Exhibition 關於展覽

The Chinese artist Junli is bridging a gap between the past and the future by letting the spectator appreciate the symbols and themes picked from Chinese custom and, simultaneously, new and creative renditions of them.

discloses his tendency to balance characters, subjects and depictions belonging to the Chinese tradition with new elements, textures, Contrasting Soulscolours, and feeling coming from a culturally modern and fluid environment.

Those two contrasting but harmonious souls are coexisting in the artist’s production since his paintings still comply with the technic of ink of Chinese painting, and some even reveal the traces of ancient murals. However, the brightness, saturation, and contrast of colourused are undeniably unique.

Shown for the very first time in France, Junli Du's solo exhibition at the Galerie New Image will feature artworks from his most well-known series: the figure paintings and the flower series. The traditional Chinese iconography and ink painting technique find new light in Mr. Du's works, reopening the discourse about preservation of local cultural and artistic heritage.

Contrasting Souls is intended to create a dialogue between his conservative attitude and his new inspiration. In the series of dramatic figures exhibited, the paintings and brushwork are combined with the expression of western oil painting, making the characters like full of flames, under the visible influence of Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali.

In the flower and bird paintings, likewise, a meaningful and eternal symbol in the Chinese culture like the lotus flower, the emblem of light and holiness in Buddhism, is represented in a pioneering way, with splashes of colours, unrealistic chromatic schemes and the stamen shining like a meteor that only appears in a dream.

我們是來自巴黎IESA藝術學院藝術與文化管理專業的研究生，我們小組共四人，分別來自台灣，中國和意大利，此次展覽為我們的畢業企劃。

我們正在為中國藝術家杜君利先生策劃他的首個巴黎個人畫展。目標是將東方藝術和文化推廣至藝術之都－巴黎，希望能夠藉此機會讓更多人欣賞到水墨畫的獨特韻味。

此次展覽我們從他的眾多作品中選取了人物、花鳥兩大類，共十五幅作品。藝術家在創作時使用大墨筆、大色塊，展現氣勢磅礡，但又豐富細膩，標新立異。他的畫並未離開中國畫的骨法墨韻，但其在色彩運用的明暗度、飽和度及冷暖對比等方面極都富獨到之處。

我們將在六月進行杜君利先生的巴黎首展，期待能夠獲得你我的支持。我們相信，這次展覽將給更多的歐洲觀眾帶來一次親身體驗透過西方現代技法的形式再現中國傳統之美的難得機會，讓東方荷花之美在塞納河上綻放。

JUNLI DU Pseudonym FoShi (佛石 ), XingYun (星雲)

Born in 1963 in Lintong, Shaanxi Province, Junli Du lives and works in Xi'an, one of the oldest cities in China. Son of a well-known folk Qinqiang artist (is the representative Northern folk Chinese opera), in his teenage, Mr. Du had solid practice in Western painting. However, he always insisted on studying Chinese painting and its theory, graduating eventually at Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts with a major in flower and bird painting.

杜君利先生現任西安美術學院副教授，出生於西安，年少受西洋畫法的紮實訓練，但仍始終堅持研習中國傳統水墨畫的理論與技藝。擁有豐富參展經驗及獲獎經歷，並在2014年應邀赴台北市參加“於右任逝世50週年兩岸學術座談會及文物書畫展覽”。

He is now

Professor of Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, researching and teaching in Chinese ink paintings.

Dean of Xi’an Quintessence Art Academies Galleries.

Director of International Cultural and Art Exchange Center of Xi'an ArtistsAssociation.

Exhibitions 參展經歷

1. Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, 2009.

2. Shaanxi Chinese Painting Pieces Exhibition, Shaanxi Province Flower, and Bird Painting Research Association - Xi'an Ziguangge Art Museum, 2010.

3. Daming Palace calligraphy and seal cutting famous invitation exhibition and art forum activities, Shaanxi Daming Palace Relics Protection Foundation - Xi'an Chinese Calligraphy Art Museum, 2011.

4. Shaanxi province to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Shaanxi provincial cultural hall - Shaanxi provincial literature and art federation, 2014.

5. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the right of the cross-strait academic symposium and cultural relics exhibition venue, Chinese Yu Youren Calligraphy Research Association, 2014.

6. Junli Du: "The Quintessence Of China", Tsinghua University Art Education Center, 2015.

Awards 獲獎經歷

1. The "Lotus" won "Brilliant achievements in Western China art exhibition" gold award.

2. Atmosphere (清气) won 1st Prize at Shaanxi Chinese Painting Pieces Exhibition, Shaanxi Province Flower, and Bird Painting Research Association - Xi'an Ziguangge Art Museum, 2010.

3. "The Pond in Autumn" (秋塘) won 3rd Prize at Daming Palace calligraphy and seal cutting famous invitation exhibition and art forum activities, Shaanxi Daming Palace Relics Protection Foundation - Xi'an Chinese Calligraphy Art Museum, 2011.

4. "Gazing Afar China" (望大陆) won Golden Prize at To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the right of the cross-strait academic symposium and cultural relics exhibition venue, Chinese Yu Youren Calligraphy Research Association, 2014.

PAINTINGS 參展作品

此次展覽我們從杜君利先生的眾多作品中選取了人物、花鳥兩大類，共十五幅作品，包括傳統戲劇人物畫、達摩神像創作畫、傳統工筆花鳥畫和寫意花鳥畫。藝術家在創作時使用大墨筆、大色塊，展現氣勢磅礡，酣暢淋漓，但又豐富細膩，標新立異。他的畫並未離開中國畫的骨法墨韻，但其在色彩運用的明暗度、飽和度及冷暖對比等方面極都富獨到之處，也是我們亟欲向巴黎推展此位藝術家的主要動機。

Contrasting Souls is creating a dialogue between the FIGURE PAINTINGS and the FLOWER AND BIRD PAINTINGS.

The FIGURE PAINTINGS in the exhibition belong to both：

1. The quintessence of Chinese Qin Opera Culture

2. Series of Zen Buddhism

Among the remarkable works of Mr. Du, it’s important to point out his engagement in the preservation of local cultural and artistic heritage through the representation of local Opera characters.
In the series of dramatic figures, his paintings and brushwork are combined with the expression of western oil painting. Characters are like full of flames. The artist also said in the interview that his work was influenced by some Western masters, like Vincent Van Gogh and Dali.

The FLOWER AND BIRDS PAINTINGS belong to both：

1. Series of Traditional Chinese Realistic Flower and Bird Painting

2. Series of Freehand Brushwork In Traditional Chinese Painting

The lotus flower rendition is a perfect synthesis of Mr. Du’s works: a meaningful and eternal symbol in the Chinese culture is represented in a pioneering way, with splashes of colors and unrealistic chromatic schemes.
The lotus is a symbol of light and holiness in Buddhism and the lotus throne is a special throne for Buddha. In his works, the stamen of the lotus flower is shining like a meteor that only appears in a dream.

Junli Du - Contrasting Souls 杜君利先生巴黎個展