Preface

As one of the important birthplaces of the modern printmaking movement in China, Guangdong has always been closely connected to the pulse of the times with its profound revolutionary woodcut tradition and continuous artistic innovation spirit. The "Southern Guangdong Fertile Soil · Era Chapter" exhibition is based on the "Hundred Counties, Thousand Towns, and Ten Thousand Villages High Quality Development Project" that Guangdong is deeply promoting throughout the region. It attempts to construct a deep dialogue about the changes in the local land, cultural evolution, and artistic resonance of Lingnan through printmaking, an artistic medium that combines dissemination and strong expression.

The exhibition is divided into four academic sections: "New Aspiration and Era Impressions, Rural Revitalization and Homeland Poetry, Humanistic Inheritance and Vitality in Lingnan, and Diversified Exploration and Imagery Symphony". Using printmaking language to solidify high-quality development moments, the exhibition interprets the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, tradition and modernity from an artistic perspective, showcasing the creative transformation and innovative development of Lingnan's historical culture in contemporary times, and presenting the artist's personalized philosophical thinking on the theme of "development". The collection of over 130 works, covering various printing techniques such as relief, intaglio, planographic, relief, and comprehensive techniques, showcases the expansion and inclusiveness of printmaking concepts in the contemporary art context. Exploring how printmaking can record and interpret the complex texture of contemporary urban and rural development in China through its unique knife cut wood flavor, imprint texture, and visual rhetoric. From the integration of industry and city in the Pearl River Delta to the ecological transformation in eastern, northwestern Guangdong, from the spatial reshaping of traditional villages to the cultural implantation of emerging industries, artists use carving knives as pens and "plates" as media to transform macro strategic deployments into micro emotional narratives and form creations. This is not only a mirror reflection of the real scene, but also an active "artistic intervention", seeking the expressive tension of printmaking language in contemporary social issues between documentary and symbolic aspects.

This exhibition is a positive exploration of how contemporary printmaking can achieve the unity of artistic and ideological qualities, and also an academic response from contemporary printmakers to the mission of Chinese printmaking in the new era. We hope that the exhibition will not only showcase the fruitful achievements of the "Millions of Projects" on the land of southern Guangdong, but also reveal the profound cultural roots and spirit of the times behind them through the layered imprints, triggering continuous thinking on how art carries public memory and participates in social construction. May these works, with their distinct printmaking language and profound emotional warmth, leave vivid annotations for the times and inspire and resonate with viewers.

Preface

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. When we pay attention to the contemporary development and construction of Shenzhen Gongbi painting art, Jing Lili and He Qin are undoubtedly representative artists. Their Gongbi painting vocabulary not only inherits the essence of their predecessors, but also demonstrates a distinct modern consciousness and individual exploration, which is a contemporary reflection of the artistic quality and innovative spirit of several generations. This exhibition showcases more than 50 exquisite works by Jing Lili and He Qin in the form of two solo exhibitions. They inject contemporary women's emotions and warmth into the ancient art form of gongbi painting with their unique female sensitivity and resilience. What is particularly rare is that their creative vision possesses the innate qualities of Shenzhen's enterprising spirit and cultural inclusiveness, which requires constantly overcoming self centeredness and openness to embrace others - "beauty and sharing". Through this, we recognize the value of our own culture and gain insight into the cultural vitality and creative drive of Shenzhen's meticulous art.      

This exhibition is a meticulous new work created by the author inspired by his observations and feelings of the world. For her, the distance is the power that drives her spirit to transcend reality and explore the world, and the magnificence and wonders of the African land also echo the pursuit of profound tranquility in Chinese art. The 'Extreme Vision' is the artistic interest of Jing Lili, who travels alone through the vast expanse of Africa to showcase exotic 'wonders'. Strolling through her paintings not only cultivates her own emotions, but also opens up a tropical wonder for viewers to rest and nourish their minds.

In her writings, we can easily appreciate the author's joy in the universal life of free creatures: the adorable little elephant is full of vitality, the flamingo takes off gracefully, the wild duck strolls leisurely, and the rhinoceros bird guards the nest with hope - all of which reflect the author's cherish and expectation for the true essence of life, containing endless beauty and power. Jing Lili is skilled at transforming the finite into the infinite, capturing flow in stillness. Under her water colored veil, there are misty scenes of animals, the sky, wonders, and the moon... but they do not appear hazy; There is a dark tone in the painting, but it doesn't feel dull; The wind rises and the clouds move, but there are no raging waves. All scenery is clear and bright, and all artistic conception belongs to the soul. It is not easy to showcase the exotic charm with traditional Chinese writing style, but her soul flows freely between the boundless sky and earth with the fusion of water and color. Jing Lili's paintings depict a kind of mind and a realm, calmly melting the barriers of distance and difference, revealing a broad mindedness that embraces all things. This is not a curious distant view, but a resonance between heaven and man, as well as a leisurely wait. An Eastern female artist, with her unique gentleness and calmness, engages in a deep gaze and spiritual dialogue with distant life.

It showcases the rich historical culture, unique ethnic customs, and profound cultural heritage of the 

Tibetan people, and delves deeper into the unique expression of Tibetan culture in art creation, as well

 as the evolution and innovation of Tibetan themed art in modern and contemporary historical 

processes. This exhibition will help enhance the audience's awareness, understanding, and love for 

Tibetan culture, and provide a vivid visual sample for studying the exchange and integration of Tibetan culture and modern art.

Art is colorful through communication and enriched through mutual learning. As early as 2004, 

Shenzhen Guanshanyue Art Museum, Xizang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Xizang Artists 

Association, and Li Keran Foundation jointly held the "Snow Area Color Training - Xizang Contemporary

 Painting Invitational Exhibition" in Shenzhen, which attracted wide attention from all walks of life. 

Twenty one years later, we held the "Concentric Painting Landscape - Xizang Art Works Exchange 

Exhibition", which is not only the continuation of the long-standing friendly exchanges and cultural 

context between Shenzhen and Xizang, but also the result of friendly exchanges between Shenzhen 

Guanshanyue Art Museum and Tibet Art Museum in the new era. The holding of this exhibition will 

further deepen the deep friendship between Tibet and China.

We hope that this exhibition can inspire contemporary artists to explore innovative paths that combine

 traditional and modern aesthetic concepts, and promote the unique charm of Tibetan themed art in 

the context of globalization.

Shenzhen Guanshanyue Art Museum Xizang Art Museum

September 2025

Preface

In contemporary society, in the diverse cultural ecology with countless experimental samples of themes, styles, and techniques, it is always an unavoidable proposition for artists to explore unique painting styles, techniques, and visual language. For Liang Xingsheng, it is no exception.

As an artist who has been working in the academy for a long time, Liang Xingsheng's proposed solution is to construct an open system for himself, and always explore the direction of seeking change and innovation in inheritance. In general, it means not sticking to one corner, breaking through the limitations of regional culture, actively drawing on and absorbing the cutting-edge achievements of contemporary art from various regions in the north and south. In terms of creative expression, Liang Xingsheng's paintings in recent years have clearly diverged from those of the previous decade. This can be observed from the following two points: firstly, the comprehensive application of ink, color, and lines has been elevated to a new state. On the basis of exploring pure ink figure painting, he further demonstrated the effectiveness of color in the picture; The use of ink painting is not as focused on brushstrokes and blocks as in the past, but rather on the unique texture and fun of ink spreading out with deformation; The lines abandon the previous sense of heaviness and turn towards a refined and simple feeling. Both, the painting theme becomes grand and narrative oriented, drawing attention back to ordinary individuals and focusing on the characters around them. Focusing on grassroots people such as urban construction workers or production builders has been a common theme in the art world over the past decade. Although it may be a strategy to pay attention to social reality, it can easily fall into a vague and repetitive style. Liang Xingsheng pays attention to the living conditions of people around him through sketching, endowing realistic themes with more authentic connotations. The combination of multiple factors, from techniques to themes, has ultimately formed a new style of Liang Xingsheng's figure paintings that highlights the prominent image, blends ink colors, and is full of interest and modernity at present.

This exhibition, which focuses on the creations of the past five years, is a phased summary of Liang Xingsheng's artistic exploration process. I believe that as one's understanding and thinking deepen, their artistic appearance will continue to change. Naming the exhibition "Xiaotiandi" is not only derived from one of his works with children as the theme, but also a display of the painter's artistic views. For artists, painting is a small world that is enclosed outside the chaotic world and deserves extra care to appreciate life. It is a path to realizing the self and becoming the greater self.

Lai Zhiqiang (Associate Researcher at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)

August 2025

Organize the "Charm of Diversity: International Print Exchange Exhibition" (October). The exhibition will focus on showcasing the works of artists from Guanlan Printmaking Base and the exquisite printmaking collections of Guanshanyue Art Museum, totaling over 260 pieces, covering the creations of artists from 20 countries and regions. The exhibition aims to highlight the unique charm of the "multiplicity" of printmaking art, popularize printmaking knowledge in an accessible way, and showcase contemporary Chinese cultural confidence through international exchange and mutual learning.

Preface

Mr. Leon Lai (1929-2023), as an outstanding representative of the second generation of the Lingnan 

School of Painting and one of the leading figures in the Hong Kong art world, has had an impact on 

his artistic achievements in Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macao.

In 1940, at the age of only 11, Liming became a disciple and trusted assistant of the master of 

Lingnan Painting School, Gao Jianfu. He not only fully inherited the innovative concept of "balancing 

Chinese and foreign cultures, integrating ancient and modern", but also deeply grasped the essence 

of brush and ink techniques and artistic spirit, inheriting innovation. In decades of continuous artistic

 exploration, Mr. Liming has always been based on imitating nature, emphasizing the practice of 

sketching, and skillfully integrating the freehand spirit of traditional ink painting with Western painting

 techniques. Through continuous refinement of his skills, he ultimately developed a unique artistic 

style: grandeur and refinement complement each other, and the fusion of color and ink showcases 

a unique charm. His works not only maintain the regional characteristics of the Lingnan School of 

Painting, but also demonstrate artistic pursuits that go beyond tradition.

As an artist with comprehensive talents and unique style, Mr. Liming's works cover a wide range 

of subjects, whether it is landscapes, flowers and birds, or characters, he is versatile in one area. 

Mr. Liming is particularly famous for his flower and bird paintings, and the birds in his works, 

such as peacocks and ducks, are vividly depicted with emerald colors and golden feathers, vividly 

interpreting the vivid and unique brushwork of Lingnan School's flower and bird paintings. Liming 

pursues a clear and elegant style that highlights the grandeur and magnificence of the painting. 

In his paintings, the magnificent feathers and agile posture of the peacock not only carry the artistic 

conception of Eastern ink painting, but also imply the brilliance of Western colors, forming a unique 

visual language of "golden and blue reflection, splendid and colorful". This vigorous artistic vitality 

indicates that Mr. Dawn is not only a firm inheritor of Gao Jianfu's innovative spirit, but his works have 

also become a unique artistic language that connects tradition and modernity, East and West.

It is worth emphasizing that Mr. Liming devoted his entire life to the promotion and development of 

the Lingnan School of Painting. He inherited the artistic spirit of Mr. Gao Jianfu, the aesthetic concepts

 and technical system of the Lingnan School of Painting, and reorganized the "Spring Tide Painting 

Society" in Hong Kong. Through continuous expansion, the art of the Lingnan School of Painting 

moved from Lingnan to the international stage, promoting the inheritance and innovation of this art 

school in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. He has become an important cultural 

ambassador in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao region, especially forming cultural resonance 

between Hong Kong and Guangdong. Since its opening, the Guan Shan Yue Art Museum has been 

continuously implementing the planning, research, and exhibition work of the "Guan Shan Yue and 

Lingnan Painting School Research" series of exhibitions, and in recent years has been deepening 

cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao regions. The "Embracing the Past and Present: Dawn Research

 Exhibition" is an extension of the depth and breadth of Lingnan painting research through case 

studies. We hope that this series of activities will become a link in the traditional art ecology of 

Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and contribute to the inheritance and promotion of excellent 

traditional Chinese culture and the construction of a cultural community in the Guangdong Hong Kong

 Macao Greater Bay Area.

We would like to express our deep condolences to Mr. Leon Lai for his outstanding artistic achievement

s, noble personality charm, and immortal contributions to the inheritance and promotion of the 

Lingnan School of Painting.

Director of Guanshanyue Art Museum in Shenzhen

Chen Junyu