Munch, a pioneer of modern expressionist painting, The Scream, is a true portrayal of his life course and inner world. Facing and facing, loss and love, brokenness and reconstruction, these meanings of life, common themes, artists use different materials, forms and techniques to express common themes, explain the meaning of life.
▲ "Heroic Horns"
Wu Lusheng
Acrylic on canvas 210×270cm
In 2021
In the oil painting "Towards the Light" by French artist Chantal Andrea Barthélemy, three young girls of different skin colors and dressed in different costumes, some wearing masks and veils, some holding torches, walk together towards the light not far away, and the brilliant light reflects on the faces of the girls, revealing their melancholy, calm and expectant expressions. In the focus of the bright light, is an athlete who crosses the five rings of the Olympic Games and takes off with his body upwards, this work integrates the anti-epidemic, the Olympic Games and art, connects the anti-epidemic image with the Olympic image, and shows that mankind has experienced the dark period of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and gradually moved towards a bright and beautiful future of life. The light of hope relieves people's tense visual nerves, and the beautiful girl image brings people comfort and healing to their hearts, which has a strong practical significance. Chinese painter Wang Guanjun's Chinese painting "Light of Life" uses traditional Chinese painting brush techniques to express the harmonious concept of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures, and emits the light of life. The picture is vivid and vivid, showing the fusion of realism and romanticism. From the distinctive use of white lines, we can see the Olympic ideal of "cleaner, more humane and more united".
In addition to the traditional painting on the shelf and sculpture plastic art, other art categories such as video and installation are also exciting. "The appeal of art transcends time and space and national boundaries, and condenses the common pursuit of beauty by human beings." This is particularly vivid in some sculptural works.
▲"Restart"
[Italy] Giuliano Gretini
Oil on canvas 140×200cm
In 2021
The more than 700 works selected for this biennale fully reflect the yearning of people around the world for truth, goodness and beauty. From the ice and snow athletes who challenge the limits, the medical staff who save lives and help the injured, the ordinary people who desire tranquility, and the magnificent Olympic facilities, to the urban style and character style of Chinese society in the new era, some works explore the common destiny of mankind, and some works deeply reflect on the ultimate meaning of life. There are both traditional realisms with realistic shapes, abstract generalizations with symbolic meanings, as well as surreal romantic imaginations, and visual deconstructions of contemporary art. These works with temperature and depth dispel the cold and compose the hymn of human life in the language of the world's visual arts.
Life is supreme, destiny is shared. Advocating the Pursuit of the Olympic Spirit of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - More Unity" and the concept of "Together to the Future" jointly stimulate the brilliance and eternity of the light of artistic life.
Isn't the great power of literature and art in breaking barriers and melting solid ice through the healing function of art, so that all tribulations, brokenness and the unknown can glow with their own meaning?
—END—
Yangtze River Literature and Art, No. 4, 2022
Responsible Editor | Chen Jun
▲Chen Yin |
Chen Ying, a native of Wuhan, Hubei Province, is an associate professor of the School of Art of Hubei Second Normal University, a member of the Hubei Provincial Artists Association, a director of the Hubei Provincial Calligraphers and Painters Association, a professional painter of the Hubei Provincial Chinese Painting Academy, and a member of the Hubei Provincial Chinese Painting Society.