"On November 27th, in the morning, the 'Depicting The Times: A Celebration of the 100th Aniversary of Wei Qimei's Birth' opened at the Central Academy of Fine Arts Art Museum. The opening ceremony was attended by former leaders and professors of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, including Jin Shangyi, Yang Xianrang, Peng Hongyuan, Weng Naiqiang, Yuan Yunsheng, Wang Tongren, Guang Jun, Wen Guozhang, Sun Jingbo, Wu Changjiang, Huang Huaying, as well as representatives from the National Museum of China, the Palace Museum, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the Beijing Lu Xun Museum, the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum, the Wu Zuoren International Foundation of Fine Arts, the Beijing Fine Art Academy, and the Yan Huang Art Museum. Family representatives of Mr. Wei Qimei, members of the leadership team, and student representatives of the Central Academy of Fine Arts also attended the opening ceremony, which was hosted by Gao Hong, the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

The preparation process for this exhibition received strong support from the family of Mr. Wei Qimei. Mr. Wei Qimei's son, Wei Husheng, representing the family, donated two oil paintings to the Central Academy of Fine Arts and presented Mr. Wei Qimei's painting box and tools (a set) as a permanent collection for the history museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Mr. Wei Qimei was an important painter, cartoonist, and art educator in the history of modern Chinese art. In 1942, he entered the Art Department of Chongqing Central University and studied under Mr. Xu Beihong, Lu Sibai, and others. After graduating in 1947, he was invited by Mr. Xu Beihong to teach at the National Beiping Art School, where he taught sketching and oil painting. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he continued to teach at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, serving in various roles, including head of the Oil Painting Department, director of the Oil Painting Department's graduate class, and member of the academic committee. In 2023, coinciding with the centennial of Mr. Wei Qimei's birth, the Central Academy of Fine Arts planned the 'Depicting The Times: A Celebration of the 100th Aniversary of Wei Qimei's Birth.' The exhibition presents Mr. Wei Qimei's painting career and various forms of creation through seven academic themes: 'Prophet and Awakening,' 'Realistic Observation,' 'Modern Turn,' 'Poetry of Life,' 'Ink Exploration,' 'Sketch Philosophy,' and 'Encyclopedia of Cartoons.' It comprehensively reviews his artistic achievements over a century. For the first time, the exhibition focuses on displaying Mr. Wei Qimei's oil paintings, offering a comprehensive presentation of his work as a significant oil painter in the 20th century art history. Drawing from art history research, the exhibition collects and organizes his insights, experiences, and theoretical methods during the creative process through more than a hundred notes, manuscripts, and published writings, providing a literature review of his oil painting creations. For the first time, the exhibition includes Mr. Wei Qimei's ink works in the discussion of his painting language, not only showcasing his decades-long continuous study of ink but also revealing his borrowing and transformation between the two mediums of oil painting and ink. The exhibition will run until December 22nd.

Translator: WANG Luchun

Reviewer: LIU Siqi