2015 “National Arts Fund Dissemination and Promotion Project” – “The Temperature of History: CAFA and Chinese Representational Oil Paintings”?(hereinafter referred to as “The Temperature of History”, and it has opened a national itinerant tour in 7 art museums across the country on January 23, 2016. On September 2, hosted by CAFA Art Museum, Chongqing Art Museum, Publicity Department of the Communist Party of Yuzhong District in Chongqing, organized by CAFA Art Museum, the Chongqing show was unveiled in Hall 1-4, Chongqing Art Museum.

The mountainous city of Chongqing has a long history, attracted many cultural and artistic celebrities as well as gatherings of the elite, Department of Arts at Chongqing, The Central University brought together art masters including Xu Beihong, Fu Baoshi, Li Keran, Feng Zikai, Chang Renxia, Guan Liang, etc., and the third National Art Exhibition which has a far-reaching effect when held in Chongqing. The Sichuan Fine Arts Institute which was founded more than 70 years ago, is the only professional institution of higher art in the Southwest district, over the years, it has trained a large number of outstanding artists towards a career of Chinese art and there are nearly 10 artists who are closely related to Chongqing within more than 200 participating artists of this exhibition. The artists who were born, or grew up, or studied in Chongqing include: Qi Zhenqi, Dai Ze, Yu Yunjie, He Kongde, Wen Guozhang, Qin Wenqing, Wu Didi and so on. The artists that taught or engaged in important events in Chong Qing include Xu Beihong, Chang Shuhong, Wu Zuoren, Zhang Anzhi, Sun Zongwei, Dong Xiwen, Wen Jinyang, Wei Chuanyi, etc. For the above nearly 10 artists, the exhibition is a warm “homecoming” of their life journey and artistic journey.

Executive Director of Chongqing Art Museum Pang Maokun thinks that: “Started from Western Learning Introduced into China in the early 20th century to the anti-Japanese war when Xu Beihong and many other artists carried out art education in Chongqing, and then Wei Chuanyi and other teachers taught and practiced what they learned in the Maksimov class, it laid the foundation for innovation and expansion of Chinese oil painting since the Grades 1977 and 1978. Needless to say, realism painting is the main creative direction of oil painting of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, constantly promoting the art creation of Chongqing in moving ahead, and this trend is constantly evolving, which has a similar trajectory of many art institutions, in pursuit of the individuality, diversity and characteristics of the times on the basis of realism.” Therefore, he said that the significance of this exhibition lied in: “Review the history in order to enlighten the present and look into the future. This exhibition is likely through time to present the collision between the centurial Chinese classical realism oil painting and the avant-garde art, the fusion of Western technology and the localization of a thread of thought, the running of the academic language of painting and contemporary artistic ideas. Using the linear research of realistic oil painting, realistic energy and spiritual values of humane care, to showcase the human spirit in every historical stage, to reflect the growth of Chinese society and changing systems.”

The exhibition is highly praised by the experts and scholars of the organizer and leaders of Yuzhong District in Chongqing in both the academic context of the exhibition and the artistic heights and cultural values, and it is called “the exhibition of the highest quality after the Chongqing Art Museum opened three years ago”. Party Secretary of Chongqing Art Museum, Deputy Director Deng Jianqiang who hosted the opening ceremony delivered a speech and said that, the planning had lasted for more than 7 months starting from the initial contact to preparation. Supported by all parties, it finally meets the citizens of Chongqing. The tour features a total of 180 articles in the exhibition hall 1-4 of Chongqing Art Museum and is on show for 38 days, including the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Golden Week, it is divided into five chapters relying on the original framed structure.

The opening ceremony brought together leaders and honored guests from Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, including: Deputy Party Secretary of CAFA Prof. Wang Shaojun, curator of the exhibition and Director of CAFA Editorial Yin Shuangxi, the senior Prof. Wen Guozhang from CAFA, Deputy Dean of the School of Plastic Arts, CAFA, and Director of the Department of Fundamental Education for Plastic Arts Prof. Zhang Lujiang, Exhibition Director, Deputy Director of CAFA Art Museum Dr. Tang Bin, Party Secretary of the Department of Oil Painting, CAFA Shi Yu, Vice President of the High School Affiliated to CAFA Ms. Huxidan Abudukelimu, CEO of AXA Insurance of Artwork Asia Sun Guizhen, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Huaxie Treasure International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd. Ms Yang Hong, founder of Dejiayibang Huang Xi, Member of Party Committee at the Chongqing Municipal Culture Commission, Deputy Director Jiang Weining, President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chairman of Chongqing Artists Association and Executive Director of Chongqing Art Museum Pang Maokun, Chairman of Yuzhong District CPPCC Chen Dakui, Standing Committee of Yuzhong District, Director of the Publicity Department He Jiguang, Vice Chairman of Yuzhong District CPPCC Dai Qichang, Vice President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Zhang Jie, Vice President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Vice Chairman of Chongqing Artists Association Hou Baochuan, as well as leaders of Chongqing Artists Association, the universities and colleges of arts, and many cultural organizations in Chongqing.

The Standing Committee of Yuzhong District, Director of the Publicity Department He Jiguang delivered a speech on behalf of the organizer, he said that it has an high-concept, high-profile, high-level exhibition, it not only gave us an unprecedented artistic enjoyment, but also allowed us to review modern Chinese history of art, culture and thought through exquisite artworks.

Deputy Party Secretary of CAFA, artist Wang Shaojun delivered a speech on behalf of the planner CAFA. He said that by passing through the curtain of history, rationally combing through the relationship between CAFA and Chinese oil painting, showcasing the contribution of generations of painters from CAFA, it became conducive to the formation of a more thorough knowledge of contemporary cultural conditions, carrying forward a fine artistic tradition, topromote the new development of Chinese painting and Chinese art.

Born in Jiangjin, Chongqing, senior Prof. Wen Guozhang emotionally thanked the show which was on display in his hometown! He said that, CAFA? had suffered for a long time, after Fan Di’an was appointed president of CAFA, the situation completely changed, it was the first important exhibition for Wen to participate in, many colleagues were entangled into forming a team to create such a remarkable exhibition, it was great because it blended the development of Chinese oil painting in the 20th century with the history of CAFA. Thus, this exhibition would hold a special position in Chinese art history.

President of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chairman of Chongqing Artists Association and Executive Director of Chongqing Art Museum Pang Maokun delivered a speech on behalf of the venue organizer and emphasized that the development of the oil painting of Chongqing, represented by Sichuan Fine Arts Institute was also closely related to history, Realistic oil painting was also an important creative direction of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, constantly promoting the art creation of Chongqing. Reviewing history in order to inspire the present and also looking to the future. The academic energy of this exhibition is bound to play a positive role in the promotion of the development of oil painting in Chongqing and even Southwest China.

Finally, the Exhibition Director, Deputy Director of CAFA Art Museum Tang Bin addressed the opening ceremony on behalf of the organiser and said that nearly 200 Chinese representational oil paintings which were mainly in the collections of CAFA Art Museum were on display at Chongqing Art Museum, all of them were boutique paintings by several generations of oil painters from CAFA. It was a chance for the audience of Sichuan to closely enjoy and feel the charm of oil painting and shared stories behind the art creation with the professors and scholars at the opening.

Text and photo by Zhu Li/CAFA ART INFO

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