If it is said that opera is the essence of the country and Chinese painting is the essence of the country, then the character painting of Chinese opera is the superposition of the national essence.
On December 15th, the "Gengzi Gong and Drum - Invitation Exhibition of Chinese Opera Character Painting Famous Artists Calligraphy and Painting" opened at the Shanghai Mass Art Museum.
The exhibition is guided by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, sponsored by the Shanghai Municipal Mass Art Museum, the Chinese Opera Character Painting Research Association, the Siva Zhu Gang Opera Character Painting Studio, and hosted by Banmuyuan Art (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Red Brick Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
Shang Changrong calligraphy works
In the "Gengzi Gong and Drum", it brings good wishes to the extraordinary year of Gengzi
"At the age of Gengzi, there are many difficulties in the world, but under the whole world, there are many dramas, all kinds of things, all into my eyes... This exhibition is also fortunate that the Mengli Garden class head Shang Changrong and Ji Zhenhua joined, is not it happy? But pray that the gongs and drums will be universally joyful, and the world will be at peace. Xie Chunyan, a Chinese contemporary artist and art critic who served as the academic host, said.
With the theme of "Gengzi Gong and Drum", the invitation exhibition shows more than 70 pieces of calligraphy and paintings of opera characters, giving people a sense of immersion and gongs and drums, and bringing good wishes to this extraordinary year of Gengzi.
More than 70 artists participated in the exhibition in a wide range. Not only ding liren, Xie Chunyan, Chen Jiu, Ji Ping, Zhu Gang, Gu Cunyan, Xu Xufeng and other artists of the three generations of old, middle-aged and young artists, but also specially invited national first-class actors, well-known Peking Opera performance artist Shang Changrong, Kunqu opera representative inheritor, national first-class actor Ji Zhenhua and other opera masters to join them, and jointly spread national culture, tell Chinese stories well, and highlight cultural self-confidence with rich and diverse artistic tension.
Ji Zhenhua's "Kunqu Handan Dream Lyrics"
Shang Changrong and Ji Zhenhua are themselves famous opera artists, both of whom have profound calligraphy skills, and both bring calligraphy works to the exhibition this time. Shang Changrong served as the artistic consultant for the exhibition. Among the works on display, he wrote about the "Song of Righteousness in Life" in the Peking Opera "Honest Officials in Jackie Chan", in which he starred: "The road to life is bumpy, the misfortunes are uncertain, there are bitterness, there is sourness, and there is also joy." ”
Among the participating artists, some of them have been wandering in the pear garden since childhood, and the drama and scene on the stage have long been engraved in their hearts, and it seems that they are borrowing the life and ugliness of the play in one stroke and one ink, and express the warmth and coldness of human feelings in the world; some artists integrate the artistic techniques of Western painting modeling, light and shade, light, color, texture, composition, etc., "singing", "reading", "doing" and "playing" are depicted vividly, eating foreign, so that the viewer can closely feel the beauty of Chinese opera; some pay attention to the pursuit of literati aesthetic taste, The expression of imagery and the exploration of modernity.
Xie Chunyan's "Sichuan Opera Characters"
Xiqu art was originally a stage art advocating freehand, opera character theme painting has always been based on freehand techniques, and there are many young and middle-aged artists participating in this exhibition who have deeply rooted in traditional ancient methods, such as inheriting the Song people's double hook and color filling skills, etc., showing the diverse artistic features of this exhibition.
Drama paintings have the same origin, and Chinese opera character paintings have been passed down to this day
Chinese opera character painting has a long history. In the murals or brick paintings of the Han, Wei, Tang, and Song dynasties, the subject matter of opera performances can still be seen to this day, and in the JinYuan period, there are murals that directly reflect miscellaneous dramas. Regarding the theme of opera characters in painting, in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, there are often relevant modeling contents and forms in many carriers such as drama examinations, embroidery portraits, rulers, door notes, and paintings.
As the essence of China's national state, opera art has attracted many famous painters in modern times to create art with it as the theme. Shanghai is one of the birthplaces of modern Chinese opera character painting, and famous artists such as Guan Liang and Lin Fengmian have created a large number of opera character paintings in Shanghai, which have far-reaching influence.
The creation of opera character paintings, from the perspective of its artistic taste and cultural quality, is roughly divided into two categories: borrowing drama into painting and entering drama to paint. The former focuses on formal integration, while the latter focuses on spiritual fit. The former is represented by Lin Fengmian, and the latter is represented by Guan Liang.
Guan Liang was also the first person in modern times to introduce the traditional Chinese literati ink language into opera character painting. While pursuing both form and god, he often uses boneless freehand techniques to depict opera characters, using the pen and ink techniques of "blunt, stagnant, astringent and heavy", and is good at the exaggerated deformation of character forms, fully demonstrating the traditional freehand natural interest of literati painting, and integrating some languages of Western modern expressionism into his ink opera character painting creation. Guan Liang's opera character paintings focus on the pursuit of the wonderful moments of the opera stage, grasp the most prominent storyline or the actions and expressions of the character personality, pay attention to the proportion and gravity of the characters, and the rhythm of the action in line with the stage board eye, and create a unique "moment" form of opera painting. Looking at its paintings like watching a play, and it has a great cultural aftertaste that resembles watching a play, with the main purpose of expressing the true form of the opera stage, including stage characters and stage beauty (props, costumes, curtains, etc.), very realistic and close to the stage reality, recording the most wonderful moments of many classic repertoire.
Participating painter Gu Cunyan said, "The creation of opera character painting has a deep nourishment and context of traditional culture, and has a widely disseminated foundation, this year coincides with the 120th anniversary of the birth of the two gentlemen Guan Liang and Lin Fengmian, the ancestors of opera character painting creation, many of the works in this exhibition can see their artistic heritage and the context of sea opera painting, and can also see the general appearance and different styles of opera character painting creation in various parts of China." ”
Gu Cunyan's work "The Original Zi Yan Red Open All Over"
As the birthplace of modern Chinese opera, Shanghai has been constantly innovating for a hundred years. Drama paintings have the same origin, and Chinese opera character paintings have been passed down to this day.
Promote the creation and research of opera character paintings, and tell Chinese stories well
Chen Jiu, the planner of the exhibition, introduced that since its registration and establishment in 2012, the Chinese Opera Character Painting Research Association, as one of the organizers, has successfully held theme exhibition activities such as "Pastel Freehand - Chinese Opera Character Painting", "Chinese Opera Character Painting 2013 Annual Exhibition", "Mei Yun Lanfang - Fan Painting Exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of Mei Lanfang's birth", "Drama Painting Qifang - Chinese Opera Character Painting Exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of Zhou Xinfang's birth", "Ink Gong and Drum - Chinese Drama Character Painting Exhibition" and other theme exhibition activities.
Chen Jiu's work "Red Pink Green Coat"
Zhu Gang, an exhibiting artist, president of the Shanghai Art Museum Association and dean of the Academy of Fine Arts of the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, said that the Chinese Opera Character Painting Research Association will hold exhibitions every year since its establishment, and previously held large exhibitions at the Liu Haisu Art Museum and Changsha Museum in Shanghai, and this exhibition coincides with the end of Gengzi's year, which is particularly not easy, "I hope to hold more and more good exhibitions in the future, drive the creation and research of opera character paintings, and tell Chinese stories with vivid and vivid artistic content, and promote the common development of culture and education." ”
Zhu Gang's work "Zhaojun Out of the Plug"
The Shanghai Municipal Mass Art Museum, where the exhibition is held, also continues to focus on cultural exhibitions such as opera and painting and intangible cultural heritage. The holding of this invitation exhibition has attracted many new and old audiences, calligraphy and painting lovers, and there are many young children's paintings on the scene.
Ji Ping's "Painting Characters"
The participating artists of "Gengzi Gong and Drum - Invitation Exhibition of Calligraphy and Painting of Famous Chinese Opera Figures" include: Chen Ruqin, Luo Fu, Ding Liren, Liu Yi, Dai Yunhui, Li Wenpei, Zhu Zhengeng, Shang Changrong, Xie Chunyan, Lü Chaoran, Ji Zhenhua, Lu Wangming, Zhong Ruqian, Shen Hu, Liu Yongjie, Zhang Weiren, Zhou Gang, Xu Kesheng, Li Lei, Su Hongsheng, Zuo Heping, Wang Xiaoli, Zhou Genbao, Zhang Chunxin, Wang Xiaohui, Ji Ping, Li Xiaoheng, Chen Jiu, Yu Qiping, Chen Ning, Zhu Gang, Gao Duo, Chen Jianhui, Zhou Weiping, Yu Cun, Li Baixue, Wang Yonghao , Xiao Yuehai, Luo Bin, Shi Chan, Liu Hongpei, Bai Yunhao, Xu Hongquan, Luo Weimin, Li Wang, Feng Zhongyun, Miao Tong, Wu Lintian, Zhu Yamei, Bai Miao, Zhao Aihua, Gu Cunyan, Cui Tong, Yu He, Dou Liangyu, He Zhenhua, Cui Xuetao, Liu Yipeng, Zong Xitao, Chen Shanglong, Zhang Pingping, Yang Yutian, Zhou Jun, Wang Mengsha, Bi Liwei, Mao Yujia, Xiang Shikui, Wang Hui, Zheng Yuanwu, Xu Xufeng, Liu Yonghui, Ma Feifei, Lin Weijie (in order of age).
Xu Xufeng's "Social Drama"
The exhibition will be on view until 20 December.
Image source: Courtesy of the organizer
Column Editor-in-Chief: Li Junna Text Editor: Li Junna Photo Editor: Shao Jing
Source: Author: Junna Li