Exhibitions of Paintings by Wang Chuanfeng

The CPAFFC mounted two exhibitions of paintings of “Fish and Water” simultaneously from November 16 to 20, 2004, as part of the activities marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the CPAFFC with the aim to further advance cultural and friendly exchanges between the people of China and Japan. On display in the first exhibition at the National Museum of China were 100 paintings by Wang Chuanfeng in collaboration with 100 famous Chinese artists and in the second at the China National Museum of Fine Arts were 42 paintings by Wang Chuanfeng himself.

The opening ceremony of the exhibitions was held at the National Museum of China on the morning of Nov. 16. State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, Minister of the Japanese Embassy in China Keiji Ide, and others, attended the opening ceremony and cut the ribbon.

In his speech, President Chen Haosu said, this year sees the 50th anniversary of the founding of the CPAFFC. The fact that Mr. Wang Chuanfeng has chosen this year to hold in China his first one-man painting exhibition and the exhibition of his works done in collaboration with 100 famous Chinese artists with Fish and Water as the theme since he left for Japan fully shows his wish to contribute to Sino-Japanese friendly and cultural exchanges. The CPAFFC also hopes, through the holding of these exhibitions, to further promote mutual understanding and exchanges between the artists of the two countries and make fresh contributions to lasting Sino-Japanese friendship.

Ikuo Hirayama, president of the Japan-China Friendship Association, sent a message of congratulation, in which he said, the Fish and Water series of paintings by Wang Chuanfeng, through depicting the relationship between fish and water, has expressed the relationship between the beautiful nature and art as well as human feelings, and also shown the wishes of our peoples for lasting friendship and peace between Japan and China. He sincerely hoped that the exhibitions would be a grand event of Japan-China friendship on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Mr. Wang Chuanfeng is an artist active in Japan. He was born in Linyi in 1967, Shandong Province and studied at the China Academy of Art. He went to Japan in 1992 and carried out his artistic activities. By combining the traditional Chinese painting techniques with special features of the Japanese painting, he has created a unique style in his flower-and-bird paintings. His “The World of Fish” series is his representative work. In September 2002, he designed a commemorative stamp with the title “Lasting Friendship” for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan on the occasion of the 30 anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. It had wide impact in both countries.

Wang Chuanfeng spent three years traveling across China, during which he carried out his plan of cooperating with 100 well-known Chinese painters. He painted fish of different kinds and movements first and then let others to add their personal touches to complete the works. Every painting thus done is unique.

The mounting of all the paintings on display was designed by Wang Chuanfeng himself. The modern Japanese mounting art which is very different from the traditional Chinese style presented the visitors with something fresh and new. This was an attempt to combine contemporary Chinese culture and art with those of Japan.