Narrative in oil

Evening Sunset, by Li Shanyang, 2012, 180x180cm.

Oil painter Chao Ge says he is most impressed by Still Life which Chang Shuhong (1904-94) painted in 1942 and is among the few smaller-sized works on display.

"The painting exudes calmness and powers that have survived the passing of time," he says.

"I have seen a lot of good contemporary works in the market, but I just can't feel the spark, the energy."

He says art has evolved into varieties of forms, and painters are struggling to reposition the role of painting. He says only those who can "feel the pulse" of time will succeed.

Zhang Jingsheng, a professor with Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, believes the pulse of time is above all "the essence of human nature". He has striven for six decades to create works that touch upon humanity, coupled with making and correcting mistakes. For years he painted realistic history themes and Dunhuang fresco-inspired works. His latest abstract series Red Flowers on Table is on display at the exhibition.

"I will never agree with the statement that painting will die because people today can't continue its past glories," Zhang says.

"An artist's ultimate goal doesn't have to be the repetition of past excellence. Instead, he paints to inform people of the values that have gone unnoticed, and that the wrong may be right."

IF YOU GO

My Homeland, My People

9 am-5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, until Sept 24. Shandong Art Museum, 11777 Jingshi Lu (Road), Jinan, Shandong province. 0531-8262-0869.