Meijing Study, the name of the studio of the modern and contemporary calligraphy and painting master Wu Hufan (1894-1968), is not only a physical space but also a symbol of an influential artistic school and tradition. The Paper has learned that Chen Qiusheng's "Autumn Sound Remains" calligraphy and painting exhibition, recently opened at the Cai Bing Art Museum in Minhang District, Shanghai. As a disciple of Wu Hufan, Chen Qiusheng studied under his nephew Zhu Meicun and his disciple Huang Qiudian. His landscape paintings inherit the style of Meijing Study while also displaying distinct personal characteristics.
"From the works on display, I see the hardships and the persistence. It can be said that Meijing Book House has successors." Wu Yuanjing, grandson of Wu Hufan, said at the exhibition.
Born in 1958, Chen Qiusheng's artistic roots are deeply embedded in the tradition of Shanghai School painting. In 1974, at the age of 16, Chen Qiusheng brought his own copy of the Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual to Huang Qiudian, a disciple of Wu Hufan. Huang Qiudian taught with utmost precision, prioritizing the preservation of traditional landscape painting. He repeatedly emphasized, "Landscape painting begins with a single tree and a single stone. While there are many different approaches to painting trees and stones, they all derive from the ancient methods."
Chen Qiusheng later studied figure painting at the home of comic strip master Gu Bingxin and calligraphy under Wang Weiping. Despite these early mentorships, Chen Qiusheng's artistic journey wasn't always smooth. In 1988, he moved south to Zhuhai and Shenzhen to pursue his artistic endeavors. From 1989 to 2011, Chen Qiusheng took a 23-year hiatus from traditional Chinese painting. Inspired by an exhibition at the end of 2012, the 54-year-old Chen Qiusheng resumed his painting career, pursuing his childhood dream of painting. He spent his days copying calligraphy, sketching, and poring over the albums of his teachers, cultivating his mastery of brushwork. In 2018, he was elected a "Shanghai Artisan Painter."
Landscape No. 1
Lotus and Birds
Chen Qiu Sheng's works in recent years include ink paintings of Huangshan created from sketching in Huangshan, copies of famous works handed down from generation to generation, and copies of Wu Hufan's landscape paintings, as well as paintings of cats, autumn insects, etc.
"cat"
Chen Qiusheng once modestly compared painting to cooking: "Painting is like cooking a side dish. My own dish still needs to be cooked to perfection." This humble attitude is reflected in his constant pursuit of art.
Chen Qiusheng (1st from left) in the exhibition hall
Tao Yuzhi, the academic director of the exhibition and a researcher at the Shanghai Museum, said that this exhibition is a concentrated display of Chen Qiu Sheng's artistic achievements. Although he humbly said that painting is like cooking side dishes and his dishes are still not cooked well, in fact, this "art banquet" is still full of color, fragrance and taste, and it can be said to have a distinct Suzhou flavor.