Rain in Mountains and Waters, Zhang Jianjun, "The Section of Experimental Art at the 25th National Art Exhibition"

In traditional Chinese cultural, philosophical and aesthetic systems, mountain and waters contains the very principal of nature, as “the law within the nature.” The artistic expressions of this theme by Chinese landscape painters from ancient times, have always focused on reflective and conceptual experiences of internal minds instead of realistic depictions of physical mountains or waters. Therefore, landscapes have become the most prestige representations of traditional Chinese culture and aesthetics. Literati have wondered in their minds to achieve sublime spirits and to live an ideal life settled in the landscape of these paintings.

The artist since 1980s has been exploring ink in his works, to reveal the essence of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy. His many years of living in the U.S also brought a multi-cultural perspective to his artistic production, as he has explored a variety of materials and experimented installations. In this work, the artist has focused on a transitional moment, and mountains and waters are referred to conceptually, leaving enough space for imagination. From the micro to the macro level, a poetic quality emerges as the wonders of traditional literati in landscapes have been preserved in new ways.

The artist describes this work as follows: “the rain “wonders” among the mountains, waters, between sky and ground. At this moment it is rain and turns into water after it falls onto the ground.”