True Affection Between Teacher And Student--- Reading Zheng Jingxian’s Recent Works

True Affection Between Teacher And Student--- Reading Zheng Jingxian’s Recent Works

Zheng Jingxian was born in Southern Fujian. He is a professor of College of Arts and Crafts of Fuzhou University. He is good at free-style bird-and-flower painting. He is also in charge of Vice-President of Fujian Bird-and-Flower Painting Society. In 1970s, I was enrolled into Fujian Arts and Crafts School. During my three-year study at the school I learn much from Mr. Zheng. When I was graduated, he told me that he would be not only my teacher but also my friend thereafter and I could contact him if I had any difficulty with my work; he also asked me to keep study hard to get enrolled into a key college outside Fujian for further study. Now more than 20 years has passed. Our connection has been maintained.  He cares much about our teacher-student relationship,  a typical quality of the people in Southern Fujian in his personality and the most ancient, most simple and most sincere affection of Fujian people.

After coming back from Tokyo,Mr.Zheng sent me tens of recent works.That was really exciting.Reading carefully,I find his recent works have make much progress comparing with his previous works.

Firstly,he pays attention to exploration of new subjects.That’s an inherent advantage for artists in the south.Subtropical plants and flower are numerous in Southern Fujian and provide plenty of materials for bird-and-flower painting.Over decades,Zheng Jingxian never forgets to make efforts on exploring humanistic artistic conceptions with regional characteristics in new times.I am very glad at his recent achievement on this.For example,his Spring Flavor presents the orchid and aerial root in Southern Fujian.In this painting,he lays emphasis on the contrast of colors and ink and the double treatment of point,line and plane in the alternation of white,black and grey.

Secondly,he is bold in use of colors and understands the“artistic conception”of using colors like water and affections very well.His integration of colors and ink as well as colors and water has become conscious and matured.For example,his Falling Red presents the scenery of falling red leaves in late autumn by large area of orange red and overlapping dotting of colors of same category,dark ink only for birds and a few branches,and a little blank space.If limited to the traditional technique of primary use of ink,it is difficult to achieve such effect.

Thirdly,on artistic conception,he has gradually formed his own unique aesthetic view.He more applies the special visual space by contrast of plane and plane,plane and line,line and point and attempts to blur the main body.He transfers the general rule of opening,developing,changing and concluding into an overlapping 3D composition by contrast of true and false.Such artistic impulsion is his seeking for breakthrough in repeated explorations over years.

Fourthly,he pays attention to theoretical cultivation.He said the knowledge range should be wider.Any relevant art can be helpful for bird-and-flower painting.meanwhile,he also understands very well that art creation should be based on national cultural traditions.

All in all,times change,so does bird-and-flower painting.Mr.Zheng tells us through his paintings that he has understood that a characteristic painting style can only be formed when the conception,composition,color and form are inter-dependent and independent with each other,and harmoniously integrated with each other.

By Yao Shunxi at South Lake Pavilion of China Central Academy of Fine Arts

Mar.18,2003