On 9 April, 2013,?“Life Whispers: Zhang Jiangzhou Ink Arts Exhibition” was unveiled at the National Art Museum of China. The exhibition has brought together over forty pieces of work by the artist who created under the motif of “Mourning” since his “Mourning: the Memories of 2008” by focusing on the instant image of delicate life, destruction of cities or the sudden loss of youth, he expressed his lament on the paring of beauty and sincere thoughts on the ultimate propositions of human fortune and the value of life.

An academic seminar on this exhibition was held at the auditorium of the National Art Museum of China since 3:00pm. Zhao Wei, Xue Yongnian, Yang Xiaoyang, Fan Di’an, Zhang Xiaoling, Zhang Jiangzhou, Liang Zhanyan, Liu Xilin, Wang Yong, Wang Luxiang, Zhao Lizhong, Zheng Gong, Shang Hui, Li Yi, Fu Jingsheng, Deng Pingxiang, Xu Hong, Gao Tianmin, Chen Peng, Ji Libin, Jia Guangjian, Shen Shaojun, He Jialin, Lin Rongsheng, Sun Ke, Chen Ming, Zhang Yidan, Wang Ping, Zhu Qi, Qiao Yinan, Zhang Lizhu, Wang Yongliang, Zhang Tongyu, Wang Fumin, Xu Dongqing, Wang Yonggang, Wei Guangjun, Hua Jianguo and other representatives of the organizers, renowned contemporary artists and theorists have attended the discussions. In-depth explorations have been conducted into the theme, works and academic significance of Zhang Jiangzhou’s Ink Arts Exhibition.

The opening ceremony of “ Life Whispers: Zhang Jiangzhou Ink Arts Exhibition” was held on the ground floor of the National Art Museum of China at 7:30pm. Li Yi, Deputy Party Secretary of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Zuo Zhongyi, Associate Chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Hu Zhengmin, Deputy Dean of Committee for Culture, Health Care and Sports at CPPCC, Lv Zhangshen, Director of the National Museum of China, Yang Xiaoyang, President of the China National Academy of Painting, and Deputy Chairman of Chinese Artists’ Association, Fan Di’an, Director of the National Art Museum of China and Deputy Chairman of Chinese Artists’ Association, Wang Mingming, Deputy Chairman of Chinese Artists’ Association and President of Beijing Academy of Painting were present at the opening ceremony. Besides, renowned artists such as Liu Boshu, Zhan Jianjun, Yuan Yunfu, Long Rui, Jin Zhilin, Yang Lizhou, Li Baolin, Wang Yingchun, Xie Zhigao, Lu Yushun, Liu Jian, Hu Wei, Ma Shulin, Zhao Wei and so on , famous art theorists such like Shao Dazhen, Xue Yongnian, Liu Xilin, Zhang Xiaoling, Deng Pingxiang, Wang Yong, Wang Luxiang together with representatives from cultural and art circles and press media attending the ceremony. Among which, Liu Dawei, Chairman of Chinese Artists’ Association, Fan Di’an, Director of the Chinese Art Museum of China, Yang Xiaoyang, President of Chinese National Academy of Painting as well as the artist Zhang Jiangzhou who also works as the Deputy President of China National Academy of Painting delivered speeches.

Liu Dawei, Chairman of Chinese Artists’ Association, Deputy Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles expressed that Zhang Jiangzhou was one of the most influenced figure artists in China, his experience has shaped his all-wave comprehension of various layers in society which thereafter provided nutrition for his figure paintings. During the process of his learning to paint, he has been modestly, diligently and persistently dedicated in his quest. He was endowed with the rare power of understanding and solid foundation in painting, therefore he has made extraordinary achievements in the creation of figurative paintings. Also, he emphasized that Zhang dived deeply into the epoch although he was busy with official duties. He was directly confronted with the contemporary while making inquiries into life, reflecting on social reality. His profound thinking endowed his work with a kind of positive energy for liveliness and good.

Fan Di’an asserted that Zhang Jiangzhou brought a completely new feeling to the audience with this exhibition since he has persisted in the diligent exploration in art. Fan thought that Zhang belonged to a group of artists who grew up with the opening up and reforming age, thus there was an outstanding quality in him--he put a foothold of his spiritual value on our own country with his widening thought and vision, he laid the development of society and prosperity on the reassuring footstone.

When talking about Zhang’s art development, Zhang Xiaoyang offers a retrospective on Zhang’s art path from army life, experience of the Vietnam War to 2008, Wenchuan Earthquake. Painful memories of Wenchuan Earthquake and the bloody battlefield has exerted a great influence on the inner part of Zhang, which could be taken as the spiritual source of his series creation such as “Sadness”. He thought that Zhang started from realism and went deep into the theme of life underneath the reality.

Zhang Jiangzhou expressed his thanks to all the friends and leaders who supported his art and exhibition. He hoped that through this exhibition he would communicate with the mass as well as society, which would find resonance in the audience and inspire people to pay much more attention to life, respect it and care about it.

Finally, Liao Zhi, an amputee dancer from the Wenchuan earthquake knocked on the door of “Life Whispers” with her dance full of tension, which raised the curtains of this exhibition.

The exhibition will be on view until April 17.