Jointly organized by Chinese Academy of Arts Affiliated with Chinese National Academy of Arts, College of Fine Arts, Capital Normal University, “Academic Exhibition of Oil Painters of Chinese Academy of Oil Painting Series – Solo Exhibition of Duan Jianwei” was opened at the Art Museum of Chinese Academy of Oil Painting, at 15:00 on October 20, 2013. As one of the “Academic Studies of Oil Painters” planned by the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting, it features more than 100 works by Duan Jianwei, along with the publication of an album of the same title.

“Academic Exhibition of Oil Painters” series, planned by the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting, has featured the exhibitions of noted artists including Chen Danqing, Chao Ge, Xie Dongming, Duan Zhengqu, Jiao Xiaojian, Xin Dongwang, Su Gaoli, and caused huge repercussions in oil painting circles due to their academic quality and artistic standards. With exhibition, publication, transmission, and communication, it is an academic research of an artist from different aspects, attempting to go deep into the individual, to comb through the contemporary figurative paintings in China based on academic research, producing a great view of Chinese figurative painting, guiding Chinese oil painting so it develops in the right direction.

Born in Xuchang Henan Province, in 1961, Duan Jianwei migrated to Hangzhou together with his parents in 1971, and graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Henan University (former Fine Arts Professional of the Department of Arts, Kaifeng Normal College), with a bachelor degree. He has taught in the College of Fine Arts, Capital Normal University since 2008.

Selected  Reviews:

Yang Feiyun

Since the 1980s, “Dual Duans” from Henan – Duan Zhengqu and Duan Jianwei are noted for the performance of the Yellow River native soil in Zhongyuan district, they are commonly rustic, with an idealistic feeling, but also of different strengths and weaknesses, Duan Zhengwei is oriented to be unrestrained, while Duan Zhengwei is oriented to be quiet. The Chinese Academy of Oil Painting held a solo exhibition of Duan Zhengqu last year, following on from this, the Academic Exhibition of Oil Painters of Chinese Academy of Oil Painting Series will hold the solo exhibition of Duan Jianwei this year.

Duan Jianwei has a profound and sincere feeling for plain country life, going to the countryside to paint, for experience and observation every year, in his composition figures are big and the scenes are small, people’s moods are originated from real life, cutting the distance between people, which is actually a tender romanticism, allowing people to see the beautiful country life in the most simple and ordinary things.

Tai Wuqi

I am not sure whether my ambiguous understanding of the works of Duan Jianwei is good or not, without intention to serve as an art critic, instead, pretending to have a simple face to face with his works, trying to straightforwardly or implicitly come out of my very private experiences. In fact, all the understandings are derived from Duan Zhengqu and Duan Jianwei, who are relatively isolated from art circles. The three of us are old friends, and we are closer to each other, because I can’t paint, they would ignore me when talking about painting, I often stand in a corner as an outsider, occasionally hearing that they mutter about painting art things, sleepy, yawn and winking, roughly hearing some words, and seize on an incident to exaggerate matters. Honestly speaking, I believe that a chicken will not lay down a duck egg, and it’s nothing more than an omelette. Therefore, I am trying to get away from it, rather than the familiar serious or not art critic patterns and tones, I am telling my story, neither setting a trap nor fighting with a wolf, only finishing an individual memory, for completing, instead of performance, to remember the dual Duans’ paintings, cherishing both his and my straightforward and implicit.

About the exhibition

Hosts: Chinese Academy of Oil Painting, College of Fine Arts, Capital Normal University

Organizer: Art Museum of the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting

In cooperation with Shandong Ginza Art Museum, Beijing Wiki International Restoration Center for Art

Opening: 15:00, October 20, 2013

Duration: October 20 – October 27, 2013

Venue: Art Museum of the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting

Address: No.1704, Gaobeidian Cultural Arts Street

Courtesy of the artist and the Art Museum of the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting.

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO