On the morning of November 28, 2014, hosted by CAFA, organized by CAFA Art Museum, the Illustration and Decoration Art Committee of China Artists Association, “The Eternity of the Past - The Artistic Life of Sun Zixi” grandly opened at CAFA Art Museum.

At 10:00 am, the press conference was held at the VIP room of CAFA Art Museum. Mr. Sun Zixi and his daughter were present on-site, in addition to Wang Huangsheng, Director of CAFA Art Museum, Professor Wang Chunchen, from CAFA, and Gao Rongsheng, Director of the Illustration and Decoration Art Committee, China Artists Association, who were jointly interviewed by the media.

Mr. Sun Zixi is both a senior professor at CAFA, and a famous Chinese artist of the older generation, whose many classic works such as “Tiananmen Square”, “The Little Eighth Route Army”, “Mother”, etc., affect Chinese art circles with the use of its distinct characteristics of the times. Wang Huangsheng said, because a large number of creative sketches, illustrations, manuscripts and drawings are associated with the classic works as well as other related texts which are rarely seen by the public, the exhibition was then held. These illustrations constitute a variety of pursuits of the artist in different historical stages, regardless of being a student, working in the army, or being ateacher, he has never stopped creating as he has aged, and each stage has a very distinct characteristic and context. This exhibition is intended to show the audience the aesthetic philosophy, sophisticated ideas, material accumulation, growth experiences behind the classics, starting from the typical case to comb through the facts which are mutually confirmed between individual growth, the individual and the important times, between creation and traditional culture. Several major sections of the exhibition constitute Mr. Sun’s memory of the “eternity of the past”, covering exhibits, painting quotations, artist’s chronology, archives, videos, interspersed and associated with each other, making the exhibition plentiful and three-dimensional.

The opening ceremony was held in the ground floor lobby at 10:30 am. Mr. Sun Zixi together with his wife and daughter were present, and other honored guests including Mr. Jin Shangyi, the former president of CAFA and well-known artist, Gao Hong, Party Secretary of CAFA, Fan Di-an, President of CAFA, Xu Li, General Secretary of China Artists Association, Xu Qingfeng, General Secretary of Chinese Oil Painting Art Committee, Gao Rongsheng, Director of the Illustration and Decoration Art Committee, China Artists Association. In addition, many older professors of CAFA and Mr. Sun’s students were also present.

First of all, Wang Huangsheng introduced the exhibition stating that it was divided into five sections (the past military, the past study, the past teaching, the past days, the eternal creation). The “past” is the clue, while the “eternity” becomes the theme of the exhibition, which reflects the artistic emotion and pursuit of Sun Zixi during different periods. Wang Huangsheng said, Sun Zixi once served as the Director of the Exhibition Hall of CAFA, so CAFA Art Museum held this exhibition to pay tribute to the former director.

Party secretary Gao Hong said, Mr. Sun was both an important art educator and excellent artist. Xu Li, General Secretary of China Artists Association thought that, although his painting didn’t perform a majestic scene of war, it reflected the difficult and various feelings of Chinese society of the times from an unique perspective; Gao Rongsheng, Director of the Illustration and Decoration Art Committee, China Artists Association said, different from previous exhibitions, instead of showcasing his achivements, it presents the creative process and life of the artist as well as the development of his study and creation; Xu Qingfeng, General Secretary of Chinese Oil Painting Art Committee said that, with a distinctive characteristic of the times and nationality, Sun Zixi’s work affected the art circles in China. Creating a lot of people’s favorite works, becoming a symbol of the times, he was both a participant and performer of the Chinese revolution, whose works were subtle and moving, the result of the perfect combination of the characteristicsof the times, artistry and ideology.

Sun Zixi’s daughter Sun Lu gave a speech on behalf of the family, she thanked the organizers and people who assisted the exhibition one by one. Finally, Zhao Huan gave a speech on behalf of Sun Zixi’s students.

After the end of the speeches, Mr. Sun Zixi who sat in a wheelchair at a ripe old age, loudly said to the audience, “Thank you for coming, I welcome your advice!” to announce it officially opened.

Text by Lin Jiabin, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

Photo by Hu Zhiheng/CAFA ART INFO