On July 6, 2016, “Has Been Into the Sublimation – Shao Dazhen’s Exhibition of Landscape Painting” opened at Gauguin Gallery that is located in Wangjing SOHO. The title of the exhibition was from the inscription by the late famous comic master Hua Junwu. Yin Shuangxi, Doctoral tutor, Professor from CAFA, Editor-in-Chief of “Art Research” serves as the Academic Director, Post-PhD. Fu Yijing from CAFA serves as the curator, Associate Professor Dong Huiping serves as the exhibition director, and PhD. Zhang Tao from CAFA serves as the executor of the exhibition.

The exhibition is hosted by the Gauguin Gallery, it presents 20 landscape paintings recently created by Prof. Shao Dazhen. In addition to the study on the history and theory of art and writing books, Shao Dazhen has engaged in the creation of Chinese painting and calligraphy over the last three decades. Shao presents his small landscape paintings which are ethereal and elegant, refined, and with an unique appearance.

Many honored guests were present at the opening ceremony of "Has Been Into the Sublimation”: President of CAFA Prof. Fan Di’an, Prof. LaoZhu from Peking University, Prof. Xi Jingzhi from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Prof. Zhang Fuye from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Dean of the School of Art and Media at Beijing Normal University Prof. Wang Guisheng, Director of the Department of Art and Design of the School of Art and Media at Beijing Normal University Prof. Gu Zong, Prof. Jin Rilong, Prof. Liu Bo and Prof. Liu Liping from CAFA, Minister of Propaganda Department of CAFA Qin Jianping, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of “Art Research” Prof. Zhang Peng, Deputy Dean of the School of Humanities, CAFA Prof. Shao Yiyang, the famous contemporary artist Xiao Lu, Wu Ning from Wu Zuoren Art Foundation, Prof. Hu Hong from Beijing University of Technology, Prof. Wu Mingdi from Capital Normal University, Prof. Yuan Xiaojin from CAFA, Prof. Zhou Aimin from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Associate Prof. Yu Yang from CAFA, a researcher of the China National Academy of Painting Wan Shaojun, Associate Professor Liu Libin from CAFA, Associate Editor-in-Chief of “Fine Arts” Sheng Wei, Associate Prof. Yu Runsheng from CAFA, Doctor Qi Peng from CAFA Art Museum, Associate Prof. Cao Tianquan from CAFA, assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of People’s Fine Arts Publishing House Wang Yuan, Deputy Editor Li Jie, a researcher at the National Theatre of China and Editor-in-Chief of “National Theatre” Yan Liu, Associate Prof. Wang Yanfei from Renmin University of China, Associate researcher of Beijing Fine Art Academy Qi Jie, Wang Ke from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and other honored guests such as Cheng Pei, Li Xiaoqian, Lu Hong, Ji Haiyang, Zhang Chen, Bai Rui, Li Zhenjun, Li Hanping, etc. The opening ceremony was presided over by Dong Huiping, Fan Di’an, LaoZhu, Yin Shuangxi, Fu Yijing all addressed to the exhibition.

Fan Di’an believed that Shao’s landscape paintings revealed his pursuit of life, his nature and cultivation, he formed his own spiritual sustenance, so that Hua Junwu had foreseen and sensed his art, to make the inscription of “Has Been Into the Sublimation”. From immigration to sublimation and then indefinite art, Shao’s paintings give us spiritual and aesthetic nourishment.

Before the opening ceremony, a press conference was held with more than twenty media personnel attending  including CCTV, People’s Political Consultative Network, Phoenix Art, Shao Dazhen explained his own creative ideas and feelings in simple terms. Shao Dazhen who has a rich learning and morality believes that, painting is like life, depending on his own situation and the objective environment he is then able to determine a direction, going his own way and drawing his own paintings. He has practiced ink painting and calligraphy for 3 decades, and he has his own creative path so he draws many landscape paintings of a unique and elegant style, leading the viewer to a “feasible, expectant, transportable, livable” place of elegant bamboo and spring, which is far away from the hubbub. The exhibition remains on view at Gauguin Gallery until September 5.

Shao Dazhen was an intellectual and talented ink painter. As a professor at CAFA, Shao has been teaching students and studying to improve his knowledge, and has become a famous Chinese contemporary historian and art theorist. Many people only know Shao as a striking literary grace, but do not know he has been exploring the field of ink for nearly 30 years. At the end of 2004, on the occasion of Shao’s 70th birthday, his first domestic solo exhibition was held at the Beijing International Art Museum. It attracted the art circles in Beijing and was highly praised by many famous painters. After he visited the exhibition, Hua Junwu wrote the terms “Has Been Into the Sublimation” for him on the following day. Shao’s ink painting again leads us to ponder on the artist’s character and artistic quality.

I would like to call Shao Dazhen’s ink painting as the true contemporary literati painting, not only because he is a renowned scholar of the contemporary art world, but also because his paintings are full of the true feelings of Nature. When Shao takes a brush, he passionately concentrates on the painting. He chooses landscape painting as the main theme, because it perfectly expresses his esthetic thoughts and the unconstrained spirit. Shao’s paintings directly express his mind, refusing any limitation of form, but leisurely and jovially perform, he likes to use a thick brush to draw, to create many unexpected appearances  in the landscape, with a profound and vast realm constructed by brush and ink. In addition, Shao has a deep understanding of Chinese and foreign artists, and hobnobs with many known contemporary ink painters, serving as the judge of many important exhibitions over the years, he has written reviews for many important artists, which encourages me to form an high artistic taste. So that, his ink is based on the abundant scholastic accomplishments, his paintings are of a natural context, refusing any style of school, and forming his own unique style. In short, Shao Dazhen’s ink paintings are real, simple and natural, reflecting the taste that transcends the mundane utilitarian.

Yin Shuangxi (Professor from CAFA, the famous critic)

Organizer: Gauguin Gallery

Academic Support: “Art Research” magazine at CAFA, CAFA ART INFO

Inscription of the Title by Hua Junwu

Academic Chair: Yin Shuangxi

Curator: Fu Yijing

Exhibition Execution: Zhang Tao

Exhibition Design: Ji Yujie

Exhibition Director: Dong Huiping

Duration: July 6 - September 5, 2016

Venue: 1211, Block A Tower 2, Wangjing SOHO, Beijing

Courtesy of the artist and Gauguin Gallery, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO.