Artist: Zhang Xinquan

I was turning 40, the age to have no more doubt about life in Chinese culture, when I was painting “The Metropolis Old Shanghai” in the spring of 2002. After its appearance, the few works based on a theme, rural or watery places seemed to go abruptly away from me, just to be a dust-laden vague impression. In the following ten years, the symbols of last century’s civilization, such as cities, wharves and vessels, repeatedly appeared in my paintings although they are just fleeting clouds now.

It is a frequent question from others – why are you so interested in, or even obsessed with these scenes and images? I often meditate for an answer, but I’m still unable to express it with accurate words. Actually, when facing history or the past, every one may have his or her own sigh and understanding, or keenness and complex on the same scene, people and event. I remember I happened to see a sketch of the Bund in my childhood. The unique buildings and fancy sights left me quite a deep impression. I didn’t know there was such a wonderful place in the world, which was entirely distinguished from my surroundings. The concise image was imprinted in my memory there after. Later on, when I had more idea about history, I learned that Chinese people had gone through the sort of cultural test last century. How did the industrial civilization, which was endowed with the qualities of the time and turned into an unfailing national memory in the form of materialization and spiritual change, come into being in the communication of eastern and western cultures? The depiction of it endowed my paintings with a sense of historical sediment and intensity.

Apperceiving the seemingly gone but actually inerasable sceneries with a current mind, I am gradually accustomed to gaining power from those ordinary images that might be easily ignored, the power to affect my feelings and touch my nerves. As it was stated in “On Cricket”, “Among all things, as long as you are fond of something, you don’t have to give it up. Why? There are varieties of creatures in the world, and the favors of people vary as well.” I’ve never experienced that era, nor did those ups and downs in that world. There is a wide gap of time and space. But I consider the gap my preference, which leaves me valuable space and my desire to express.