张建国君从事油画创作20多年，他执著于写实的油画，钻研古典油画技巧，努力表达他对现实生活的感受，抒发他对内蒙古草原和栖息在这里的人民的热爱之情。张建国是内蒙古五原人，祖籍山西，先后就读于内蒙古自治区巴彦淖尔盟师范学校美术专业、内蒙古师范大学美术系美术专业、首都师范大学美术系油画专业、中央美术学院油画系研修班。他长期生活和工作在内蒙古，现在担任河套大学教授、副校长，同时还担任巴彦淖尔市政协副主席，在从事绘画教学、创作的同时，积极参与社会活动。　　也许，正因为是一位美术教授，因此，张建国更注重艺术的审美和教育功能；也许，还因为是****，因此，他更关注民生和民众的艺术情趣。不过，归根结底，他是一位画家，一位勤奋而有独特追求的油画家，他的作品正在为国内外越来越多的人所赏识和喜爱。　　张建国之所以钟爱写实油画，主要有两个原因：一是他长期受到的是学院写实油画的教育，在他学习过的艺术院校特别在中央美术学院，由于受到许多名师的传授和指导，使他对写实油画的精神内涵有较为深入的理解，也较熟练地掌握了写实油画的造型技巧；与此有关的第二点是，他在学习近现代中国美术史的过程中，逐渐形成了这样一个观念：写实的油画能反映社会现实生活，能为大众所理解、所感受，能补充忽视人物造型的写意文人画的不足。张建国认识到，在技巧层面上，画好写实油画要有坚实的素描造型基础，要有色彩的修养。从绘画的内容来说，油画的感染力来自对现实生活的关注、观察、分析和体验，描写客观对象的能力，是画家不可或缺的基本功。可以说他是在这两方面下过苦功夫的艺术家。除此之外，他还认真学习、研究西方古典和现代油画大师的作品，开阔视野、从中吸收营养。经过长期不懈的努力，他在写实油画领域取得了值得赞赏的可喜成绩。　　张建国擅长人物、山水，也涉猎静物。他的人物画有肖像和具有情节的风俗题材画。前者如《女大学生》《摔跤手》《老牧民》《鄂尔多斯新娘》《放羊娃》《蒙古人》《张庆义先生》等；后者如《牧尽天涯》《悠悠草原情》《草原金秋》《牧马人与狗》《遥远的梦》《入冬的第一场雪》《牧羊女》《私语》《莫日格勒河的晚霞》《古原之光》等。介于肖像与风俗画之间的还有一些略带情节因素的人物画，如《前方传来马蹄声》《笑声渐近》《唤起记忆的歌》《永恒的旋律》《有志少年》《无声的笑》《呼唤》等。    张建国的肖像画在描写人物性格特征的同时，相当重视人物的共性刻画。他的人物肖像画所描绘的人物除少数有具体的姓名（如《张庆义先生》）外，大多取采用他（她）们的职业名称。有的具体人物的肖像则安排在与他（她）们职业有关的场景中，如《绿色家园》、《教师的风采》、《新·搏克手》等。这表明，张建国审美的出发点带有明显的古典艺术的理想色彩。古典主义艺术更关注人物的类型美塑造，追求在形神兼备中营造宁静、典雅的气氛和表现一种崇高的美感，在形式语言上求整体而省略具体的细节。张建国大多把人物处理在较为抽象的背景之中，集中精力塑造人物形象，绘画语言讲究和谐的形式美感。他的风俗画多取材蒙古草原和河套平原的农牧民生活，情节单纯，画面人物不多，常用辽阔的草原作为背景，有时伴有牛群羊群。牧区茫茫草原给他以无穷的创作灵感，也赋予他写实艺术以浪漫的情愫，这既表现于题材内容的含蓄，主题点到为止，予人以咀嚼、回味的余地；也表现于光线、色彩、构图等绘画语言中更多激越的感情色彩。这一趋势在他的新作《草原烈》（2007年）中表现得更为明显，在以单纯红色作为主调的画中，一群烈马奋力奔驰，象征着草原人民狂放、豪迈的性格和永无止境的进取精神。这也表明张建国在不断探索新的绘画风格，扩大自己的表现领域。他既在草原牧区人民的生活中发现和表现他们的平和、安详和尊严，也赞美和歌颂他们性格中的奔放与激情以及对美好未来的憧憬。张建国力戒自己从猎奇的角度表面地描写牧民的生活，他认为要做到这一点关键是感情的真诚。他以虔诚的心情表现对牧民的尊敬和爱，表现草原大自然的力和美。　　张建国重视绘画语言的表现力，警惕写实语言可能因迎合大众喜爱而产生的格调低俗的问题。他在重视形体结构、色彩色调、笔触、肌理的美的同时，认真处理好虚实、动静、整体与细节等对立因素的相互关系，努力在语言的丰富变化中求统一、求整体感，在写实中求意、情和韵的表达。他的作品有唯美的追求，也有为大众乐于欣赏的趣味，具有雅俗共赏的品格。他在艺术创作上严肃认真和精益求精的态度，受到广大观众和专业人士的好评，作品多次在国内外美展中获奖并被一些美术馆和个人收藏。特别是油画作品《有志少年》参加1993年北京申奥举办的全国第三届体育美展，被时任国际奥委会主席萨马兰奇先生亲自选定为奥委会艺术珍藏品，并亲笔签发收藏证书，永久陈列在国际奥委会瑞士洛桑总部的国际奥林匹克博物馆，成为内蒙古、尤其是巴彦淖尔的骄傲。　　在新时期社会主义文化建设大发展、大繁荣的背景下，巴彦淖尔市委、市政府倾力打造具有鲜明地方特色的河套文化，张建国是地道的河套人，他的作品有相当一部分是表现生于斯、长于斯的河套的人、河套的景物、河套人的生活画面等等。这些充满浓厚乡土和生活气息的作品往往给人以巨大的心灵震撼，真切地体现河套文化厚重、包容、朴实的特色。巴彦淖尔市委、市政府把张建国的作品当作地方名片来支持和打造，体现了其战略眼光、文化意识，以及担当与责任。　　张建国正处于艺术创作的旺盛期，他在写实油画领域的辛勤耕耘，还会结出丰硕的果实，我们期待他更多的好作品。　　邵大箴   　　中央美术学院教授　　中国美术家协会理论委员会主任　　Realistic Style and Romantic Feeling　　—Zhang Jianguo's Creation of Oil Painting　　Zhang Jianguo has been engaged in creation of oil painting for more than 20 years. He insists on realistic oil painting, intensively studies skills for classical oil painting and tries to express his feelings on real life and his love on Inner Mongolia grassland and people live here. Zhang Jianguo was born in Wuyuan of Inner Mongolia with hometown in Shanxi and has studied in fine arts major of Bayannaoer League Normal School in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, fine arts major of Arts Department in Inner Mongolia Normal University, oil painting major of Fine Arts Department in Capital Normal University and Advanced Class of Oil Painting Department in China Central Academy of Fine Arts. As professor and vice president of Hetao University and vice chairman of the CPPCC in Bayannaoer City, he lives and works in Inner Mongolia for long time. When he is engaged in education and creation for painting, he also actively takes part in social activities.　　Perhaps it is because he is a professor of fine arts that Zhang Jianguo pays more attention to aesthetic and educational functions of art and perhaps it is because he is a member of committee for the CPPCC that he is more concerned about people's livelihood and people’s artistic interest. 　However, in the final analysis, he is a painter, a diligent oil painter with unique pursuit whose works are being appreciated and loved by more and more people at home and abroad.　　There are two main reasons that Zhang Jianguo loves realistic oil painting. Firstly, he was educated with academic realistic oil painting for long term. Among the artistic schools where he studied, especially in China Central Academy of Fine Arts, he has deeper understanding on spiritual content of realistic oil painting and more skilled techniques on composition of realistic oil painting because of teaching and guidance from many famous teachers. The second reason related with it is that he has gradually formed such a concept that realistic oil painting can reflect social real life, can be understood and felt by the public and can complement shortage of depiction on portraits in freehand literati painting in the process of studying modern Chinese art history. He realized a solid basis of sketching composition and culture on colors are necessary for realistic oil painting on level of skill. As far as content of painting is concerned, inspiration of oil painting comes from attention, observation, analysis and experience on real life and ability to describe objective objects, which are painter’s essential basic skills. It can be said that he made great efforts on these two aspects. In addition, he also earnestly studied and researched on works from western classical and modern masters to broaden visual field and absorb nourishment from them. After long time’s unremitting efforts, he has made commendable and gratifying achievements in realistic oil painting circle.　　Zhang Jianguo is good at paintings of portrait and landscape, also some are still life. His portrait paintings include figures and custom with plots, for example, Female College Student, Wrestler, Old Herdsman, Bride of Ordos, Shepherd Boy, Mongol and Mr. Zhang Qingyi for the former and Herding in Skyline, Love on Grassland, Golden Autumn in Grassland, Wrangler and Dog, Remote Dream, First Heavy Snow in Winter, Shepherdess, Whisper, Afterglow in Morigele River and Light in Ancient Plain for the latter. Between figure and custom painting, there are some portrait paintings with a few plots, such as Clop from Front, Approaching Laughter, Song to Evoke Memories, Eternal Rhythm, Aspiring Youth, Soundless Laughter, Summoning and so on.　　Zhang Jianguo’s figure paintings not only depict portraits’ characteristic features, but also emphasize on portraits’ common characters. His figure paintings seldom use specific names (such as Mr. Zhang Qingyi), mostly named with their titles. Some specific portraits’ figures are put in scenes related with their careers, such as Green Hometown, Teacher’s Demeanour, New Wrestler and so on, which indicated Zhang Jianguo’s aesthetic starting point with obvious ideal color of classical art. Art of classicalism pays more attention on shaping portraits’ beauty of type, tries to create quiet and elegant atmosphere and reflect noble beauty in unity of form and spirit and omit specific details to pursue whole in formal language. Zhang Jianguo mostly places portraits in more abstract background and focuses on shaping the characters. His language of painting stresses on harmonious beauty in the form and his custom paintings mainly derive from peasants and herdsmen’s lives in Mongolian grasslands and Hetao Plain with simple plots, few portraits, often the vast grasslands as background and sometimes accompanied by cattle and sheep herd. Broad grassland in pasturing area provides him endless creative inspiration and romantic feeling in his realistic art, which was not only reflected in implicitness of subject matter with presented topic but space left to digest and think, but also expressed by more passionate emotion in language of painting, such as light, color, composition, etc. This trend is more obvious in his new painting Intensity in Grassland (2007). Taking pure red as mainstream in screen, a group of violent-tempered horses struggle to run, which symbolize bold and generous personality and endless progressive spirit of people in grasslands and show Zhang Jianguo is continuously searching for new painting style and enlarging his own expression realm. He finds and reflects people’s mildness, sedateness and dignity from their lives in pasturing area of grasslands, as well as admires and praises their boldness and passion in personality and longing for beautiful future. In order to prevent himself from perfunctorily depicting herdsmen’s lives from angle of seeking novelty, Zhang Jianguo thinks the key is sincere emotion, so he expresses respect and love on herdman as well as power and beauty of natural grassland with devotional mood.　　Zhang Jianguo attaches importance to expressive force of language for painting and avoids situation that realistic language may lead to vulgar style because of meeting the public’s interest. At the same time to emphasize on beauty of structure, color, tone, stroke and texture, he seriously treats with mutual relationship between opposing factors, such as falseness and trueness, movement and stillness, whole and details in order to seek unity and sense of integration in rich changes of language and seek expression of meaning, affection and charm in realism. His works contain both pursuit to perfectness and interest enjoyed by the public and is full of features suit both refined and popular tastes. His serious and earnest attitude to keep improving in artistic creation is highly praised by audiences and professionals. His works won prizes in many foreign and domestic fine arts exhibitions for many times and were collected by some art museums and collectors, especially, the oil painting Aspiring Youth was selected as the artistic collection of the International Olympic Committee by Mr. Samaranch himself, the president of the IOC at that time when it’s displayed in the Third National Physical Culture Art Exhibition for Beijing to bid for holding the Olympic Games in 1993. Mr. Samaranch issued collection certificate for it in his own handwriting and it will be permanently displayed at the International Olympic Museum in Lausanne of Switzerland, which is the headquarter of the IOC. He is the pride of Inner Mongolia, especially pride of Bayannaoer.　　In the background of grand development and prosperity for socialistic culture construction in new era, municipal party committee and municipal government of Bayannaoer make great efforts to establish Hetao Culture with distinctive local characteristics. Zhang Jianguo is a native of Hetao and a considerable part of his works reflected people born and live in Hetao, scenery in Hetao, people’s lives in Hetao and so on. These works full of strong characteristics of village and life can always give persons great mental shock and truly showed thick, comprehensive, simple and honest features of Hetao Culture. Municipal party committee and municipal government of Bayannaoer support and build Zhang Jianguo’s works as local specialty, which showed their strategic foresight, cultural consciousness, duty and responsibility.　　Zhang Jianguo is in the flourishing period of artistic creation now and his hard work in realistic oil painting realm will bear rich fruits. We look forward to his more good works.