Walking into the exhibition hall of the Contemporary Art Museum of Jiangsu Art Research Association, vivid and delicate and colorful flower and bird paintings come into view, as if stepping into the vibrant world of flowers and birds. On the afternoon of September 26, the "Art Glory - 2024 National Day Jiangsu Province Excellent Flower and Bird Painting Invitational Exhibition" sponsored by the Jiangsu Contemporary Art Creation Research Association and the Jiangsu Flower and Bird Painting Research Association opened.
The Modern Express reporter learned that the Jiangsu Flower and Bird Painting Research Association has gathered more than 1,400 members in the past 40 years. In this exhibition, many outstanding flower and bird painters in Jiangsu Province were specially invited to carefully select nearly 100 excellent flower and bird paintings for display. These exhibited works embody the artist's meticulous observation of life and profound perception of nature, or highlight the vitality of life. or elegant and fresh, exuding a tranquil pastoral atmosphere...... Each work is very "eye-catching", showing the charm of oriental aesthetics.
One of the two major painting schools in Jiangsu in the 20th century
Flower and bird painting is innovative in uprightness
From Xu Xi, a painter from the Southern Tang Dynasty who pioneered Chinese freehand flower and bird painting, to Xu Wei, a painter of the Ming Dynasty who is known as the originator of Chinese freehand flower and bird painting; From Chen Chun, a painter in the Ming Dynasty who perfected the painting method of flowers and birds with part-time workers, to Yun Nantian, a painter in the Qing Dynasty who made the painting method of boneless flowers and birds more and more mature...... The development of flower and bird painting in Jiangsu has a long history and has formed a unique regional style. In the 20th century, there were two major painting schools in Jiangsu, which had a great influence on society and the Chinese art world. One of them is the New Jinling School, and the other is the Gongbi Flower and Bird School headed by Chen Zhifo.
At the exhibition site, Zhao Zhiping, President of Jiangsu Flower and Bird Painting Research Association and President of Jiangsu Contemporary Art Creation Research Association, first introduced the participating artists and works in this exhibition, and talked about the experience of "three parallels" around the creation and development of flower and bird painting in contemporary times. He encouraged flower and bird painters to go hand in hand with the classics, learn from their predecessors and learn from the classics. It is also necessary to go hand in hand with courage, innovate on the basis of integrity, do a good job of "hand work", improve their painting level, and then form a unique personal style; It is also necessary to keep pace with the times, grasp and highlight the Chinese elements in flower and bird paintings, and also closely connect with the general environment of the times.
The flowers are similar every year
The paintings are different from year to year
"This exhibition of flower and bird paintings is not only an innovation, but also an exploration. Although the paintings of flowers and birds are 'similar every year', artists can integrate their personal emotions and the characteristics of the times into their paintings through their own creations, so as to achieve the realm of reflecting the times and lyrical expression. Zhang Jianhua, chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles and president of the Provincial Contemporary Art Creation Research Association, said in his speech that the Provincial Contemporary Art Creation Research Association will focus on building two major brands of "Academic Exhibition of Famous Masterpieces" and "Elite Boutique Academic Exhibition", continue the idea of "academic exhibition", focus on setting up links such as artist creation introduction and expert academic commentary, and help artists improve their thinking level, improve their theoretical level, promote artistic creation, and then help the prosperity and development of art.
Can Flower and Bird Painting Serve Socialism? Zuo Zhuangwei, an art educator and senior art critic, shared his views on the spot. He said that in the era of revolution and construction, the main artistic subject was figure painting, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, this issue was slowly put on the agenda. Looking at painting today, it is basically a microcosm of social development.
Under the soft lighting of the exhibition hall, art lovers invariably slow down and immerse themselves in the unique charm of flower and bird paintings. Ms. Xu Zhiyun, who came from Changzhou to see the exhibition, was attracted by the painter Xu Peichen's "Golden Monkey Xianrui" as soon as she entered the hall, and she praised: "This work has delicate brushstrokes and an ingenious and harmonious overall composition, giving people a visual enjoyment." In particular, the three lively and agile monkeys in the picture, they are holding fairy peaches and offering auspiciousness, which not only has a lifelike form, but also contains auspicious and beautiful meanings."
Appreciation of some of the exhibited works
Modern Express/Modern + reporter Ren Yufeng
(Courtesy of Jiangsu Contemporary Art Creation Research Association and Jiangsu Flower and Bird Painting Research Association)