Wuhan University Wanlin Art Museum in collaboration with Jingling Academy of Painting housed an art exhibition titled “Jingling Academy 2017 Wanlin Art Invitational Exhibition ”. The art exhibition was put on display from May 15 to June 20. The opening ceremony was held on 19 May in the presence of distinguished guests：renowned painter Zhou Shaohua, Dean Xu Yongmin of Hubei Academy of Fine Arts, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Wuhan University Huang Taiyan, Secretary-General of the Hubei Provincial Artists Association Liu Chunbing and Prof. Wang Xincai, curator of the Wuhan University Library among several others.
Some paintings themed “nightmare”
The visibly sporadic art pieces reflected an intersection of several emotions- melancholy, self-comfort, lament, nostalgia in a creative way. The exhibition showcased 133 works of art spanning several styles and mediums: ink, oil, watercolor, pottery, lacquer and glass. The artworks on display can be loosely broken down into three major categories- artifacts, paper and clothes. A total of 43 artists participated in the exhibition, both professional teachers as well as independent artists.
An emotional undercurrent runs through all the installations and they are all stringed together by common artistic aim. Several established artists including Cheng Jiajun, Zheng Hao and Wang Zhiyun used ink as a tool to experiment with several unconventional artistic techniques. Works by other artists like Zeng Hui, Liu Lei, Ma Binglin, Guo Huizhong,Wang Juanjuan, Sun Jingfang, Ma Xinping and Fu Junxiao grabbed the attention of the visitors by trying to contemplate their magnificent works of art through consciousness. Chen Fei's pottery works renewed the interests of art enthusiasts for porcelain art form- a highly underrated art-form.
Other art-forms were acknowledged for memory-based recollections of hazy rural landscapes and objects. The exhibition served as outstanding platform for artistic exchange among like-minded artists. All the middle-aged exhibitors, in their most creative phase, brought out fresh-new perspective on use of combination of materials.
Art works on displayThe flask-shaped porcelains were exhibited in the same compartment as flowery and blotted lacquer paintings. All other compartments were filled with diverse paintings depicting obscurely familiar faces, herds of animals, vintage cars, girl holding a mouse, rain in Yangtze, cold forests, piece of cloth, construction workers, fishermen, sunflower, lakeside, faraway plains, hills and winding roads. Other dominant themes of still life included spirit, shadows, past events and nightmares. Most of these paintings were displayed in a series of six or more, hanged side by side. A freehand painting on “Luyu boils bitter plant” alongside eye-catching calligraphy was the icing on the cake.
Another centerpiece of the exhibition was an artwork by Han Si, made up of a fusion of glass and walnut bark. Abstract expressionist paintings by Fu Junxiao delivered an artistic revelation through colorful crosses and curves. Artist Wang Min successfully demonstrated his past experiences in his bright oil paintings.
Paintings of abstractionism
All these works of art were inextricably linked and were conducive to inspire people to muse over and interpret the relationship between human life and objects. Individual colorful layout of each artist with their minimalistic style underscored their skill and experiences in painting. Exhibitions like these support the evolving art scene in Wuhan which is becoming more and more inclusive to artists from all walks of life.
photo by: Chen Ziyao
Edited by: Li Yunzhen, Sun Jingyi & Hu Sijia
