Exhibition Title:The Mountains And Rivers Are In My Embrace: Liu Wendong Landscape Painting Exhibition

Exhibition Dates: July 9th to July 28th, 2024

Venue: Halls A & B, First Floor, Guan Shanyue Art Museum

Liu Wendong

Born in Guangzhou in 1971, with ancestral roots in Bao'an, Shenzhen. He graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree; in 2002, he obtained a Master of Arts degree from the same department; in 2011, he completed his Ph.D. in Fine Arts at the China National Academy of Arts; and in 2014, he completed his postdoctoral studies in "Art and Science" at Communication University of China. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Dean and Associate Professor of the School of Chinese Painting, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, as well as a Supervisor for Master's Degree Candidates. He is also a member of the Guangdong Provincial Artists Association, the Council of Guangdong Chinese Painting Society, an expert in school aesthetic education in Guangdong Province, and a member of Beijing Fine Meticulous Color Painting Society.

"Landscape" has always been the spiritual image and visual sentiment that transcends reality for Chinese people. Despite the significant changes in the concept of the universe and visual experience associated with landscape during the social transformations since the 20th century, landscape remains an unforgettable visual memory and spiritual landscape presented by Chinese painters.

Liu Wendong's landscape paintings, as an example of modern landscape painting, showcase how modern artists present their personal perspectives of the times and artistic expressions through multiple dimensions, including tradition and innovation, green landscape painting and ink wash painting, as well as the integration and collision between Chinese and Western art. In his paintings, one can observe that under the open vision of "compromising between China and the West, blending ancient and modern" inherited from the Lingnan School of Painting, Liu Wendong consistently focuses on the reproduction of natural wonders and realistic scenes. At the same time, he incorporates the traditional language of early landscape paintings with their green hues, blending it with modern heavy colors, continuously creating, fusing, and processing until he ultimately opens up a new realm.It is noteworthy that many prominent artists since the 20th century, whether it is Mr. Li Keran's "documenting the mountains and rivers of the motherland" or Mr. Guan Shanyue's series of "The Mountains and Rivers of the Motherland," have demonstrated the broad-mindedness of modern landscape painting, which integrates patriotic sentiments into a modern landscape sentiment rather than being limited to the individual's "inner landscapes" where one can roam and reside. They all start with plein air painting, seeking the true visual reproduction and recomposition of landscapes in their practice, aiming to achieve an ideal artistic conception.As a landscape painter maturing in the new era, Liu Wendong keenly responds to the choices made by his predecessors in a way that suits his own context. Through the construction of visual landscapes and expressive languages, he expresses his personal landscape sentiments.

The Art Exhibition of Liu Wendong's Landscape Paintings is not only a tribute to the predecessors but also a case presentation and outlook for the modern transformation of the Lingnan School of Painting spirit. Guan Shanyue Art Museum has always adhered to the academic positioning of Guan Shanyue and 20th-century Chinese art, paying attention to the contemporary continuation of 20th-century artistic concepts. We hope that through the organization of such exhibitions, we can further deepen the cultural and artistic exchanges and interactions within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, jointly promoting the common development of Lingnan Chinese painting art.

Finally, sincere thanks go out to all those who have worked hard for this exhibition!

July 8, 2024