Mr. Yuan Yunfu is a famous contemporary painter, public artist, and an art educator in China. The exhibition celebrates the 65th anniversary of Yuan Yunfu’s engagement in art, Yuan started to be involved in art in 1949 and taught in the newly founded Central Academy of Craft Art in 1956, during the period of working in the cradle of contemporary art and art design in new China – Central Academy of Craft Art and Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University, he focused on creation while concentrating on teaching, with a large number of students. Promoted by his teachers, colleagues, students and himself, it gradually became a remarkable art phenomenon during the history of contemporary art–Tsinghua University Art Group based on that of Central Academy of Craft Art and Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University, played a very special role in the country’s construction in the early years of new China and the ideological liberation movement in the later reform and opening up,also making an important contribution to new China’s art career.

The clue of the exhibition is Yuan Yunfu’s art, and the art thinking and historical events which he had touched when he was involved in the Central Academy of Craft Art and the Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University, to initially and comprehensively display the academic features and claim of ‘Tsinghua University Art Group”. The exhibition invites 65 senior artists and young artists from this academic group, by displaying more than 100 works, related literature and a variety of artistic styles, to reflect the initiation, development, inheritance and evolution of the humanistic spirit of the artistic career of the People’s Republic of China from one perspective, to embody the academic thinking of the art, society, and life of people from the Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University as represented by Yuan Yunfu.

About the exhibition

Duration: August 18 – September 12, 2014

Venue: East exhibition hall at National Center for the Performing Arts

Courtesy of the artist, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO.