Exhibition locations: Shenzhen Academy of Painting and Guan Shanyue Art Museum

Exhibition period: December 30, 2016- January 8, 2017 (Guan Shanyue Art Museum)

December 30, 2016- February 12, 2017 (Shenzhen Academy of Fine Arts Museum)

Guidance unit: Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Organizer: Shenzhen Academy of Painting

Co organizers: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen Artists Association

The time flies by swiftly, like a white horse dashing through a narrow gap.In those eyes of intense concentration, within the graceful poise of licking brushes and blending ink, embedded in the profound and heartfelt craftsmanship of carving, and in the meticulous weaving of words and phrases, Shenzhen Art Museum has embarked on and traversed a remarkable 30-year journey.Throughout these three decades, Shenzhen Art Museum has conscientiously embraced the special mission of advancing the development of Chinese fine arts and fostering the cultural construction of emerging cities. It has strived to grasp the pulse of contemporary Chinese fine arts, clarified its professional development direction and academic positioning, proposed the topic of contemporary Chinese painting innovation, continuously conducted theoretical research and creative practice activities, adhered to the academic principle of openness, diversity, and inclusiveness, and established the "Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennale," an internationally influential exhibition and exchange platform for contemporary ink painting, as well as the "Shenzhen Ink Painting Forum," a platform for in-depth exploration of the history and current status of ink painting in fine arts theory.

Furthermore, Shenzhen Art Museum actively embraces the trend of contemporary art integration, exploring the relationship between ink painting and design art, architectural art, and new media art, while prioritizing printmaking as its second professional focus. It compiles the "China Printmaking Yearbook," selects outstanding new printmaking works annually, and hosts the "Printmaking 100" exhibition of fine prints.

Keeping pace with the times, Shenzhen Art Museum has thoroughly analyzed and understood its institutional attributes while continuously pursuing artistic innovation. It has actively explored and practiced reforms in the operational mechanism of the art academy, striving to establish a system that fosters projects and undertakings rather than individuals, fostering an open and diverse academic environment, and cultivating a professional team that remains dynamic and adaptable. In 2000, Shenzhen Art Museum took the lead in implementing the "Guest Artist" system among art academies nationwide, and in 2012, it implemented a contract system for local artists. Over 60 artists who participated in the Guest Artist Program have created artworks that blend Eastern and Western elements, while local contracted artists from various institutions and units, along with resident artists, have jointly formed a "national team" of professional fine arts in Shenzhen.

As a government-sponsored professional art institution, Shenzhen Art Museum has always been clear about its responsibility in the construction of the public cultural service system. Our creations provide quality cultural products for the city; our artistic activities build cultural brands, enhance the city's cultural taste, and highlight its cultural character; we have organized over 200 public welfare art exhibitions, welcoming tens of thousands of domestic and international visitors, enriching the city's cultural life; our collection of over 2,000 contemporary ink painting and printmaking masterpieces has accumulated invaluable artistic treasures for the city; we actively undertake various government tasks related to fine arts; artists go down to grassroots communities, factories, military units, schools, and neighborhoods to provide direct cultural services to the public, and also contribute professional support to the development of the cultural industry. In the landscape of urban cultural construction and the public cultural service system, the art academy plays a unique and irreplaceable role.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, Shenzhen Art Museum, through exhibitions and publications, reviews its history and examines its work, hoping to learn from the past, extend its vision for development, and explore new avenues in fine arts. The "Shenzhen Art Museum 30th Anniversary Exhibition of Excellent Works" presents three thematic exhibitions: "All Rivers Run into the Sea – Works by Shenzhen Art Museum Artists," "Stones from Other Hills – Works by Guest Artists in the Collection of Shenzhen Art Museum," and "Roots and Flow – A Collection of Treasures from Shenzhen Art Museum."

"All Rivers Run into the Sea" showcases 95 works by 50 contracted and resident artists at Shenzhen Art Museum in the Central Hall and Hall C of Guan Shanyue Art Museum. These 50 artists, each contributing their unique talents and efforts, employ various artistic languages such as ink painting, oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, and watercolor to celebrate Shenzhen, a vibrant and innovative city. Together, they compose a symphony of diverse tones, styles, and melodies, depicting a turbulent yet harmonious, graceful yet resounding, and wandering yet stirring narrative. The exhibition runs from December 30, 2016, to January 8, 2017.

Shenzhen Art Museum has consistently emphasized the equal importance of creative practice and artistic theory. Therefore, on the occasion of the "30th Anniversary Exhibition of Excellent Works by Shenzhen Art Museum," we have collected and organized the museum's historical materials, reviewed past academic topics, and compiled a selection of representative research papers that closely align with our academic themes into a publication, titled "Document Collection Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Shenzhen Art Museum's Establishment." Among these, "Urban Landscape" delves into the transformations that ink painting underwent in the face of urbanization at the end of the last century; "Urban Ink Painting" further explores the situation of traditional painting within urban culture, building upon the foundation of urban landscape painting; "Ink and Brushwork in the Era" examines the inheritance and innovation of ink and brushwork techniques; "Ink Painting and New Media" discusses the cultural context of ink painting's expressive media and its expansion in the digital age; "Narrating History through Prints" is based on the research findings of the "China Prints Almanac" and "100 Prints," offering a historical perspective on Chinese prints since modern times; "Embracing Diversity, Complementing Each Other's Strengths" touches on our institutional reform and societal contributions, encompassing aspects such as the museum's construction, collection research, public education, and social engagement. Most of the articles in this document collection are written by scholars and experts who participated in various academic events hosted by the museum, representing the theoretical research achievements of Chinese painting circles over the years. Furthermore, the collection also includes a "Chronicle of Significant Events" spanning Shenzhen Art Museum's 30-year journey, serving as a work report to the citizens of Shenzhen.

Since its establishment, Shenzhen Art Museum has focused on thematic art collections centered around the two major academic topics of ink painting and printmaking. The museum's ink painting collection encompasses masterpieces by veteran artists such as Li Keran, Ye Qianyu, Hua Junwu, Guan Shanyue, Lai Shaoqi, Lu Yanshao, Tang Yun, Song Wenzhi, as well as outstanding works by numerous ink painters featured in the "Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennale," "Urban Landscape Painting," and "Urban Ink Painting" academic exhibitions. The printmaking collection features dedicated collections of renowned printmakers like Yan Han, Zhao Yannian, Zhang Huaijiang, Li Huanmin, Chao Mei, and annual masterpieces by young and middle-aged printmakers participating in the "100 Prints" Fine Art Exhibition. Additionally, Shenzhen Art Museum has comprehensively collected outstanding works from the "Major Historical Theme Art Creation Project Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone," which brings together thematic creations in various art forms by domestic and local Shenzhen artists. This exhibition will selectively showcase 142 pieces (or sets) of collections, including 90 ink paintings, 36 prints, 15 oil paintings, and 1 photograph. These precious works represent the artistic treasures accumulated by the museum for the city of Shenzhen, while also demonstrating the innovative and profound academic thinking of this youthful art museum.

Concurrently, to present Shenzhen Art Museum's 30-year history and endeavors in a multi-faceted manner, we have produced a documentary titled "Steadfastly Striving and Confidently Advancing: 30 Years of Shenzhen Art Museum." This film showcases a panoramic view of the vibrant and youthful Shenzhen Art Museum by exploring four aspects: "Shenzhen Art Museum at the Forefront of Reform," "Ink Art Following the Times," "Open and Pragmatic Institutional Innovation," and "Cultural Mission in Serving Society." Through history, events, and personalities, it offers a multi-layered, multi-angled, and multi-dimensional portrayal of the museum, ultimately presenting a vivid picture to the audience.

As Shenzhen Art Museum marks its 30th anniversary, we remain committed to staying true to our original aspirations, striving ahead vigorously, pursuing innovation relentlessly, and courageously shouldering our responsibilities. We aim to contribute cultural support to Shenzhen's role as an innovative city through outstanding and era-worthy original artworks, and add vibrant colors to the ever-renewing and more beautiful stories of spring with the brushes of Shenzhen's artists.