In Ren Jianguo's ink world, the development of the five thematic dimensions of "Memory Restart", "Traveling with Things", "Listening to the Wind in the Sea of Clouds", "Peach Blossoms Remain" and "My Own Me" opens up a new freehand style of "ancient and modern taste" through the perspectives of "people", "travel", "potential", "residence" and "me". This is a painting world full of antiquity and naturally absorbing the spirit of modernism, where the painter has come up with new ideas, showing a whole new set of brushwork language and the possibility of expressing the dynamic form of landscape. In those landscapes where the breath of life is the expression of interest, the painter gives the image of the brush a "heroic momentum", so that the flow and transformation of the qi in the painting is conveyed through a complete set of "new brush and ink" freehand methods, which contains the natural nature and injects the painter's life perception and open-minded personal temperament into the painted object, generating a kind of "unity of things and me" and swimming in the infinite landscape realm.
Ren Jianguo, The Hotel We Opened, 82, 82cm, Fine Brushwork on Silk, 1985, Collection of the National Art Museum of China.
Ren Jianguo Men can also cook 405x47.5cm on silk, 1982.
This is a new landscape style that is "feasible and desirable" and "can be traveled and lived", and the love of life and the experience of people's business interests have always been the red thread that runs through Ren Jianguo's paintings since the 80s of the 20th century. In the figure painting of "memory restart", the painter delves deep into life and extracts the basic experience of paying attention to the theme of the characters in the later landscape paintings. The "figure landscape" of the type of "taking things to the heart" allows the crowd to enter the pictorial state of "swimming" from what they see in front of them, providing an intermediate form for the creation of landscape painting. The landscape painting of the type of "Listening to the Wind in the Sea of Clouds" is an expression of Ren Jianguo's mood of showing the spirit of leisurely travel and searching for the "dynamic paradise" in his heart, which expresses the painter's inner pursuit of galloping and magnificent momentum. "Peach Blossoms Still" fills the landscape painting with the atmosphere of fireworks in the world, revealing the natural spirit and lofty interest of mountain life in that scene and object. The abstract expression vocabulary of "I have me" is the continuous expression of the painter's spirit after swimming in the landscape, and the tempering of formal language is placed in the expression framework of the "landscape skeleton" in the wildness, and the spirit of "I use my method" is not forgotten in the heart of the peach source landscape in the expression of joy. As a result, Ren Jianguo shifted from figure painting to a creative system based on landscape painting, which took into account the expression of the painter's mind and the continuous collision of the "new freehand" language. In his landscape world, the style of "ancient and modern" always runs through it, swimming between cultural tradition and modernity.
Ren Jianguo, February Spring, 95, 102cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Chenyang Zhaojue, 130x130cm, ink on paper, 2022.
Ren Jianguo, sister, painting core 525x227cm ink on paper, 2022.
Ren Jianguo, Winter Goes to Spring and Comes Again, Ink and color on paper, 124 cm, 237 cm, 2016
Ren Jianguo's concept of painting has an "unbounded" sense of accessibility, he is not bound by some stereotypes, but concentrates on the subject matter, brushwork, painting and transformation methods that the artist wants to express and explore, and he does not deliberately flaunt a certain school of art history, but explores the heroic spirit and fluency in the context of ink painting with the artistic spirit of "I have my own". He adheres to the origin of freehand, but expands the "self-method" of brush and ink expression with an open "freehand concept", and randomly moves between the painting context and the brushwork. Perhaps his exploration of ink painting can be described in the "neo-freehand style", and the intuition of indulgence and abstract expression in ancient Chinese painting has the "opportunity to be transformed" at the level of painting ontology. Ren Jianguo combines the freehand "improvisational wandering mind" with the abstract expression of "automatism", bringing a "new freehand" style of brush and ink. The abstract formal vocabulary makes the freehand brush and ink language more suitable for expressing the dynamics of the atmosphere and fluidity of the landscape, and the expressive emotional release expands the "potential" boundary of the freehand spirit.
Ren Jianguo, Chang Xusan, 100x197cm, ink on paper, 2022.
Ren Jianguo, Yangshuo Morning Water Quiet, 45, 76cm, ink and color on paper, 2019.
Ren Jianguo, Morning Mist, Looking from the West to the East, Outside the Sky, Autumn Valley, Outside the Mountain, 100x197cm, Ink on paper, 2022.
Ren Jianguo Red 765x47cm ink on paper, 2021.
In Ren Jianguo's ink world, the elements of "abstraction" and "expression" are incorporated into the "freehand style", and he injects new elements into the freehand language to develop a "new freehand style" that conforms to the artist's personal temperament. This is a tacit understanding between the artist and the artistic realm he wants to pursue and his way of linguistic expression, and he tries to revive the contemporary life of "freehand" with new vitality and elements. It should be noted that Ren Jianguo's "New Freehand Style" is an open transformation based on tradition, which is an artistic consciousness that originates from the heart, and interprets the painter's experimental approach of daring to break through the existing boundaries and constantly moving forward with new ideas. He uses the natural spirit and life of the landscape and the characters as the expression of interest, and creates an ancient and unique sprinkling atmosphere and a transcendent feeling in his paintings, which makes people intoxicated with the image of improvisation and automatism.
Ren Jianguo, Fengyougu 965x177cm ink on paper, 2022.
Ren Jianguo Jingwan Autumn Leaves Drift 965x177cm ink on paper, 2021.
Ren Jianguo, Nanxiang Feng Warm, 123x145cm, ink on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Warm Wind, 123, 234cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Warm Wind Rock Source 965x177cm ink on paper, 2021.
In his paintings, the ancients' "wind of Xuanjin Dynasty" is transformed into "fireworks breath", "the meaning of seclusion" is transformed into "leisurely residence", and the love of life permeates the language of ink painting. Ren Jianguo's "new freehand style" in his personalized way once again opened a journey of re-discovery of the peach blossom source, his "new freehand" is not to "look at the color, to write the form", but to get the inner truth of the landscape, the inner principle of the landscape is attributed to the Chinese philosophy of Taoism and nature, and the "Tao" in this is connected to the ancients' love for the landscape of the "scholar tradition" and the contemporary people's pursuit of a better life. Ren Jianguo's visit to the Taoyuan maintained the meaning of ink painting in the lattice of Chinese painting, and the "new freehand style" he explored injected new vitality into the topic of restarting the freehand spirit in the 21st century.
Ren Jianguo, Qiufenggu 965cmx177cm ink on paper, 2021.
Ren Jianguo, Autumn Rain and Wind Drifting, 125, 146cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Autumn Breeze, 125, 146cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Mountain Wind, 125, 146cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Shannan Wine Fragrance 695cmx45cm ink on paper, 2018.
Ren Jianguo, Plumbing Spring Pond, 125, 146cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
Ren Jianguo, Xishu Long Street, 123, 234cm, ink and color on paper, 2016.
About the Artist:
Ren JianguoBorn in Beijing in February 1957, he is a famous painter and collector, a member of the Chinese Artists Association, a member of the Beijing Artists Association, and a member of the Beijing Gongbi Heavy Color Painting Association.
He graduated from Beijing Art School in 1977.
In 1978, he was admitted to the Chinese Painting Department of ** Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1982, he graduated with honors and obtained a bachelor's degree in arts, and his graduation creation "Bashu Chronicles" won the second prize of the Ye Qianyu Award of the **Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1985, the fifth issue of Fine Arts magazine featured a column on his work and artistic thoughts.
In 1985, he was commended as a literary and artistic worker in Beijing, and served as an art reporter and editor of Guangming ** Society.
Since 1987, he has lived and worked in Sydney and Beijing.
Exhibition Experience:
1978 Beijing Art Exhibition (Chinese Painting "Ancient Art Conveys Friendship").
1979 Beijing Youth Art Exhibition (Chinese painting "Who is the enemy"), the first student Xi Exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts (six Xi works).
1980 The 2nd National Youth Art Exhibition (Chinese painting "Who is the enemy", won the third prize).
1981**The 2nd Student Xi Exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts (Chinese painting "Four Scenes of Yanjing" and "Twins", won the second prize).
1982 Beijing "Eighties" Art Exhibition (Chinese Painting "Quiet").
*Exhibition of works by graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts (12 paintings such as "Bashu Chronicles", Chinese paintings "Watching the Opera", "Spring", "Little Cow Pavilion" and "Childhood").
Beijing Gongbi Heavy Color Painting Exhibition (Chinese Painting Group "The Old Man Planting the Bud Valley", collected by the National Art Museum of China).
Beijing Hunan Gongbi Heavy Color Painting Exhibition (Chinese Painting Group "The Old Man Planting the Bud Valley", collected by the National Art Museum of China).
1983 Beijing Gongbi Heavy Color Painting Exhibition (Chinese Painting "South China Sea Pick-up").
"80s" Art Exhibition (2nd Exhibition) (Chinese painting "Bashan Fans", "Women Can Not Be Idle").
In 1984, the 6th National Art Exhibition (Chinese painting "Unquenchable Fire"), Guangming ** Award Art Exhibition (Chinese painting "Ferry", won the second prize).
1985 "Chinese Youth on the Move" Art Exhibition (Chinese Painting "The Hotel We Opened", Collection of the National Art Museum of China), Chinese Sports Art Exhibition (Chinese Painting "Hometown Basketball Game", "Fly, White Dove").
2023 "A Long Way to Go" Art Exhibition (45 works from the 50-year history of ink painting on display in Sydney, two of which are collected by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney and the China Cultural Centre in Sydney respectively).
Representative works:
1980 "Who is the enemy" (third prize of the 2nd National Youth Art Exhibition).
1982 "Bashu Chronicles" (graduation creation, ** Academy of Fine Arts Ye Qianyu second prize, first prize vacant).
1984 "Oath of Inauguration" (*Second Prize of Beijing Excellent Art Works), "Ferry" (Chinese Painting, Second Prize of Guangming ** Award Art Exhibition), "The Old Man Planting the Bud Valley" (Chinese Painting Group, collected by the National Art Museum of China).
1985 "The Hotel We Opened" (Chinese painting, collection of the National Art Museum of China).
Publications:
1976 Four Sketches of Earthquake Relief, published by the People's Fine Arts Publishing House.
1980*** Outwitting Diao Po", published by People's Fine Arts Publishing House.
1981 Chinese Painting "Who is the Enemy", Art Research Magazine, 1981, No. 1, **Meng Weijun, published by People's Fine Arts Publishing House, illustration of "Ming and Qing Dynasty Palace Stories", published by Hebei People's Publishing House.
1982 Chinese Painting "Four Scenes of Yanjing" No. 2, "Fine Arts" Magazine, No. 2, 1982, Chinese Painting "Spring", "People's Literature", No. 10, 1982, Chinese Painting "Childhood", "People's China" and "Chinese Painting" publications.
1983 Chinese Painting "Little Niu Pavilion", cover of "Chinese Painting" No. 2 and "Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" No. 15, Chinese Painting Group "The Old Man Planting the Bud Valley", "Newspaper" Publication, No. 1, 1983, **Li Dahu and the Little Hedgehog, published by Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House.
1984*** Oath of Office", "Newspaper" Publication, No. 1, 1984, Chinese Painting "Ferry", "Guangming**" and Hong Kong "Wen Wei Po", 1984, **Later Years", "Cover of *Newspaper", 1984, 7th issue.
2022 Chinese Painting "Winter Snow of the Four Scenes of Yanjing", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Autumn Rain of the Four Views of Yanjing", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Smoke and Rain Cold Forest", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Winter Goes to Spring and Comes Again", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Qingyun South Mountain Drifting", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "One of the Old People Who Planted Bud Valley", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "The Old Man Planting Bud Valley No. 2", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "The Old Man Planting Bud Valley No. 3", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "The Old Man Planting Bud Valley No. 4", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Warm Wind Noon", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Shannan Wine Fragrance", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine 2022 Issue 7, Chinese Painting "Sichuan West Wind", "Rong Bao Zhai" Magazine Issue 7, 2022.
Chinese painting "Xishu Long Street", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, Issue 7, 2022.
Chinese painting "Mountain Wind", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, 7 issue, 2022.
Chinese painting "Wake up in the morning and listen to the sound of wind and rain", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Clouds are Low and the Sky is High", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Lanshan Autumn Breeze", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Yangshuo Morning Water Quiet", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "October Valley Rain Wind", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Lan Yan Still Water", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Autumn Wind", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, Issue 7, 2022.
Chinese painting "Autumn Residence in Nanshan", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Autumn Rain Becomes Crazy in the Wind", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Nanxiang Wind Warmth", "Rong Bao Zhai" magazine, July 2022.
Chinese painting "Fragrance in February", Art Magazine, Issue 2, January 2023.
Chinese painting "The Old Man Who Planted the Bud Valley No. 10", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "The Hotel We Opened", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Winter Goes to Spring and Comes Again", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Twilight in the Mountain City", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Lanshan Autumn Breeze", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Morning Mist Hexi", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Yangshuo Morning Water Quiet", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Qingyun South Mountain Drift", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Light Boat Valley Rain and Wind Rises", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Autumn Rain Becomes Crazy in the Wind", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Shannan Wine Fragrance", Art Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Chinese painting "Autumn Wind", Fine Arts Magazine, Issue 1, 2023.
Published a collection of paintings:
Looking for the Peach Blossom Source Again - Ren Jianguo's Collection of Chinese Paintings, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House.
Institutional Collections:
National Art Museum of China (Chinese painting "The Hotel We Opened").
National Art Museum of China (Chinese Painting Group "The Old Man Planting the Bud Valley").
Museum of the American West (Chinese painting "Twins").
Beijing Artists Association (Chinese painting "Quiet", "Women Can Not Be Idle").
Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney (2023 Collection).
China Cultural Centre, Sydney (2023 Collection, Autumn Breeze Rises in the South Valley).