"The Art Language of History – The 5th China Oil Painting Biennale" kicked off at 10:00 AM on May 26, 2023, at the Zuikui Garden Art Center. The event was sponsored by the China Academy of Art (CAA), China Oil Painting Society, and Zhejiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, organized by Zuikui Garden Art Center and CAA School of Painting, and co-organized by Zhejiang Artists Association, Zhejiang Academy of Oil Painting, and Zhejiang Association of Oil Painters.
Inaugurated in 2012, the China Oil Painting Biennale is in its fifth edition, each edition themed on "In Time", "Presence", "Significant Presence", "The Presence of Language", and "The Art Language of History", respectively. This new edition commenced at Zunyi as the first stop, followed by Xiamen and Beijing. Now at its fourth stop, Hangzhou, the exhibition resolves around the theme of "The Art Language of History", displaying highly representative and outstanding oil paintings among major thematic works created since the founding of New China, particularly those produced in the 21st century, from the perspective of the historical evolution of art language. Also, the drafts and studies behind the creative process are revealed.
The exhibition brought together 42 iconic historical masterpieces, along with their related precious manuscripts and sketches (some being replicas), totaling more than 610 works. It is divided into five sections: "Baptism", "Tracing", "Structuring", "Performance", and "Portraits", comprehensively and explicitly showcasing how the painters conceptualized themes, collected historical materials, did figurative studies, deepened themes, and selected and refined art language and other aspects with historical care.
Guests who attended the opening ceremony include Xu Jiang, Vice Chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Vice Chairman of China Artists Association, President of China Oil Painting Society (COPS), Chairman of Zhejiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles (ZFLAC), and Director of Academic Board at CAA; Pang Maokun, Vice Chairman of China Artists Association, Vice President of COPS, and Dean of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute; Quan Shanshi, Professor at CAA and renowned oil painter; Jin Yibin, Secretary of the Party Committee at CAA; Zhang Zuying, Tenured Member of the Academic Committee at COPS, and researcher at Chinese National Academy of Arts; Lei Bo, Vice President of COPS and Director of the Art Committee at Beijing Fine Art Academy; Zhang Shuguang, Secretary-General of COPS and Professor at Minzu University of China; Wan Shaojun, Deputy Secretary-General of COPS, and researcher at the Oil Painting Institute of the China National Academy of Painting (CNAP); Zhang Xiaoling, Council Member of China Artists Association, Academician at CNAP, and Dean of School of Fine Arts at East China Normal University; Yu Xiaofu, Dean of School of Fine Arts at Shanghai Normal University, Honorary Director of COPS; Cheng Weidong, former Chief Editor of Zhejiang Media Group, and renowned screenwriter; Huang Yazhou, Honorary Chairman of Zhejiang Writers Association and Deputy Director of the Film and Television Committee at China Writers Association; Lv Weigang and Zhao Xiaogang, CPC Committee Members of ZFLAC and Secretaries of the Secretariat; Sun Xudong and Liu Zheng, Deputy Secretaries of the Party Committee at CAA; Fang Peixin, Secretary of Discipline Inspection Committee at CAA; Fu Qiaoling and Cao Xiaoyang, Vice Presidents of CAA; Zhai Huiqing, Member of the Party Working Committee of Hangzhou High-Tech Zone, Standing Committee Member of Binjiang District Committee, and Director of Publicity Department; Zhang Saifei, CPC Committee Member of ZFLAC and Director of Human Resources Department; Hang Jian, former Vice President of CAA, Deputy Director of Academic Board and Honorary Director of the Art Museum of CAA; Bai Renhai, Song Jianming, Hu Zhonghua, retired senior leaders at CAA; retired professors and representative artists; relevant department heads, student and faculty representatives of CAA; journalists, among others. The opening ceremony was hosted by Wu Dayong, Dean of CAA School of Painting.
Xu Jiang, Jin Yibin, Cheng Weidong, Ma Gang, and Zhai Huiqing delivered a speech. Mr. Quan Shanshi, CAA professor and a renowned oil painter, announced the opening of the exhibition.
In the afternoon of the day, an academic symposium on "The Art Language of History - The 5th China Oil Painting Biennale" (Hangzhou) took place at the Multi-purpose Hall of the Zuikui Garden Art Center. The event initiated discussions on the two themes of "Baptism & Tracing" and "Structuring in the Theater".
Time
May 26 – July 10, 2023
Venue
Zuikui Garden Art Center in Hangzhou, China
