“Play Ink, Ink Play – The Art of Chinese Opera Painting” is a large scale touring themed exhibition, planned and hosted by Liu Haisu Art Museum from March 2008, which has exhibited in Canada, Germany, Ukraine, Singapore, the United States, etc., as well as lots of districts such as Taiwan, Qingdao, Changshu, Ningbo, Nantong, Zhengzhou, Yunnan, Xiamen, Dalian, etc., it was awarded “Excellent Public Publicity Program of 2010 National Art Museum Support and Development Project” by the Ministry of Culture in 2011, the only winner of the special development program of the Ministry of Culture in the Shanghai district.

Chinese opera painting and Chinese opera art are both traditional Chinese art treasures, the exhibition features a selection of 44 works which are created by the most representative artists, engaging in the theme of contemporary opera painting, although presenting different interests, all the works are similar, wonderfully interpreting opera culture, as well as the full range of interpretation of the combination of opera and painting arts. In addition, it features 24 ladles and 10 lanterns, making the exhibition more comprehensive art ornamental.

The exhibition is an useful attempt to try to broaden the vision of the cultural institutes of the two places, strengthening inter-regional cooperation and cultural exchange, to promote common prosperity and the development of the cultural businesses of the two places.

Lin Fengmian initially advocated “integration of the Western and Oriental” and was a true representative and he was a master of modern Chinese painting, outstanding art educator, founder of Chinese Stream Artists School, founder of China Academy of Art.

Guan Liang majored in Chinese painting, oil painting. He was professor of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, painter at Shanghai Institute of Chinese Painting.

Cheng Shifa is the former President of Shanghai Academy of Painting where hecwas the President for a long time, an artist reaching a striking achievement, and a reputation at home and abroad. Since the 1950s, he is known for his comic books and illustrations. From then on, he “selected and transformed the ancient and current, Chinese and Western ways”, and is unique in the paintings of figures, flowers and birds. Falling down for Kunqu opera, he created opera figures in a meticulous way and with freehand, freely blooming.

Ding Liren is keen on Chinese jade over three generations, Qin and Han Dynasties, modern woodblock paintings, paper-cuts, as well as the arts from Africa, Eskimos, etc. Currently he is a member of the Committee of Chinese Folk Craft Arts, member of Chinese Folk Paper-Cut Research Association, member of Shanghai Folk Literature and Art Association. He pursues a decorative charmed, gorgeous and bright opera painting.

Zhu Zhengeng was a member of the Chinese Artists Association, Vice Chairman of Chinese Painting Committee, Hubei Artists Association, Professor of the Department of Art, Central China Normal University, and is one of the representative painters of Chinese Colored Freehand Painting. His paintings are in wild and sophisticated brushstrokes.

Zhang Guiming is a member of the Chinese Painting Committee, Chinese Artists Association, Committee of Shanghai Literature and Arts Circles, Director of Shanghai Artists Association, College of Fine Arts, Shanghai University, visiting professor of the School of Art and Design, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, etc. His paintings use wanton ink, full of mist.

About the exhibition

Title: Play Ink, Ink Play – The Art of Chinese Opera Painting

Duration: August 9 – August 17, 2013

Venue: Desheng Creative Park, No. 7 Dongdi Road Ronggui, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong Province

Hosted by Shunde Ronggui Office of Propaganda, Culture and Sport, Guangdong Province, Liu Haisu Art Museum

Organized by Shunde Desheng Art Gallery

Artists: Lin Fengmian, Guan Liang, Cheng Shifa, Ding Liren, Zhu Zhengeng, Han Yu, Nie Ganyin, Zhang Guiming, Shen Hu, Zhou Jingxin

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO