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China’s first national art school， founded in 1928， China Academy of Art is celebrating its 85th anniversary with an exhibition themed around 85. Starting with the year 1985， the exhibition is divided into sections titled “Debate，” “Breakout，”“Progress” and “New Tide.”
In China’s art history， 1985 is considered a milestone year. Seven years after the resumption of college entrance examinations， which had been suspended during the “cultural revolution，” senior professors returned to their positions and classes resumed. Two specific characteristics defined the period： Openness， which brought a heavy stream of Western artistic theory， and new ideas， which exerted heavy influence on China’s academies. China Academy of Art led the 1985 surge with a series of 16 lectures by American historian Roman J. Verostko and a trans-media artistic movement inspired by the tapestry art of Bulgarian artist Maryn Varbanov （1932-1989）. Also， Western publications began being translated by editors of academic journals. Various thoughts and academic schools emerged， which greatly motivated individual creativity.
Against this backdrop， the “1985 new tide of art” initiated at China Academy of Art radiated across the country， and today still influences Chinese art circles.“The graduate exhibition at Zhejiang Academy of Art [the former China Academy of Art] in 1985 triggered the ’85 New Tide，” explains Gao Shiming， dean of the Trans-media Art School at China Academy of Art， “The works displayed in the Debate Category seem common nowadays， but back then， they were tremendously controversial.”
In those days， realism was the only popular art style， a mode developed during the extremist mentality of the “cultural revolution，” at which time plentiful colors were not even used freely. But in the new age， teachers wanted students to express individuality. Although student work was bolder than ever， critics called it “dull， cold and lacking passion and vitality， unskilled， individual and forced.”
Gao explains that some called the works “cold” due to influence by modernist philosophy on the younger generation， who had become detached from previous era’s phony fervor and compassion and were expressing discovery of society’s absurdity.
“The influence of ’85 New Tide is still evident today，” notes Professor Xu Jiang， president of China Academy of Art. He attended drawing classes taught by FrenchChinese artist Zao Wou-ki as a young teacher in 1985. In his opinion， it was a period sated with fomenting thoughts and surging debate， more of which is certainly needed today.
The exhibition also screened 85 videos focusing on 85 alumni from 1985， which together run for 30 hours. The 85 displays create a glaring matrix in the exhibition hall. The 85 school fellows include masters such as Wu Guanzhong， Zao Wou-ki and Li Keran as well as Lin Fengmian， the first principal of the school， who reached a second creative climax in the period he lived in Hong Kong in his later years.
According to Xu， the 85 representatives can be divided into four categories： pioneers， young teachers of the day， inheritors of traditional Chinese painting and iconic figures of the ’85 New Tide. “We try to maintain the vitality of our school and hope that future generation can inherit this same spirit，” he adds.
In China’s art history， 1985 is considered a milestone year. Seven years after the resumption of college entrance examinations， which had been suspended during the “cultural revolution，” senior professors returned to their positions and classes resumed. Two specific characteristics defined the period： Openness， which brought a heavy stream of Western artistic theory， and new ideas， which exerted heavy influence on China’s academies. China Academy of Art led the 1985 surge with a series of 16 lectures by American historian Roman J. Verostko and a trans-media artistic movement inspired by the tapestry art of Bulgarian artist Maryn Varbanov （1932-1989）. Also， Western publications began being translated by editors of academic journals. Various thoughts and academic schools emerged， which greatly motivated individual creativity.
Against this backdrop， the “1985 new tide of art” initiated at China Academy of Art radiated across the country， and today still influences Chinese art circles.“The graduate exhibition at Zhejiang Academy of Art [the former China Academy of Art] in 1985 triggered the ’85 New Tide，” explains Gao Shiming， dean of the Trans-media Art School at China Academy of Art， “The works displayed in the Debate Category seem common nowadays， but back then， they were tremendously controversial.”
In those days， realism was the only popular art style， a mode developed during the extremist mentality of the “cultural revolution，” at which time plentiful colors were not even used freely. But in the new age， teachers wanted students to express individuality. Although student work was bolder than ever， critics called it “dull， cold and lacking passion and vitality， unskilled， individual and forced.”
Gao explains that some called the works “cold” due to influence by modernist philosophy on the younger generation， who had become detached from previous era’s phony fervor and compassion and were expressing discovery of society’s absurdity.
“The influence of ’85 New Tide is still evident today，” notes Professor Xu Jiang， president of China Academy of Art. He attended drawing classes taught by FrenchChinese artist Zao Wou-ki as a young teacher in 1985. In his opinion， it was a period sated with fomenting thoughts and surging debate， more of which is certainly needed today.
The exhibition also screened 85 videos focusing on 85 alumni from 1985， which together run for 30 hours. The 85 displays create a glaring matrix in the exhibition hall. The 85 school fellows include masters such as Wu Guanzhong， Zao Wou-ki and Li Keran as well as Lin Fengmian， the first principal of the school， who reached a second creative climax in the period he lived in Hong Kong in his later years.
According to Xu， the 85 representatives can be divided into four categories： pioneers， young teachers of the day， inheritors of traditional Chinese painting and iconic figures of the ’85 New Tide. “We try to maintain the vitality of our school and hope that future generation can inherit this same spirit，” he adds.