Jiang Zhinan: Impressions of light and shadow

Jiang Zhinan entered the field of watercolor painting in the 1990s. In 1991, his painting "Sea" was displayed at the Watercolor Paintings Exhibition inBeijingfor the first time, receiving favorable critiques. In 1992 Jiang was invited to exhibit his "Kangling Stone Tablet" in Taiwanat the First Exhibition of Works by the Renowned Mainland Watercolor Painters. His works were frequently displayed in the following years, and he gradually established his academic status in the field of Chinese watercolor painting.

As a major the art of dyeing, Jiang graduated from the Central Academy of Arts and Design. Before the advent of computers, dyed designs were executed solely by hand, using "gouache" or watercolors. This training provided Jiang with a good foundation for mastering watercolors.

Jiang's watercolors can be divided into three stages. The first stage consists mainly of sketches from daily life, where subjects include rice fields, flowers, village scenes, his wife and her cat. All though such themes may appear to be random they are all close to his heart. This stage has two characteristics: One is Jiang's respect for light (using warm colors he creates a sense of intimacy in life) and the second is his careful brushwork (Jiang uses the natural veins of objects as a medium to establish the visual order of his paintings). These concrete images transmit a certain sense of abstractness. It is this abstract quality that appears to be the real backbone of the structural logic of Jiang's pictures.

In the second stage, Jiang painted the "Bicycle Series." Like all of his works, these paintings are characterized by "leaping" and shimmering lights. Objects and their shadows reflect one other and it is difficult to differentiate between the components of the main part of a picture. In fact, the bicycles are nothing but a medium since the order of pictures is abstract. This was a breakthrough for Jiang -- to go from imitating concrete objects to expressing the logical order of his inner mind. His strokes became more fluid and lively, but still forceful and more compatible with the nature of watercolors.

In the third stage, Jiang painted what he witnessed in Europe when he was studying in Paris. Although he only reproduced the actual scenes before him to keep the memory alive, his choice in subjects reveals more reason and rationality in the structure of his pictures and color tones than in his earlier works. More importantly, the spiritual aspect of the scenes became the first thing that Jiang aspired to portray. Unlike the works in the first stage, here, Jiang achieves an even better mastery of technique, coordination of hands and mind, and the integration of scenes and feelings, where his hands reflect his mind and the scenes integrate feeling.

Light is very important to Jiang's watercolors. It is not only a medium, but also a goal for the artist. Many watercolor fans respect Jiang's sensitivity to light and are shocked by his bold and spiritual treatment of light. For Jiang, light is not only a necessity of life but also a belief.

Jiang regards watercolor painting as a life-long career, which is not easy since traditional Chinese paintingand oil painting are considered the mainstream of art in China today. It requires great courage and confidence to find a place beyond the mainstream.