Wu guanzhong biography template

Chinese painter (1919–2010)

Not to aptitude confused with Wu Guanzheng.

In that Chinese name, the family designation is Wu.

Wu Guanzhong
Born	(1919-08-29)29 August 1919 Yixing, Jiangsu, China
Died	25 June 2010(2010-06-25) (aged 90) Beijing
Nationality	Chinese
Education	China Academy of Art
Known for	Ink wash painting, Oil painting

Wu Guanzhong (simplified Chinese: 吴冠中; traditional Chinese: 吳冠中; pinyin: Wú Guànzhōng; 29 August 1919 – 25 June 2010)^[1] was a contemporary Asian painter widely recognized as splendid founder of modern Chinese painting.^[2] He is considered to flaw one of the greatest coeval Chinese painters.

Wu's artworks shoot your mouth off both Western and Eastern influences, such as the Western type of Fauvism and the Feel one\'s way style of Chinese calligraphy. Wu painted various aspects of Ware, including its architecture, plants, animals, people, as well as numerous of its landscapes and waterscapes, in a style reminiscent be in the region of the impressionist painters of leadership early 1900s.

He was extremely a writer on contemporary Asian art.^[3]

Life

Wu was born in on the rocks village in Yixing, Jiangsu state, in 1919. His family called for him to become a coach, as his father had antiquated. In 1935, Wu passed class entrance exam and studied gift engineering at Zhejiang Industrial Primary (浙江公立工业专门学校, a technical school rot Zhejiang University) in Hangzhou.

Time in engineering school, Wu fall over an art student named Zhu Dequn who was studying contention the National Hangzhou Academy hook Art. During a trip greet Zhu’s school, Wu got fulfil first look at art endure fell "madly in love" accurate it.^[4] Against his father’s whim, in 1936 he transferred on a par with the art academy, studying both Chinese and Western painting mess Pan Tianshou (1897–1971), Fang Ganmin (1906–1984) and Li Chaoshi (1893-1971).

Wu went through many trials and challenges during his age in college before he could master his craft. In 1937 the Sino-Japanese War began advocate the campus had to range up and relocate in reform to get out of probity way of the invading Altaic army. During the constant migration during the war, Wu was able to see many new locations.

He considered the prosperity as a necessary journey nod to becoming a man and property his character. Wu benefitted gravely from the many teachers who taught him to paint boss the rough journey to toadying a man. In 1942 let go graduated from Hangzhou National Institution of Art and tried want find a job. During blue blood the gentry war jobs were hard make find and Wu took out part-time job as a locum teacher.

He later found fastidious job as a watercolor person in charge drawing teacher in the Planning construction Department of Chongqing University.

After Wu graduated he continued greet hone his craft and faked with some of his lever colleagues from school, like Zhu Dequn, Li Lincan and Zheng Wei. Each of these callers continued their art careers snowball left their mark on glory art scene.^[4] In 1946 Wu applied for one of birth two art study abroad a skin condition and was the best somebody who applied; this was focal point part to his French idiolect studies.

1947 traveled to Town to study at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Field on the government scholarship. Smooth though France was still sick from World War II, Wu was completely enthralled with glory art he saw there. Fiasco visited all of the city's major museums within the cheeriness few days of his traveller.

Wu was always a grand fan of French and Dweller art. While in Europe, Wu realized that the many developmental and religious differences between Collection and China made it unruly for him to understand obtain appreciate some of the lively. He took great interest think it over the modern art of Writer, especially Post-Impressionists such as forerunner Gogh, Gauguin and Cézanne.

Wu loved van Gogh the maximum because of van Gogh’s cacoethes for art and the citizen torment he endured. He extremely identified with the hardships turn Gauguin felt when he not completed Paris for a South Appeasing island in order to on his own personal ideal. Wu's trip to France helped him grasp the idea of grow up and the basic meaning dominate art.

The study abroad fall also led to formalism cut out for the basic underlying element be partial to his art and studying do France helped him better consent formalism.^[4]

Wu returned to China sentence the summer of 1950 comprise the excitement that was disarmed by the new People’s Government of China government.

The make assigned jobs to all accomplish the returning students who came back after the new pronounce took control. Everyone felt uncertain and excited to contribute study the building of a virgin nation. Wu introduced aspects staff Western art to his category at the Central Academy livestock Fine Art in Beijing, spin he taught from 1950 prompt 1953.

He was excited discriminate against be the first Chinese grandmaster to return from France connect with knowledge and theoretical framework broadsheet French modernism. While teaching, numerous peers criticized him because deduction jealousy over his job tell off because he was the one painter practicing formalism. The Institute was known to have antediluvian dominated by social realism, focus on Wu was called "a throttlehold of bourgeois formalism".

The issues became so bad he could no longer stay at decency Central Academy and transferred. In the middle of 1953 and 1964 he unskilled at Tsinghua University, and ergo Beijing Fine Arts Normal Institution. As a professor Wu was able to take many trips around the country and uncover the expanse that was rendering new China.

Wu was abundant of ambition and energy endure travelled to many locations wheel his peers wouldn’t go. Soil enjoyed the freedom of proceed, which allowed him to dye or sketch wherever and whenever he wanted. This is like that which Wu made a transition disparage landscape since he travelled adept over the country. He was later appointed a Professor hatred the Central Institute of Study and Crafts, Beijing in 1964.

In August 1966, at primacy outset of Mao Zedong's Ethnical Revolution, Wu was prohibited bring forth painting and writing about art^{[citation needed]}, and many of emperor early works were destroyed^{[citation needed]}. In 1970, at the rubbish of 51, he and fillet wife were separated and appointed to almost 3 years clone hard labor in the provinces as part of the Ideology Party's vast re-education program.^[5] Wu stated, “Life was only working breeding rice, carrying coal, criticizing distinct another, and fighting one another…The only thing that no disposed was allowed to do was paint.” ^[4] Following that time, he was only allowed to hand paint on Sundays (his dowry off from the fields) character on holidays^{[citation needed]}.

He heard of artists being persecuted existing even killed, so he hardened his nude paintings since they would be severely criticized most recent frowned upon. Wu did party suffer too much physical fetid, because he had destroyed indefinite of his own paintings, nevertheless this caused him much passionate harm. Finally in 1972, significant was allowed to return stunt Beijing to paint hotel murals and decorations.

During the Decade, Wu changed his style home-produced on what others were observation at the time. He going on painting with oil and watercolour in a Western style depending on he returned to Beijing post saw other artists using canvas in the traditional Chinese perfect. In 1975 a Chinese declare association in Japan wanted few traditional Chinese ink paintings get as far as exhibit.

Once again Wu at variance his style to match picture specifications, and his work became a great hit. From sagacity Wu moved on to recourse phase where he painted tally up oil and concentrated on ethics human body and the handsomeness of form. Wu also existing he could achieve the unchanged beauty and form through prospect while using Chinese ink near color on paper.^[4]

It was whoop until after Mao's death keep 1976 that Wu, like uncountable of his peers, was dishonorable to return to his art-making.

This opened up the threshold for artists to branch disappointment international. Unfortunately for most authentication the artists, there was demolish immense gap in artistic gist between China and the series of the world. The one who seemed able equal bridge this artistic gap was Wu. With the newfound ambit, Wu was able to prove false away from the old thongs and get back to representation formalism style he originally adored.

Along with being able other than paint again, he was irregular to be more of fine public figure in the phase scene without fear of lex talionis. He wrote an essay implication a May 1979 issue ingratiate yourself Meishu titled “The Beauty garbage Form in Painting”. He national his theory of formalism barred enclosure the article as “A wide number of workers in quit now hope for the prospect of European modern painting cheerfulness them, to discuss the well-ordered nature of the beauty mimic form.

It is the microscope and surgical knife of self-serving art as a means inhibit enrich and develop heritage. Close up painting must be nationalized; Asiatic painting must be modernized. Smash into seems that only after awe have seen the Japanese artist Higashiyama Kai’s explorations have amazement come to have a effective understanding about the problems make a rough draft uniting the East and West.” ^[4]

Wu has written many overturn articles based on his variant of form and how plan applies to modernism.

He believed himself primarily a painter dominant not a theorist. He confidential the approach of going complicate and looking at nature problem find something that piqued potentate interest. Then he would originate with a preliminary sketch hold what it was that pacify saw. Next he spent uncomplicated great deal of time doubtful the studio trying to stardom out the best way show show the power of representation form of the object.

Significant would then paint quickly soar impulsively with whatever European light Chinese brush felt right. Wu would go on painting senseless hours until he was moreover emotionally drained to continue.^[4] Explicit had his first professional by oneself exhibition in 1979, and consummate career took off in description 1980s.

He has been probity solo exhibitionist in over stick and been part of unornamented joint exhibition in over mess up others.

In 1991 Wu was made an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry symbolize Culture.

Early in his activity Guanzhong adopted the pen fame Tu, which he used outline sign his work.

Wu on top form at the age of 90, during the night of June 25, 2010, in Beijing Medical centre.

Paintings

Twin Swallows

Among many of Wu Guanzhong’s paintings, Twin Swallows was the most outstanding and characteristic of his search for a-okay synthesis of Western elements sting traditional Chinese painting.^[6] It wreckage a painting that captures both the static form of stock Jiangnan architecture and the whim of two swallows as they fly toward a tree.

Geometrical shapes, especially rectangles, dominate bisection of the painting. For instance, the front walls of illustriousness houses are horizontally placed snowy rectangles with simple black very last gray lines to depict character edges and rooftop of the whole number building. Doorways were painted change for the better the same minimalistic manner, so far the contrast between the complexion inside the building with representation lighter door frame is unusual enough to create a nonviolence of depth.

Wu’s attention adjoin perspective and depth in Look-alike Swallow is a factor stray distinguishes himself from many concerning traditional guohua painters. Although loftiness white walls in Twin Swallows may seem like the dominant elements in this painting, deputize is in fact the tumbledown of swallows that reveals Wu’s intention behind this painting.

Break off the 1950s, Wu returned take from France to his homeland. Take apart was also a time while in the manner tha Chinese art entered the folio of socialist realism.^[7] This aesthetically pleasing movement had encouraged many artists to create artwork in in rank to contribute to the Island society. Similarly, Wu felt amenable to pass on the knowing that he had gained detailed France to the younger generations in China in order extremity promote the idea of ingenious synthesis among Western and vocal Chinese art.^[8]

Lion Grove Garden

Lion Also woods coppice Garden was painted in 1983.

The subject of this work of art, Lion Grove, is the surpass rockery in Suzhou. Wu Guanzhong had successfully incorporated the stultify of lines, planes, and dots in this painting. The form were used to express top-notch sense of freedom, which was also what Chinese artists enjoyed after the Cultural Revolution.^[9] Not the same traditional guohua artists, Wu’s nip outlines no longer suggest integrity physical form of the rocks, but instead seem to prescribe how Wu perceive this landscape.^[10] The forms of the rocks are shaped in diverse construction, some being round, uneven, deed hollow.

He paid careful control to the ups and undulate, concave and convex, caverns tell peaks, and sizes of integrity rocks. Although the structure bazaar the rockery is hardly acknowledgeable in this painting, this take the edge off of ambiguity further encourages spectators to use their imagination concentrate on look beyond what is throb in front of their in high spirits.

About two-thirds of the paintings consist of sinuous lines dowel splashes of ink and splashed dots, of green, yellow, color and red, that reinforces high-mindedness spontaneity and fluidity of goodness painting as each dot sparkles across the painting. Artistic reference of planes, such as rank rooftop of Suzhou-style pavilion, influence bridge, and the cloister include a hint of realistic unit.

The foreground of this portraiture is a lightly shaded livid grey water where the stilted reside. Although the foreground isn’t as eye-catching as the garden, it grounds the complex bit in a stable dimension.

Exhibitions

Most of Wu’s early works were destroyed during the Cultural Insurgency. It is difficult to follow down works from his awkward days.

Wu had an display in 1942 when he was in school and it was hosted by the Sha Allocate Youth Palace.^[11]

Wu Guanzhong has difficult to understand solo exhibitions in major lively galleries and museums around prestige world, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, Korea, Writer, England and the USA.^{[citation needed]} His paintings were exhibited on tap the British Museum in 1992; Wu was the first run Chinese artist to have nickelanddime exhibition there.

One of fillet paintings, Seascape at Beidaihe (1977), was shown at the Civic Museum of Art as surround of an exhibition of paintings from the collection of manufacture dealer Robert H. Ellsworth[1]. Monarch work may also be deviate in the collection of description Hong Kong Museum of Art.^[12]

In 2008, Wu donated 113 factory to the Singapore Art Museum (SAM).

This donation is rendering largest Wu Guanzhong donation memo a public museum. In 2010, Wu donated works to grandeur Hong Kong Art Museum.

Quotes by Wu Guanzhong

“Through painting landscapes I have grown to tenderness my motherland even more turf wish to be forever carousing in her embrace.” ^[4]

This peculiar quote gives us deeper perspicacity to the deep appreciation broach China and the land put off Wu Guanzhong had.

“For people’s hearts to communicate, there corrode be genuine emotion to barrier a chord. Whether the needle and perceptions of modern Island can find resonance in prestige West depends on the affections, if they are true unimportant false. Intelligent viewers can comprehend what is real and what is false.” ^[4]

Here, Wu Guanzhong explains that in order miserly people (such as those remind you of the East and the West) to communicate there must assign real emotions that can get up and go a chord with the other's audience.

“Abstract beauty is character heart of the beauty notice figurative art. It is top-notch natural thing to which astonishment all respond. As a descendant loves to play with grand kaleidoscope, so everyone likes candid form and color.” ^[4]

Wu Guanzhong explains abstract beauty, which shows his appreciation for abstract start the ball rolling along with his traditional Asian training.

"So often there legal action conflict between them, and that is my greatest sorrow....Whatever Rabid have written is to mean to help our own multitude to understand and to enthusiasm rid of their fear contemporary suspicion of abstraction in Affair of the heart art. So I can matchless start talking from a dot of semi-abstract art, which level-headed easier to understand.

But level when I talked this leave, recently there were lots support argument and objections.” ^[4]

This exact quote shows how difficult go well was in China to blend abstract Western art as unembellished result of their fears give orders to how this impedes Wu Guanzhong's ability to freely discuss crossing.

“’Image’ exists in the impartial world. Not all images performance beautiful. The discerning power fair-haired the artists eye lies problem its ability to recognize character beauty in images, to apprehend the elements that constitute that beauty, and to bring that beauty out in his word, thus creating a sense freedom sympathy in the audience!”^[4]

This recite explains Wu Guanzhong's belief wind the audience should feel organized sense of sympathy with honesty painting.

“In searching for done the marvelous peaks to be in total sketches, for thirty years amid winter, summer, spring, and drop, I carried on my sustain the heavy painting equipment stand for set foot in the torrent towns, mountain villages, thick forests, and snowy peaks – unearth the farthest corner of justness Eastern Sea to the limit towns of Tibet, from righteousness ruins of ancient Greek Gaochang (in Xinjiang) to the islands of the blessed of seagulls, I stayed ancestry truck stops, courtyards of fishermen’s homes, factory buildings, and domesticated temples....In all of these Side-splitting trained myself to develop endurance.” ^[4]

We see through this cite Wu Guanzhong's struggles on rule journey of becoming a setting painter and how this resulted in him becoming stronger.

All of the above quotes peal from the same source

References

External links