Preface

 

In recent years, there are a large numbers of talented Contemporary Chinese Artists. Among them, there is a high-profile new star - Xing Chengai, who is good at the traditional Chinese meticulous animal paintings from the city of Cangzhou, Hebei Province.

Xing Chengai began painting since he was a kid; It has laid a good foundation for his later training. After graduated from the Hebei University of Technology Academy of Fine Arts, he studied at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts and the Central Academy of Arts education. Long-term artistic practice with hard efforts makes Xing acquired solid skills and good art modeling capabilities. Subsequently engaged in art work, he chose to create the form of traditional Chinese painting, with animal as his focused subjects.

 

Since ancient times, humans are having a close relationship with animals. As they are co-living in the same colorful world, they have a very close relationship with each other. Ancient Chinese people distinguish their years of birth by animal zodiac. Two ancient Chinese Painters, Hangan and Hanhuang are the representative of the use of animal as a subject to paint. Although painting flowers, landscapes and portraits occupied a dominant position in Chinese Art after the dynasty of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing. Nevertheless, there are still many outstanding masters of animal painting, such as Li Di in the Song dynasty, Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan dynasty, Lang Shining in the Qing dynasty, and Xu Beihong and Liu Kuiling in the modern time. In recent decades, animal painting as a separated species of Chinese paintings, have made a significant breakthroughs by the joint efforts of numbers of outstanding artists. Including Feng Dazong and Mi Chunmao in 90s’, Liu Jibiao and Xing Chengai in 00’s. Xing Chengai in following of the Feng Dazhong, presents the human animal friends - cats and dogs with his mature skills, accomplished a gratifying achievement.

Xing Chengai loves painting cats, as he thinks cats’ character are peaceful and lovely. Cats are cute as the next door children; loyal and reliable as the old servant. They will never abandon humans, but accompany and dependent on them all the time. Most of the cats in his paintings are raised by Xing himself, advantaged to deliver his feelings, and to observe directly. After years of continuous studies and explorations, he not only learned the skills of traditional Chinese meticulous painting, he also bold and innovative to form his unique set of techniques. Xing presents the performance of the cats, while establishing his own distinctive artistic style.

The cats in Xing Chengai paintings are vivid and realistic, with dynamic emotions. They looks funny and sometimes friendly and peaceful. They looks curious, and sometimes vigor and heroic. Their sleeping moments, their heart rhythm, their breathing in the chest and the wind swinging their hair, all of them have been observed and recorded exhaustively in Xing’s paintings. Xing’s works filled with his emotions and his skillful techniques, resulting in a strong artistic influence. They melted numbers of Chinese and foreign audience’s hearts. Therefore, in recent years, Xing Chengai’s works have been shown in many important exhibitions at China and abroad, which have access to art collectors and having a high evaluation. Hence, Xing Chengai named as the chief of the traditional Chinese cat painters in the new century.

Artist who received major achievements got talent, in additionally, they paid a great deal of effort and hard work. Over the years, Xing Chengai used his tireless efforts to paint a lot of impressive and quality works. Xing not only contributed and adding new varieties of the Chinese art, also set a good role model in the impetuous Chinese art industry.
After years of preparation, Xing Chengai’s touring exhibition is about to begin. I am really glad, because I witness his strive, and also witness to his big efforts and achievements. Here, I would like to wish him to keep persevering and create greater glories.

 

                                                                                                  Kwok Ho Mun

                                                                                                  2011.9.6