Exhibition showcases new Chinese art
Yusuf Susilo Hartono, Contributor, Jakarta
Chinese art has developed fast over the past decade thanks to Western influence, which has seen artists engaging more in contemporary art, exploring social themes through their creations ranging from installation works to video art.
Some Chinese artists have even adopted a new approach, in terms of technique and theme, for their works. This trend could be observed in an exhibition by several masters in the Chinese fine art world late last year in Jakarta and Surabaya, featuring works based on ink and water on paper, canvas and wood.
Some artists still find themselves engrossed in exploring beautiful objects like parts of nature, women and life, thus staying away from social reality -- themes usually explored by contemporary artists.
Despite the difference, contemporary Chinese artists and those who stick to the old themes in creating their works, just like flowers, blossom together. Together, these artists have organized successful exhibitions in the United States, France, Japan, Spain, Thailand and Indonesia.
More and more exhibitions have showcased Chinese works in the last two years. So far, the most notable exhibition was the Chinese Modern-Time Wash Painting, held by the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta in cooperation with the Indonesian Fine Art Foundation in September and October 2002 in Jakarta and Surabaya. An exhibition scheduled for March this year at the National Gallery will display calligraphic (Arabic) paintings by Muslim artists from China.
At the Sahid Jaya Hotel Jakarta, an ongoing exhibition titled Chinese Oil Painting displays the works of five promising Chinese artists: Wang Xin, Gu Zheng Yu, Li Hong Bing, Wang Zhan Xin and Wang Jinan.
Their works, all oil on canvas, are generally small-sized, some are the size of a comic strip.
These five artists generally feature China, focusing on beautiful sceneries or beautiful Chinese women fully clothed as well as naked.
Three nude paintings by Wang Xin -- titled The Shadow of Jade, Woman and Bird and Melody of Flute -- get special treatment at the exhibition since the organizer does not publicly display them. Visitors can only view them after getting the organizer's permission.
"The hotel management objects to publicly displaying these paintings," said an exhibition attendant. Last year, for instance, local residents voiced objection to an exhibition of nude sculptures by Dadang Christanto at Bentara Budaya Jakarta, but others, like those displayed at the National Gallery and Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center, prompted no objection.
Apart from painting nudes, Wang Xin's other works highlight beautiful sea panorama, taking a dramatic approach like The Shadow of Stone where between the stony hills' gap lies a stone.
China's rich scenery is captured by artist Wang Zhan Xin in her Hong Chun Village and Gu Zheng Yu's Morning of Rainy Town of boats moving along a river. Li Hong Bing's Autumn in Si-Duy River captures autumn's essence in China while Wang Jinan's Woods of Wei-Min Lake gracefully reflects green foliage in water.
The Chinese Oil Painting exhibition. Sahid Jaya Hotel, Jl. Jendral Sudirman No. 67, South Jakarta. Runs until Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.