Foreword
China Cultural Centre in Sydney and the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) are collaborating to launch an online exhibition “Magnificent Mountains and Rivers-Landscapes Paintings Collected by NAMOC” in February. The exhibition as part of “NAMOC Activation of Classic Collections Series Exhibition” presents a host of masterpieces on Chinese landscape paintings from the classic works of modern masters to images of social changes in the new times. The artists input their spiritual and emotional perceptions into the natural landscapes with brushes.
China is full of vitality and charm. From white mountains and black waters to snow-covered plateaus, from northwest frontiers to thousands of miles of sea, from grassland pastures to southern water villages, the red is strong, the green is vibrant, the yellow is dazzling, the white is pure, and the black is fertile. All over the 9.6 million square kilometers, no mountain is not magnificent and no water is not beautiful! Since ancient times, generations of Chinese painting masters have been relentlessly capturing the great landscapes of China with their beautiful brushstrokes. The artists not only meticulously depict the form and spirit of nature but also integrate humanistic ideals into their works, interpreting the creative concept of “the brushstrokes should embrace the times” with diversified aesthetic paradigms and writing a beautiful chapter of interweaving farming, grassland and marine cultures in history.
“Heaven and Earth proceed in the most admirable way, but they say nothing about them”. Through the interaction with nature, the Chinese nation has developed a unique concept of the universe, philosophical thought and aesthetic psychology, and transformed the reflections on natural landscapes into a distinctive art theme. The images of rivers and mountains created by the Chinese artists have taken on a different appearance with aesthetic evolution in different periods in history. The exhibition will help the Australian public to appreciate various schools and styles and the development of the contemporary Chinese arts and enhance mutual understanding of the art communities between China and Australia.
About the Exhibition
Covering various medias like Chinese paintings, oil paintings, print and watercolour paintings, the exhibition selects 105 artworks from the NAMOC collection and consist of 5 chapters, the First Chapter, Admiration for the Nobles, presenting the classic works from modern masters such as Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, Lin Fengmian, Liu Haisu, Pan Tianshou, Li Keran, Fu Baoshi, Guan Shanyue among other distinguished artists; the Second Chapter, New Image of the Times, reflecting the new age and new life; the Third Chapter, Construction of Great Causes, highlighting the vigorous construction scenes of New China; the Fourth Chapter, Poetic Dwelling, featuring the poetic beauty of historical and cultural landscapes; the Fifth Chapter, Works of Nature, showcasing the magnificent landscapes of China. These artworks convey emotions with objects and express aspiration with beauty, leading the audience to experience the creation journey of the artists, forging personal visions, tides of the times and natural landscapes into a beautiful form and the value of the splendid Chinese culture.
