Artist brings natural world to life

For art lovers of traditional ink-wash paintings depicting flowers and birds, the solo-exhibition of artist He Baiming, currently showcased at Duoyunxuan Art Museum, will be right up your street.

Born in 1957 in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, He graduated from the Fine Arts College at Shanghai University. He was tutored under Deng Huainong (1894-1986), a renowned local artist who is widely known for his depiction of chrysanthemums.

Now a member of Shanghai Artists’ Association, the artist has engaged in the subject of flower-and-bird for several decades, absorbing his inspiration from the Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368).

Apart from the ancient masters such as Badashanren (1626—1705) and Shi Tao (1642-1707), he also received guidance from other big names in China’s modern art history such as Cheng Shifa (1921-2007), Zhao Lengyue (1915-2002) and Chen Peiqiu.

Instead of repeating the art languages of his predecessors, He built up his distinctive style by referring to a Western perspective with brilliant hues on rice-paper. The birds and insects he painted are so vivid that it’s almost as if they are alive under his brushstrokes.

The fruit, plants and flowers he depicts radiate an elegant and intricate atmosphere, catering to modern aesthetic taste.

According to the artist, “I try to use the modern tableau to refresh this ancient art genre with my own angle.”

Info

Date: Through December 1, 9am-5pm

Venue: Duoyunxuan Art Museum

Address: 5/F, 422 Nanjing Rd E.