"Autumn Waters" by Chen Lixun
Seven years ago, seven Chinese artists spent three months touring 15 art museums in 16 countries in Eurasia. This "long vacation" provided the inspiration for a 2012 show in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province entitled "Going West, Looking Back to East."
Now, these artists are back with "Going West, Looking Back to East — Round Two," an exhibition featuring nearly 120 paintings on display at the Museum of the Shanghai Oil Painting & Sculpture Institute through April 24. The touring exhibition will later be brought to Hangzhou and Ningbo, Zhejiang.
"All of the participating seven artists have strong individual characters," says Xiao Feng, the former director of the China Art Academy in Hangzhou and the chairman of Zhejiang Artists' Association. "Each of them is equipped with a strong academic background, but the artistic journey enabled them to compare the cultural differences between the East and the West."
Fu Jun, vice director at the Museum of Shanghai Oil Painting & Sculpture Institute, also framed the show as an reassertion of traditional easel painting in an age dominated by digital media.
One highlight of the exhibition is a selection of watercolor works created by Chen Lixun. Born in Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, Chen is a graduate of Jiangnan University. His watercolor paintings feature the distant elegance that usually typify traditional Chinese ink-wash paintings, yet they are also blended with Western impressive techniques of light and shade.
Date: Through April 24, 9am-4pmVenue: Museum of the Shanghai Oil Painting & Sculpture Institute
Address: 111 Jinzhu Rd
