The elliptical Hall No 1 on the ground floor of the National Art Museum of China in Beijing is normally saved for events of great importance, often exhibitions by historical artists of luminosity.Entering the expansive room today, you will find a painting hung in the center created by Shen Xiaoming, an ink artist from Zhejiang province who is pursuing a doctoral degree in classical Chinese painting at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
▲ Award-winning works and entries at the 14th National Exhibition of Fine Arts are on show at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. Zheng Binbin/For China Daily
In his piece titled Golden Land, Shen, 38, depicts and speaks for his peers — people whom he has come across on the streets, construction sites, factories and restaurants, and those hoping for a better life in big cities."They come from rural places. Their grandfathers and fathers, back in the villages, have devoted their lives to farming. My peers are 'farming' on a different kind of land in the cities," Shen says."The figures in the painting are real people I met when preparing the work. I talked to them for a long time and felt that, although they moved to cities, they are emotionally attached to the land their families have worked hard on for generations," he adds.Thus in the painting, he positions the people not against the background of urban landscapes but an extensive field of agricultural harvest and portrays them as if monuments rising from the field."Young people have a new attitude, a temperament their predecessors do not possess. They are more confident and active in embracing changes and facing challenges," Shen says.
▲ The exhibition includes works as Beautiful Xinjiang, by Li Dan, Liu Zihan, Liu Rui and Liu Lijuan. China Daily
His fine brushwork reflecting the emotions of the migrant generation reached the hearts of the juries of the 14th National Exhibition of Fine Arts, organized by the China Artists Association, who awarded the piece a gold prize.Held every five years since 1949, the National Exhibition of Fine Arts gives a panoramic view of fine art and design in the country.This year, it returned to the National Art Museum of China and National Museum of China, where prizewinning works such as Shen's Golden Land and various other entries are on display until Oct 24.Works displayed include paintings, sculptures, prints, installations, animations, mixed-media and graphic and industrial designs to show an intensified integration of art and technology.They exhibit how art has been applied to transform people's lives, such as uniforms for Chinese astronauts and the visual designs — graphics and color systems — for the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou in 2022.
▲ Through Thick and Thin, by Luo Yuxin. China Daily
Depicting the greatness of ordinary people and hailing their spirit is at the core of the National Exhibition of Fine Arts, says Fan Di'an, chairman of the China Artists Association.He says that focusing on people offers a vivid life portrayal in the works selected for the exhibition — those who engage in poverty alleviation, rural vitalization, environmental protection and major national construction projects.Fan adds that on a microcosmic level, people can reflect on the past five years' historic moments, such as the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, to feel the spirit of China and the country's empowered people.
▲ Golden Land, by Shen Xiaoming. China Daily
Liu Wanming, an ink artist who heads the China National Academy of Painting, says he is surprised that "many painters insist on exploring creation in large format, a challenging undertaking to blend techniques and content well".An example at the exhibition is Through Thick and Thin, 2.4 meters in height and 2 meters in length, which won Luo Yuxin, an ink painter from Guangdong province, a gold prize at the exhibition.On a technical level, she presents the brilliance of the minimalist style of classic Chinese painting in which a painter utilizes varying shades of black and white, and a serene mood accentuated by the liubai technique — applying white to create areas of "blankness".Luo created the work out of concern over the years for endangered species and biodiversity and to raise awareness for the biology of the polar regions. It depicts a peaceful scene in which a family of polar bears enjoy a moment on the ice and below the water with fish swimming joyfully.The composition is employed from the flower and bird genre of classic Chinese painting, which Luo specializes in, while reminding people of a pressing environmental problem that "can take a toll on the future of humanity", Luo says.She adds that she seeks to enrich naturalism in traditional ink art by addressing the coexistence of people and other life and the construction of an ecological civilization.
