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Retrospectives for the Past Century---Centennial Mile Stone
------Exhibition of Chinese Oil Paintings of the 20th Century to
be held in Beijing Solemnly
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It has been nearly
a century since the arts of oil painting was introduced into China,
when fierce competition has facilitated collision and integration
of Chinese and Western cultures in China. Modern Chinese oil paintings
have been born in this situation. Through inheritance, accumulation
and promotion for several generations, Chinese oil paintings have
taken shape with preliminarily unique national flavor well known throughout
the world.
Upon arrival of the new century and through several years' considerations
and nearly two years' concrete preparation, the Exhibition of Chinese
Oil Paintings of the 20th Century will be solemnly held on July 5
this year in the China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing. It is
promoted by China Oil Painting Society, sponsored by Arts Department
of the Ministry of Culture, China Oil Painting Society and Arts
Gallery of China and assisted by Revolutionary Museum of China, Central
Arts Academy, Arts Research Institute of China, International New
Times (Group) Co., LTD, Toshiba ConglomerateˇÁToshiba (China) Co.,
LTD, Guangxi Arts Press, Century Online Chinese Arts Network, Kuai
Xue Tang Arts Co., LTD, International Friendship Liaison Association
of China and China People's Foreign Friendship Society. It is a historic,
academic and forward-looking exhibition. The concurrently held Introduction
and Innovation---Academic Workshop on Chinese Oil Paintings of the
20th Century and the coming publication of national key scientific
and research project---large pictorial Chinese Oil Paintings in six
books of three volumes will be a memorial to A Century of Chinese
Oil Paintings and a symbol for welcome of the New Century of the arts
of Chinese oil paintings.
With retrospectives and perspectives of Chinese oil paintings, the
exhibition explores, clarifies and studies the development history
of Chinese oil paintings for nearly a hundred years and aims to promote
its in-depth development. It collects more than four hundred pieces
of works by more than 270 influential painters for various stages
in nearly a hundred years' development history of Chinese oil paintings.
The oldest of the painters was born in 1869 and the youngest in 1971,
among whom 61 were born before the year 1920, 90 between 1920 and
1945 and 128 between 1945 and 1971. The most harvesting periods of
art creation are around Anti-Japanese War, 50's--- 70's after the
establishment of P.R China and the period of China's reforms and opening
after the Great Cultural Revolution. Many of the above artists have
crossed several of the above periods. The history of Chinese oil paintings
shows orderly continuation, more and more talents, and consecutive
change and development in art styles, appearances and levels. Hard
work and efforts of the above representative artists of several generations
have made Chinese oil paintings continuously leap in quality with
robust vigor.
The hardest work and decisive role of the preparation is to solicit
and collect art works, for which the Organization Committee has set
up an Art Committee composed of 27 famous experts and scholars in
the circle of Chinese oil paintings. Representative works have been
selected for the exhibition from various historical materials, documents
and important exhibitions for the last century. The principle for
selection of art works is based on the criteria of being representative
for their corresponding age. We have done hard works, put in gigantic
labors and materials to render the exhibition an academic and historic
milestone in the history of Chinese oil Paintings. During preparation
of the exhibition, we have tried to achieve two innovations and one
guarantee. One innovation is in the retrospective part of its history.
Since the works of the older generation scatter everywhere due to
much longer time since most of them have passed away, collection of
art works is very hard. However, based on new achievements made on
research work since the reforms and opening of China, we have presented
the public with newly discovered works of such well-known artists
as Xu Beihong, Liu Haisu, Yan Wenliang, Wu Zuoren, Wang Ruizhi and
Dong Xiwen on one hand. And on the other hand, we have also, through
hard work, collected at home and abroad the rarely known oil paintings
by the old generation of Li Tiefu, Li Shutong, Win Xuanfu, Sha Qi,
Guan Liang, Chang Yu and Zhao Shou, who were ever active in the circle
of paintings and nearly hidden in history due to various reasons,
as well as those by the renown artists of Lin Fengmian and Wu Dayu.
The solicitation and collection of art works is a serial of vivid
memory and striking histories. Most of the works exhibited are initially
displayed in the large exhibition, which will become the focus of
concerns, thus avoiding the commonality for display of general familiar
works and adding new images in the retrospective part of the exhibition.
The other innovation is that we try to fully display the newest exploration
and achievements in the creation of oil paintings of the 80's. The
Art Committee has made repeated selection from various important exhibitions
for the latest twenty years and chosen excellent works of various
styles and schools endowed with era spirits, Chinese characteristics,
unique features, especially those assimilating the art essence of
European oil paintings and integrating the tradition of Chinese culture
and thus sufficiently embodying the new appearance of modern arts
of oil paintings. Since the exhibition place is limited, only representative
works are chosen from similar styles and patterns, while some exploring
works, even under development, are selected to indicate a trend of
new development. The aim of the exhibition is to make its volume and
capacity the largest as possible, which show the variegated development
trend of oil paintings in the new century.
In addition, we have also tried to achieve one guarantee. The period
of the 50's-70's was an important crossing age in the development
history of Chines oil paintings, not only fixed the educational system
of Chinese oil paintings and its creation pattern, but also cultivated
and created the mainstay generation of Chinese oil paintings, who
are the first generation of artists cultivated by New China. They
have created a batch of very important and excellent revolutionary
historical pictures of higher academic values, which has made positive
contributions in reflection of the ages, in presentation of the experiences
and thoughts and in social services. The Art Committee of the exhibition
has made efforts to solicit and collect excellent master pieces of
this period from various art galleries, museums, art colleges and
universities and self-collections, which shows the art glamour and
creation achievements at that time of this generation of artists.
From various aspects, it may be said that the exhibition fully and
actually embodies the development circumstances of the arts of Chinese
oil paintings, basically reaching the designed objectives of our exhibition.
It is not only a reliable basis for total research on a hundred years'
history of Chinese oil paintings, but also of important historical
significance and academic value for the development of modern Chinese
culture.
What deserves mentioning, although the Art Committee tries to be objective
and fair in selection of the exhibition works, it is a pity that,
some excellent works are not available for this exhibition since they
have been lost in foreign countries, or are on other important exhibitions,
limited by some conditions or due to some errors in operations.
Furthermore, in smooth operation of the exhibition, we are grateful
to the positive cooperation of the selected painters and the families
or relatives for their enthusiasm in providing the first hand important
art materials and rare collections, who even try to borrow and help
contact with collections lost in foreign countries. At the same time,
we are also grateful to Arts Gallery of China, Revolutionary Museum
of China, Historical Museum of China, Art Gallery of Shanghai, Central
Arts Academy, China Art Academy, Guangzhou Art Academy, Capital Normal
University, Xu Beihong Art Gallery, Liu Haisu art Gallery, Shanghai
China Painting Academy and Art Institute of Shanghai Oil Painting
Sculpture Academy for their positive participation, enthusiasm and
generosity in providing us with their important collections and their
help necessary for smooth preparation of the exhibition. Some cultural
institutions and art galleries from Hong Kong and Taiwan have also
become volunteers in providing us with important art information.
Art agencies, such as Zuncai Art Center, Great Future Gallery and
Kamen Art Center have also lent us more than twenty pieces of rare
art works for the exhibition, which makes it possible for the exhibition
of important art works. What especially deserves mentioning is that,
when the funds for preparation of the exhibition is not sufficient
provisionally due to some contingent reasons, several enterprises,
including Hong Kong International New Times (Group) Co., LTD, Toshiba
(China) Co., LTD and Taiwan Kuai Xue Tang Arts Co., LTD have, from
the viewpoint of developing modern Chinese culture, decided to render
us economic supports, thus providing important economic safeguard
for preparation of the exhibition. In a short time, Guangxi Arts Press
has tried its utmost to publish exquisite pictorial books covering
all the participating works on time. Upon the opening ceremony of
the exhibition, Century Online Chinese Arts Network has, through Internet,
taken the initiative for synchronous propagation at home and abroad
with all the relevant materials concerning the large art exhibition---
Exhibition of Chinese Oil Paintings of the 20th Century. We are heartily
grateful to all the above-mentioned units for their help.
For completion of the exhibition, each and every sponsoring and assisting
unit has made full efforts unswervingly, and through cooperation,
the great cause has been achieved, which will be recorded in the history
for development of modern Chinese culture as a milestone in the history
of Chinese oil paintings.
Zhang Zuying
June, 2000
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