Guangdong exquisite paintings spanning over a century displayed in HK

Hundreds of thousands of art lovers and tourists visited an exhibition which showcased over 160 Chinese exquisite paintings spanning over a century, featuring works from the Lingnan School’s famous painters to contemporary artworks. The exhibition has accentuated shared cultural roots of Guangdong and Hong Kong.

The “Reform Mission: Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition Hong Kong” (其命惟新—廣東美術百年大展（香港）), was jointly organized by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau, the Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Bauhinia Culture Group. It was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from late May to early June (May 22 to June 2) this year.

The exhibition has been divided into several themes – which include “Pioneering the Tide: The Western Painting Movement in Guangdong”, “Daggers and Spears: The New Woodcut Movement and Cartoons”, “A Flourishing Diversity of Art: Innovation and New Artistic Heights” and others.

(Art lovers visited the exhibition. Image source: One Country Two Systems Youth Forum)

The exhibition’s title “Reform Mission: Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition Hong Kong” originated from China’s ancient Book of Poetry (詩經) – which stated that although Zhou was an ancient state in Chinese history, it had a reform mission. (周雖舊邦，其命維新). It is synonymous with the scenario that arts and cultural development in Guangdong and Hong Kong stand at the forefront of the times.

By the late 19th century, Guangdong artists, including Li Tiefu (李鐵夫), studied painting in overseas countries and introduced Western oil painting to China. Li combined Western oil painting techniques and Chinese aesthetics in his works.

(Fish in Dish by Li Tiefu. Image source: organizers)

In the theme of “Pioneering the Tide: The Western Painting Movement in Guangdong”, “Fish in Dish” (盤中魚) curated by Li Tiefu has demonstrated early Chinese oil still-life painting. Li merged Western realism with Chinese sensibilities, contrasting the textures of fish and celadon porcelain.

(Lion by He Xiangning. Image source: organizers)

In another theme on “Artistic Revolution”, it showcased renowned painting of “Lion” (獅) curated by painter He Xiangning (何香凝). As a revolutionary and an artist, she sought to awaken national identity through her artworks. During the 1911 Revolution era in China, He’s paintings showed her concerns for the nation’s fate.

(Sound Appreciation by Huang Shaoqiang. Image source: organizers)

Also, Chinese painter Huang Shaoqiang (黃少強) created the artwork of “Sound Appreciation” (賞音), embracing “painting within a painting” approach and engaging viewers into the scene.

In the theme on New Woodcut Movement and Cartoons, it epitomized that the New Woodcut Movement promoted by Lu Xun (魯迅), one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20th century, garnered momentum in China in early 1930s.

(Lu Xun Teaches about Woodcut. Image source: organizers)

The masterpiece of “Lu Xun Teaches about Woodcut” (魯迅提倡木刻) was curated by Chen Yanqiao (陳煙橋) in 1937, commemorating the  founding of the League of Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai in 1930.

(The Professor’s Dinner by Liao Bingxiong. Image source: One Country Two Systems Youth Forum)

(Prohibiting the Cock to Crow by Liao Bingxiong.)

On the other hand, famous painter Liao Bingxiong (廖冰兄) created masterpieces of “The Professor’s Dinner” (教授之餐) and “Prohibiting the Cock to Crow” (禁鳴).

In the artwork of “Prohibiting the Cock to Crow”, a brown owl dominates a rooster which cowers in fear. Created in 1945, the rooster’s comb is prominent, and the dark night background signifies a high-pressure environment and the crowd suggests silence among the populace. There was saying that the original painting was stolen by a thief and Liao wrote an open letter and asked the thief to explain why he or she loved his painting.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in October 1949, there were many great artists in Guangdong at that time – as the Central Government implemented the national policy of fostering socialist science, culture, and arts.

(Leaping Fish was created by Chen Yongqiang. Image: One Country Two Systems Youth Forum)

For masterpieces curated between October 1949 and early 1970s, painter Chen Yongqiang (陳永鏘) artwork of “Leaping Fish” (魚躍圖) was one of notable paintings displayed in the exhibition. In 1974, Chen was inspired with his faming experience in Xiqiao Commune in Nanhai county to paint “Leaping Fish”. At that time, he engaged in rural life and had insights into nature.

With the implementation of reform and opening-up policy in China in 1978, Guangdong has reshaped the directions of artistic creation, thereby heralding a new chapter of prosperity in art development in Guangdong.

(Hometown’s Well by Fang Chuxiong. Image: One Country Two Systems Youth Forum)

In 1984, Fang Chuxiong (方楚雄) painted Hometown’s Well (故鄉水) after he was inspired by a corner of a flower farmer’s courtyard in Guangzhou. In the courtyard, Fang saw an old well with stone slabs surrounding the rim and grasses growing the bricks.

After decades of reform and opening-up policy, Guangdong’s art and cultural development has entered a golden age with new generation of talented artists emerging in the province.

(Lingnan’s Flowers by Lin Lan)

In the theme of “A Flourishing Diversity of Art: Innovation and New Artistic Heights”, painter Lin Lan (林藍) curated “Lingnan’s Flowers” (嶺南風情), selecting four typical fruits and flowers of Lingnan – Kapok, Banana, Frangipani and Lychee and depicting prosperous life of people in the region.

In Guangdong, painters and artists have generally been bold and innovative in their art creation. Over a century ago, painters introduced Western oil painting in China and blended Western techniques into Chinese aesthetic. In the past few decades, a new artistic landscape is taking shape in Guangdong as more new painters have formed their own individual painting styles, showing versatile contemporary art development in the province. The spirit of Guangdong art has been an essential part in cultural development in China.