At 15:00 on October 18, 2013, “Notations of Time” was inaugurated at Gallery S4 at the National Museum of China.The organizers of this exhibition are the Central Academy of Fine Arts, China Artists Association, National Museum of China and China National Academy of Painting. The exhibition will remain on view through to October 29, 2013.

Chen Qi, Professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, also serves as the Secretary-general of Printmaking Institute of China National Academy of Painting, Member of Graphic Arts Commission of Chinese Artists Association. Chen Qi is a contemporary artist of woodblock printing endowed with the most creative vitality, holding an iconic stand in the history of Chinese contemporary woodblock printing. In trying to get rid of the general paradigm of traditional woodblock printing before the 1980s, he established an independent, complete technical language system for his woodblock production.

The opening ceremony is hosted by Wang Huangsheng, Director of the CAFA Art Museum, who also serves as the curator of this exhibition. Honored guests who were present at the exhibition included Zuo Zhongyi, Deputy Chairman of the Leading Party Group as well as General Secretary of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Zhang Daliang, Head of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Wu Changjiang, Administrative Vice President and Secretary of the Party Sub-Committee, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, Chinese National Academy of Arts, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, China National Academy of Painting, National Museum of China, Nanjing University of the Arts, Muban Foundation.

Wu Changjiang, Administrative Vice President and Secretary of the Party Sub-Committee made a brief introduction to Prof. Chen’s art creations in his speech,“Chen Qi is the hallmark of contemporary woodblock printing artists. He started to create woodblock printing in the 1980s, and he persisted in producing lots of masterpieces, not only does he accomplish the ‘a(chǎn)butment’ between the traditional and the contemporary, he also provides an important orderliness with his case study and thinking in the matter of creations and studies on contemporary printmaking.”

When talking of this exhibition, Chen Lvsheng, Vice President of the National Museum of China believed that it is not just a simply art exhibition of prints, but an exhibition with multiple forms of art works. With unprecedented prints in gigantic size together with installations comprising concepts of contemporary art, this exhibition’s significance lies in that it makes the public pay more attention and get to know printmaking. Last but not least, Zuo Yi who represents the International Copyright Exchange(ICE) briefly introduces the institution to the audience.

Prof. Chen Qi addressed to the audience after the honored guests. He mentioned that there were two themes in this exhibition: report as well as acknowledgement. He hoped that this exhibition could be taken as a systematic presentation of his creations in the past three years, with which he would like to report and express his gratitude to his supporters on the developing road of his art.

Notations of Time: Chen Qi Art Exhibition features more than 60 works, which is the largest solo exhibition of Chen Qi to date. Themed “Notations of Time”, its title comes from his most representative work he has created recently. Focusing on this series of work, the exhibition extends Chen Qi’s exploration into the relationship between art concepts, materials, techniques and individualized expression; on the other hand, “Notations of Time” takes “time” as its clue, concisely give a brief account of several important stages of Chen Qi’s artistic development as well as related works. Covering his representative works since the end of 1980s such as “Ming Style”, “Qin”, “Lotus”, “Interpretation”, “Dreaming of Butterfly”, “Water” and other works familiar with the academic world, his latest works created on the theme of “Notations of Time” over the past three years are highlighted in the exhibition.

About the exhibition

Curator: Wang Huangsheng

Duration: 18 October – 29 October, 2013

Opening: 18 October, 3:00pm

Venue: National Museum of China, Gallery S4

Hosts: Central Academy of Fine Arts, China Artists Association, National Museum of China, China National Academy of Painting

Co-organizers: China Muban Foundation, The International Copyright Exchange (ICE), Heart Sun Town Art Management Agency

Supporters: China Original Prints Trading Platform, Beijing Evening News, Shanghai Securities News, Xinhua Daily, Modern Express

Courtesy of the artist and CAFA ART INFO.