On August 29, 2013, “Moistening Silently – Li Hongren’s Teaching and Research Exhibition of Lithographs” opened in CAFA. It features 66 lithographic works produced while he studied the lithographic technique from 1955 to 2002. It features Li’s teaching materials, including: 18 hand-painted tables drawn for the teaching of lithographic technology; teaching assessment materials on the lithograph course at CAFA; the drawings and the drafts for the lithographic machine design as well as other related items. In addition, it presents the works by the students of Li during his career of teaching lithographs, including a total of 17 graduation works by Li Fan, Lu Zhongming, Wu Changjiang, Yu Chen, Jin Rong, Wang Qiang, Zhang Hong, Huo Youfeng, Li Chunlin, Xu Yu, Xiao Ge, Yin Chaoyang, Li Yue, Wen Guozhang, Su Xinping, Guo Zhaoming, Zhang Minjie.

At 15:00, “Moistening Silently – Li Hongren’s Teaching and Research Exhibition of Lithographs” was officially inaugurated. The exhibition was presided over by Li Fan, Deputy Director of the Department of Printmaking of CAFA, and the guests that were present included Gao Hong, Party Secretary of CAFA, Xu Bing, Vice President of CAFA, Su Xinping, Director of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA, Wu Biduan, former Director of the Department of Printmaking and his wife, Song Yuanwen, former Director of the Department of Printmaking, Prof. Li Shusheng (Li Shu) from the Department of the History of Art, CAFA, Wang Hongjian, former Deputy Director of the Department of the History of Art, Prof. Guang Jun, former Director of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA, Wen Guozhang, Director of the Fundamental Education Department of the School of Plastic Arts, CAFA, Yang Xianrang, former Director of the Department of Folk Art, CAFA, speaking respectively. In addition, Tan Ping, Vice President of CAFA, and Weng Naiqiang offered a presentation at the opening ceremony.

Gao Hong initially spoke: It was worth the inheritance and development that the teaching career produced by the older generation of lecturers at CAFA, represented by Li Hongren, as well as the spirit of the academy accumulated and inherited by their works. In the exhibition, we saw not only the context of the development of lithograph teaching, but also the dedicated older generation of lecturers who loved their students and persisted in the pursuit of art.

Xu Bing said that the brilliance created by the generation of Li Hongren was worth seriously thinking by the young students, to think about what they should do to inherit and create a new glory.

Su Xinping said in his speech, Mr. Li Hongren’s rigorous academic attitude had inspired a generation of students, although Mr. Li’s creations were in small size, they were intently practiced, compared with the works ingratiating to the fashion, these works were more readable and of greater research value.

Subsequently, Wu Biduan, former Director of the Department of Printmaking recalled: Li Hongren was the didactic founder of the Lithograph Studio of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA, in his mind “there are only lithographs, only the lithograph studio, only lithograph teaching”.

As one of the older generation of scholars and critics, Prof. Li Shusheng said: When he was young, Li Hongren was one of leading roles of the “drama stage” in CAFA, performing very actively.” He said, currently lithographs have grown and developed due to Li Hongren’s tireless efforts.

Song Yuanwen, former Director of the Department of Printmaking said: it was meaningful to hold “Li Hongren’s Teaching and Research Exhibition of Lithographs”, and it was necessary to research and inherit Li Hongren’s teaching system. In addition, Li’s lithograph art was quite appealing and charming.

Wang Hongjian, former Deputy Director of the Department of the History of Art spoke: Li Hongren is in a low-key, just like his works, without any grant theme, though also touching. It was the first solo exhibition for Li Hongren.

Guang Jun, former Director of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA said, Li Hongren was the model of a teacher, to a large extent, a large number of personnel of Chinese lithographs were born thanks to the contribution of Li Hongren.

As a student of Li Hongren’s, Wen Guozhang, Director of the Fundamental Education Department of the School of Plastic Arts at CAFA frankly said he had felt the impact of Li Hongren, both in study and behavior.

Yang Xianrang, former Director of the Department of Folk Art, CAFA recalled in his speech: Li Hongren silently contributed himself to the teaching construction of CAFA, therefore, we should pay more attention to his work and respect him.

Finally, Li Hongren spoke, recalling the things bit by bit that have happened in CAFA, it was a self-evident hard time to build a lithograph studio from nothing, to improve it. “I'm sick but I was defeated, I think I should continue to work”. He expressed his thanks for the exhibition that was successfully held, he hoped the younger generation of artists in CAFA would inherit the spirit of the old CAFA, hoping various favorable faculties and equipment would be improved, to further promote the prosperity and development of Chinese lithographs.

About the exhibition

Duration: August 29 – September 7, 2013

Venue: Underground Teaching Exhibition Hall, CAFA

Host: Central Academy of Fine Arts(CAFA), School of Plastic Arts, CAFA, Department of the Printmaking of School of Plastic, CAFA, Chinese Artists Association, Printmaking Art Committee of the Chinese Artists Association

Academic Advisor: Su Xinping, Wen Guozhang

Curator: Ma Kai

Committee Members: Li Fan, Li Yue, Wu Hong, Zhang Yifan

Exhibition Coordinator: Zhao Jinxiu

Journalist: Yu Ya, Photograph: Hu Zhiheng/ CAFA ART INFO

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