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Exhibition looks into artist Lu's life
By Shi Xiaohan |
May 23, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PAINTINGS, personal memoirs and traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions are among the range of exhibits featured in a show devoted to famous artist Lu Weizhou. Shi Xiaohan learns more about his remarkable life.
An exhibition of Lu Weizhao's (1899-1980) works is under way at Zhejiang Art Museum. Unlike other exhibitions featuring artistic masters, this exhibition goes beyond his work and focuses on demonstrating the master's life and spirit.
"We cannot expect every visitor to be a connoisseur," said Li Wen, an official with Zhejiang Art Museum. "By showing his works we hope visitors can learn how art was perfectly integrated into the master's life."
That is why most of the 200-plus exhibits, including calligraphy, paintings and other documents, were contributed by Lu's family.
Lu, born in Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, graduated from the Department of Literature, History and Geography of Nanjing Advanced Normal School in 1925. After graduation, he became a teaching assistant at the Institute of National Studies of Tsinghua University in Beijing. He was later relocated to Shanghai and Hangzhou, teaching in St John University and Zhejiang University.
Throughout his life, Lu was recognized as an academician on ancient literature. Calligraphy, as well as painting, musical instruments and chess were regarded by Lu as must-learn knowledge for the elites as well as personal hobbies.
"Calligraphy was a part of my father's lifestyle," said Lu Shaohui, son of the calligraphy master. "Even during the 'cultural revolution' (1966-1976), he practiced calligraphy every night after being denounced in the day."
Lu liked to explore new calligraphy forms, trying to combine the seal script, clerical script and cursive script to create his own style. In 1963, Lu was invited by Pan Tianshou, then principal of Zhejiang Art Academy, to set up the major of calligraphy and seal-cutting.
Painting, on the other hand, was kept by Lu as a private hobby throughout his life. Most of the paintings in this exhibition are being shown to the public for the first time. Of all the landscape and bird-and-flower paintings, Lu liked his paintings of bamboo the most.
"My father appreciates the moral qualities of uprightness and modesty that bamboo represents," said Lu Shaohui.
Documents, including letters, diaries and even traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions written by the senior Lu, allow the visitors a closer look at his personal life.
In a memoir, Lu clearly documented Japanese troops arriving in Shanghai and their relentless actions in 1937 and 1938.
"My father's first wife died while seeking refuge from the invasion and his whole collection of books was confiscated by the invaders," said Lu Shaohui. "He wrote down what he saw to let us prevent the tragic memory from happening again."
From the age of 76, Lu started writing at the smallest possible size every year to test his eyesight and writing skills until the year he passed away.
All of these five works from 1974 to 1979 are being shown at the exhibition and remind people how passionate Lu was about life.
Date: through May 29
Address: 138 Nanshan Rd
Tel: (0571) 8707-8700
An exhibition of Lu Weizhao's (1899-1980) works is under way at Zhejiang Art Museum. Unlike other exhibitions featuring artistic masters, this exhibition goes beyond his work and focuses on demonstrating the master's life and spirit.
"We cannot expect every visitor to be a connoisseur," said Li Wen, an official with Zhejiang Art Museum. "By showing his works we hope visitors can learn how art was perfectly integrated into the master's life."
That is why most of the 200-plus exhibits, including calligraphy, paintings and other documents, were contributed by Lu's family.
Lu, born in Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, graduated from the Department of Literature, History and Geography of Nanjing Advanced Normal School in 1925. After graduation, he became a teaching assistant at the Institute of National Studies of Tsinghua University in Beijing. He was later relocated to Shanghai and Hangzhou, teaching in St John University and Zhejiang University.
Throughout his life, Lu was recognized as an academician on ancient literature. Calligraphy, as well as painting, musical instruments and chess were regarded by Lu as must-learn knowledge for the elites as well as personal hobbies.
"Calligraphy was a part of my father's lifestyle," said Lu Shaohui, son of the calligraphy master. "Even during the 'cultural revolution' (1966-1976), he practiced calligraphy every night after being denounced in the day."
Lu liked to explore new calligraphy forms, trying to combine the seal script, clerical script and cursive script to create his own style. In 1963, Lu was invited by Pan Tianshou, then principal of Zhejiang Art Academy, to set up the major of calligraphy and seal-cutting.
Painting, on the other hand, was kept by Lu as a private hobby throughout his life. Most of the paintings in this exhibition are being shown to the public for the first time. Of all the landscape and bird-and-flower paintings, Lu liked his paintings of bamboo the most.
"My father appreciates the moral qualities of uprightness and modesty that bamboo represents," said Lu Shaohui.
Documents, including letters, diaries and even traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions written by the senior Lu, allow the visitors a closer look at his personal life.
In a memoir, Lu clearly documented Japanese troops arriving in Shanghai and their relentless actions in 1937 and 1938.
"My father's first wife died while seeking refuge from the invasion and his whole collection of books was confiscated by the invaders," said Lu Shaohui. "He wrote down what he saw to let us prevent the tragic memory from happening again."
From the age of 76, Lu started writing at the smallest possible size every year to test his eyesight and writing skills until the year he passed away.
All of these five works from 1974 to 1979 are being shown at the exhibition and remind people how passionate Lu was about life.
Date: through May 29
Address: 138 Nanshan Rd
Tel: (0571) 8707-8700
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