Presenting the entirety of current Chinese painting in a single exhibition is an impossible task. The 42 works by 19 artists on display here tell the personal stories of their creators through different materials, techniques, concepts, and forms. They offer their viewers a window not only into the artists’ thoughts and feelings but also the thousands of years of history of Chinese art and the zeitgeist of contemporary Chinese people.

As noted during the opening ceremony by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Cyprus, Liu Yantao, this exhibition reflects the “traditional aesthetic approach of harmony between humanity and nature,” while simultaneously demonstrating the innovative integration of Chinese and Western art forms.

The exhibition features Chinese paintings, oil paintings, prints and sculptures. Many of their creators have studied or travelled abroad. An open and inclusive attitude that encourages learning from various foreign cultures and absorbing new artistic forms and modes of expression has created today’s fusion of Eastern and Western artistic languages and styles by Chinese artists. This allows them to depict Chinese themes and content with new artistic means, which in turn expands the expressive, especially defamiliarization, power of traditional Chinese art forms.

As emphasised by the Chinese ambassador during his remarks, these works demonstrate that “innovation breathes new life into tradition” and embody the broader cultural mission of modern Chinese art.

“Tradition and Innovation” is the path of exploration that Chinese artists have steadfastly followed. A total departure from tradition, however, is never the goal of art; rather, innovation is pursued to breathe new life and even reinvent tradition. For Chinese artists, technical innovation and improvement in skills in cultural traditions with a history of thousands of years ultimately serve the quest of their hearts. Therefore, you will see Chinese artists delving into the same themes throughout their lives, with a dedication that borders on the religious. The viewers, correspondingly, assess an artist by the level of the ineffable spiritual profundity they can convey and their continuously refined techniques to fathom those depths. In this sense, the brush and ink techniques of Chinese painting are nothing but the artist’s lifelong spiritual self-cultivation manifested as objects of artistic appreciation.

In the era of the Internet and globalisation, Chinese artists combine ideas and imagination, the virtual world and reality, illusion and nature, forming unique individual languages that offer a compelling glimpse of the overall landscape of contemporary Chinese art.

As the ambassador highlighted, this exhibition is a perfect example of the “friendship and mutual learning” between China and Cyprus, bringing their two ancient civilisations closer together.

Human emotions are universal, and we are all capable of perceiving beauty. Therefore, an artwork’s value is best reflected in its resonance with its admirers. I hope that, through this exhibition, Chinese art finds more kindred spirits in the countries where it visits.

Profiles of Artists

Tian Liming, born in Beijing in 1955, became a postgraduate student of Professor Lu Chen in 1989 and received a master’s degree in Chinese literature in 1991. Tian is currently Researcher of Chinese Painting Committee of China National Academy of Painting, Professor & Director of the Chinese Painting Art Committee of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, President of the Chinese Painting Society.

Yang Yue, born in 1960, Artist of National Level A. Yang is executive director of the Printmaking Committee and researcher at the China National Academy of Painting, and member of the academy’s Art Committee. Yang is also member of China Artists Association and its Printmaking Art Committee.

Wang Yi, born in Donghai, Jiangsu, in 1960, professor and doctoral supervisor. Wang graduated from Wuhan University in 1982. He is researcher at China National Academy of Painting, council member at China Artists Association and member of its Experimental Art Committee, council member at the Poetry institute of China, specially appointed researcher at China Academy of Cultural Heritage and member of its first Academic Committee. Artist of National Level A, Wang holds doctoral degrees on fine arts and economics. Wang is professor at East China Normal University, distinguished professor at Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, honorary academician at Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Italy.

Zhang Jiangzhou, born in 1961, contemporary Chinese water-ink painting artist, former vice president of the China National Academy of Painting. He is a doctoral supervisor at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, president’s committee member, council member and researcher at the China National Academy of Painting and an honorary academician of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Luo Guirong, born in December 1962. Researcher at China National Academy of Painting and an honorary member of Royal Society of Print-Makers of UK.

Yao Dawu, born in Beijing in 1963, Artist of National Level A. Yao is currently researcher at Chinese Painting Art Committee of the China National Academy of Painting, member of China Artists Association, executive council member of the Chinese Painting Society and member of the Beijing Artists Association’s Chinese Painting Art Committee.

Li Xiaozhu, born in 1964, is the director of the Figure Painting Institute at the China National Academy of Painting. He is art committee member, researcher at Chinese Painting Committee and Artist of National Level A at the academy. He is also a researcher at the Literature and Art Creation institute of the Chinese National Academy of Arts.

Fang Xiang, born in Guangdong in 1967, graduated from the Department of Chinese Painting at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 1988. He is the director of the Landscape Painting Institute at the China National Academy of Painting, a member of its Art Committee, researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, council member of the China Artists Association, an founding council member of Chinese Painting Society.

Liu Wanming, born in Jinghai, Hebei in 1968. He was the Vice President of the National Museum of China, Executive Deputy Director of the Graduate School and Executive Deputy Director of Chinese Painting institute of Chinese National Academy of Arts. He is currently the President of China National Academy of Painting, Vice Chairman of the China Artists Association and Deputy Director of its Chinese Painting Art Committee, Council Member of the Chinese Painting Society, Researcher at Calligraphy and Painting Institute of China Central Institute for Culture and History, Member of the Academic Committee of the National Museum of China, and Deputy Director of the Chinese Painting Institute of Chinese National Academy of Arts. He is also Doctoral Supervisor at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, a Distinguished Professor at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, and a Visiting Professor at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts.

Tao Hong, born in 1970, is researcher and deputy director of the Exchange & Cooperation Department at China National Academy of Painting. Former Director of the Creation Center at the Art Research institute of the Chinese National Academy of Arts. Tao is a distinguished professor of the Calligraphy and Chinese Painting Association of the Organs of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department and the College of Fine Arts at Jianghan University, member of China Artists Association, and director of Fine Arts Academy of the Central Chinese Democratic League.

Zhao Peizhi, born in Xinjiang in 1971, with ancestral home in Jiangsu. Zhao is currently Director of Oil Painting Institute at China National Academy of Painting, Artist of National Level A, Council Member at the China Artists Association & member of its Oil Painting Art Committee, Council Member at the China Oil Painting Society, vice chairman of the Beijing Artists Association, and deputy dean of the Beijing Academy of China Xieyi Oil Painting.

Wan Shaojun, born in Lujiang County, Anhui Province, in 1971, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in oil painting from Anhui Normal University in 1993, a master’s degree in oil painting from Minzu University of China in 1998, and a doctoral degree on art history from the School of Humanities at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2008. He served as deputy director of Theoretical Research Department at the Beijing Academy of Painting and deputy editor-in-chief of The Art of Oil Painting magazine. He is researcher and Artist of National Level A at the China National Academy of Painting, member of the China Artists Association, council member and deputy secretary-general of the China Oil Painting Society, council member of the Beijing Artists Association and secretary-general of the association’s Oil Painting Art Committee.

Zhang Zheyu, born in 1974, holds a master’s degree. He is professor and researcher at China National Academy of Painting. He is also council member of China Sculpture Society, member of Liaoning Provincial Sculpture Art Committee, and vice president of Liaoning Provincial Association of Chinese Young Artists.

Liu Liyu, born in 1976, is member of China Artists Association and Artist of National Level A. Liu graduated from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts (now Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University) in 1999, then studied in the UK and earned a master’s degree on arts in 2003. Liu obtained her doctoral degree on art in 2010. Professor at Department of Arts and Crafts at the Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University until 2014, she is currently researcher at China National Academy of Painting.

Sha Yonghui, born in 1978 in Shangzhi, Heilongjiang, graduated from the Printmaking Department at Harbin Normal University’s School of Arts. As Professor and Doctoral Advisor, Sha is currently director of the Printmaking Institute and Researcher at Printmaking Art Committee of the China National Academy of Painting. She is also council member at China Artists Association, council member & deputy director of Printmaking Art Committee at Beijing Artists Association, vice chairman at Heilongjiang Artists Association.

Deng Ke, born in Hunan in 1978, is Artist of National Level A and the director of the Sculpture Institute at China National Academy of Painting. She is also council member of China Artists Association, member of its Sculpture Art Committee, executive director and deputy secretary-general of China Sculpture institute, director of Chinese Urban Sculpture Artists Association, executive council member of China Female Artists Association, and vice president of the Public Art Committee of the China Culture Promotion Association.

Qiu Lin, born in Beijing in 1979, with ancestral home in Shandong, Artist of National Level A. Qiu is currently professional artist at Oil Painting Institute of the China National Academy of Painting, member of the China Artists Association and member of the Beijing Artists Association & deputy secretary-general of its Oil Painting Art Committee.

Kang Lei, born in 1981, Artist of National Level A. Kang is currently deputy director of the Creation and Research Planning Department and professional artist at Printmaking Institute of the China National Academy of Painting and researcher of its Printmaking Art Committee.

Li Zhuo, born in Shenyang, Liaoning, in 1982, is post-doctoral researcher on art theory and holds a doctoral degree on fine arts (specializing in oil painting) from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is oil painter at the Oil Painting Institute of the China National Academy of Painting and master’s supervisor in the oil painting departments of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts and Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts. He is member of China Artists Association and China Oil Painting Society, council member of the China Mural Painting Association.