Masters and Temples Exhibition One: The Beginning

Preface   The collection is the foundation of an art gallery. "Masters" are those who we can learn from. In cooperation with Google, our museum has launched the online exhibit "Masters and Temples—The Collection of the China Art Academy", the first online exhibition of highlights from our collection. This is a retrospective exhibition, presenting highlights from the past 85 years. The masters whose works we highlight must be afforded respect for the important contributions they have made to the expansion of artistic horizons. Therefore, Masters and Temples is not only a reevaluation of the past, a revelation of hidden histories, and a means of highlighting current attitudes to our history, but also seeks to pass on past accomplishments that may inspire us to forage ahead in the creation of something new. This book is an anthology of literature relating to the current exhibition. We hope that today's refresher will show the academic lineage behind these great works and explicate the interplay of art education and creation. At the same time, we would like to thank everyone who has helped us bring together our collection!                                                                                                             Yang Jinsong                                                                                                               July 2014

Master and Temples Exhibition One: The Creation of the China Academy of Art (1928-1949)     In April 1928, Mr. Cai Yuanpei, then president of the Academia Sinica, personally presided over the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art (the original name of our institution) in West Lake, Hangzhou. In his speech on the occasion, Mr. Cai remarked, "Art is the creation of beauty, the realization of beauty. The natural beauty of West Lake must be augmented by the man-made beauty of art. Thus, this site was chosen for the Academy. All religion relies on natural beauty to maintain its power and existence. Now, it is necessary to awaken people's hearts with true beauty, that is, to replace religion with art. As West Lake holds the greatest number of temples and the greatest number of incense-burning worshippers, it is the perfect location for this academy of art. Create beauty, so that our descendants may replace superstition with the love of beauty and make their lives whole." Initially, the teachers of the academy could be divided into two broad groups based on whether they trained in France or were trained in traditional methods. Although artistic activities were already flourishing in the revolutionary base area of the Communist Party and the concepts developed there would come to have an important impact on Chinese art in the early 20th century, the National Academy of Art, located in an area controlled by the national government, was not significantly affected. However, some of the best students of the academy, such as Li Qun, Wang Shiguan, Hu Yichuan, and Yan Han, flocked to Yan'an to join the communists and later became important standard-bearers of revolutionary art. They also add to the glory of the National Academy of Art.

Progressive Forces: The teachers and students at the China Academy of Art, paid close attention to the situation of their nation and enthusiastically contributed their artistic talents to the projects of national liberation and construction. In this exhibit, the works of Hu Yichuan, Li Qun, Luo Gongliu, Yan Han, and others reflect their commitment to social progress and the fate of the nation. Clutching their knives and brushes, they stood at the forefront of the war and fought for national liberation and freedom.