After two years of the artist Zhang Ding’s (张仃)’s decease, Beijing Fine Art Academy cooperated with China Artists Association, Academy of Arts&Design, Tsinghua University, Zhang Ding Art Study Center etc. to organize the exhibition Culture in Heart----Zhang Ding’s Calligraphy Exhibition . The exhibition belongs to the series exhibition of Series Exhibitions of 20th Century Chinese Art Masters. The opening ceremony will be hold on 13th Apr. at Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, and the display will last to 2nd May. About seventy Zhang’s calligraphy and dry-ink landscape paintings are included. The exhibition studied and classified Zhang’s late art works, and will display them in three groups: heaven and the world, the ancient times and today, four seasons. Besides, the exhibition also display some dry-ink mountain and water paintings which created in Zhang’s early years for audience’s comparing, audience can find the relationship between Zhang’s calligraphy and painting.

         Inherit Tradition

         Zhang Ding is an artist who know traditional culture’s essence, as early as the PRC’s foundation years, Mr.Zhang involved in the design of National Emblem and Academy of Arts&Design, Tsinghua University’s foundation, after that, Zhang and Li Keran(李可染) and Luo Ming (罗铭) painted during their long journey, and displayed their paintings in the end. At the early of 1970s, the dry-ink painting which is full of Zhang’s personal character emerged, his painting combined revolution and tradition. In the artist’s late years, Zhang didn’t stop his art career, and major in traditional seal cutting and calligraphy. Zhang’s endeavor contributed to the 20th century art development, his comics, decoration paintings, design, dry-ink painting, and calligraphy are all treasures to us, Zhang’s practice explained the concept of Grand Fine Art. The exhibition is also an important section of Series Exhibitions of 20th Century Chinese Art Masters; we commemorate Mr.Zhang in holding this exhibition.

           Find Deep Meaning in Calligraphy and Explore More in the Exhibition

           Write seal character calligraphy is Mr.Zhang’s daily work, with Hui Wa (灰娃)’s help, Mr.Zhang picked philosophy saying to write and add his own understanding. The first section Heaven and the World ’sentence is from Pre-Qing period, which refract these philosophers’ ideal; the second section the ancient times and today’s content is from different dynasty’s poems, which conveys these poets’ thoughts; the third section is four seasons which major in poems of nature’s change. In this exhibition, the explanation of these calligraphy make Zhang’s art works more recognizable to the audience. Though Mr.Zhang’s calligraphy, audience can reread classic and step into tradition.

           Zhang’s Calligraphy Meet the Audience

           There are a lot of exhibitions about Zhang Ding, including retrospective exhibition and dry-ink landscape painting etc., however, Zhang’s art career is based on his calligraphy, the calligraphy theme exhibition is the first time meets the audience. Another purpose of this exhibition is find out Zhang’s deadline, Zhang’s deadline has several meanings: the practice of Chinese painting’s tradition, and Chinese artist’s study in calligraphy. The dry-ink paintings in this exhibition contents no colors, make it easier to find out the relation between calligraphy and painting, and also make the method and discipline between the two more clear.