About the Artist

　　Shifeng Zhou, born in September, 1962 in Wuhan, China, the first class artist of Chinese Painting Institute of Chinese National Academy of Arts (once the Vice-president of Hubei Provincial Academy of Fine Arts), master supervisor of Institute of Chinese National Academy of Arts, the member of Chinese Artists Association, critic expert of China National Arts Fund, Vice Secretary-general of Rivers and Mountains Painting Association of Chinese Artists Association, Director of Chinese Painting Institute.

　　· Awards

　　1989, "Wu Ti" (means "no title") won the Second Prize of the Chinese ink painting award for new artists, jointly sponsored by China mainland, Hongkong and Taiwan;

　　1993, "Gao Shan Yang Zhi" (means "behold a high mountain/a great man with awe /admiration") won the Excellence Award in the first Chinese Landscape Painting Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2000, his landscape works won Excellence Award in the New Era of Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2001, won the Excellence Award in "Western Brilliance" Nomination Exhibition of China Artists Association, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2002, "Shan Shui" (means "landscape") won the Fine Arts Award in National Arts Exhibition in Memory of the 60th Anniversary of the Speech of Yan'an Forum of Literature and Art, sponsored by China Artists Association;

　　2003, "Qing Feng Fu Yue" (means "song of the wind") won the Silver Award in the Second Session of the National Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese Artists Association;

　　2003, "Qing Yan Shan Shui" (means "landscape of light smoke") won Academic Award in the Second National Art Biennale, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture;

　　2004, "Yun Xing Xia Wei Tu" (means "scene of rising cloud and bright sunlight") won Gold Award in the Second National Excellent Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition of China National Arts and Crafts Society, sponsored by China National Arts and Crafts Society;

　　2005, "Gao Shan Han Yan" (means "smoky mountain") won Masterpiece Award in the Second Session of the Chinese Landscape Painting and Oil Painting of Landscape, sponsored by the China Academy of Chinese Painting;

　　2005, "Xia Hong Qian Shan" (means "sunlight castes over mountains") won Excellent Award in the First Session of Chinese Freehand Painting Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2007, "Meng Hui Da Bie Shan" (means "back to Dabie Mountain in the dream") won Painting Institute Award in the Fourth Exhibition of Excellent Works from National Painting Academy, sponsored by Chinese Ministry of Culture;

　　2008, "Zhen Shan Jue Ji" (means "stunt in Zhen Mountain") won Academic Award in the "Light of Olympic Games - Hubei Province Sports Art Exhibition", sponsored by Hubei Artists Association;

　　2008, won the 6th session "Quyuan Arts Award - Outstanding Art Award" in Hubei Province, sponsored by the Propaganda Department of Hubei Province;

　　2009, "Qing Yan Tian Tang Feng" (means "light smoke from the peak of Tiantang Mountain") won the Silver Award in the 11th Session of Hubei Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition, sponsored by Hubei Artists Association;

　　2011, "Zhong Gong Wu Da Hui Zhi" (means "site of the Fifth Congress of the Communist Party of China) won the Excellent Award in the Art Exhibition in Hubei Province to Celebrate the Ninetieth Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, jointly sponsored by Hubei Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Hubei Artists Association;

　　2012, "Qing Luan Xiang Xue" (means "snow on sunny mountain") won Wenhua Art Award of the Hubei Provincial Government, sponsored by Hubei Provincial Government ;

　　2012, "Qing Yan Shan Shui" (means "landscape with light smoke") won Award of Nepal Minister of Culture, sponsored by Nepal Embassy in China;

　　· Works elected and invited for exhibitions

　　1998, "Xia Mu Chui Yin" (means "summer wood shade") was selected for the Contemporary Chinese Landscape Painting and Oil Painting Landscape Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture;

　　2001, "Ceng Lin Jin Ran" (means "woods look dyed") was selected for the Arts Exhibition for celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC, sponsored by Chinese Artists Association;

　　2004, "Cai Mo Kong Jian" (means "colorful ink space") selected for the China Artists Association Nominated Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2005, "Qing Yan Shan Shui" (means "light smoke landscape") Series were selected for Annual Nominee Exhibition of Chinese Academy of Chinese Painting (now called the National Academy of Painting), sponsored by Chinese Academy of Chinese Painting;

　　2007, selected for the Contemporary Outstanding Works Exhibition in Beijing, sponsored by CPPCC. In 2007, his landscape paintings was selected for the Third National Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2007, "Ying Shan Feng Gu" (means Yingshan Mountain's spirit) was selected for the Third National Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2007, "Ying Shan Song Gu" (means Yingshan Mountain's spirit) was selected for the National Art Exhibition for Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of PLA, sponsored by the PLA General Political Department;

　　2007, "Bi Li Yan Yan" (means "wall rock") participated in the Seventh Exhibition of Picturesque, sponsored by Chinese Artists Association;

　　2008 "Qing Yan Shan Shui Xi Lie" (means "light smoke landscape series) participated in the Tour Exhibition in Memory of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of People's University of China and the 20th Anniversary of the Rivers and Mountain Painting Institute at Brunel University in England;

　　2008, "Song Shan Feng Yan Tu" (means "matsuyama wind and smoke") participated in the 29th Art Exhibition of Olympic Games, sponsored by International Olympic Committee and Chinese Ministry of Culture;

　　2009, "Qing Yan Tian Tang Feng" (means "light smoke from the peak of Tiantang Mountain") was selected for the Eleventh National Art Exhibition, sponsored by the Chinese Artists Association;

　　2010, selected for Review and Outlook Hubei Chinese Painting Art Exhibition, sponsored by Hubei Art Museum;

　　2012, awarded the honor of "one of the contemporary 30 landscape painter of the most academic value and market potential" by Chinese Art Editorial Department ;

　　2012, Zhou Shifeng Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by Art Museum of Hubei Art Institute;

　　2013, "Wei Zai Hua Shan" (means "great Huashan Mountain") selected for the First Li Keran Exhibition of Landscape Painting, sponsored by the National Art Museum of China;

　　2013, participated in Chinese Painting Institute Nomination Exhibition, Sponsored by Chinese Painting Institute;

　　2013, participated in the Third Chinese Landscape Painting Biennial Invited Exhibition, sponsored by government of Guilin City;

　　2014, participated in the Fourth Chinese Painting Festival - Chinese Painting Institute Director Boutique Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese Painting Institute ;

　　2014, participated in Li Keran Painting Academy "Painted Beijing Garden Paintings" Exhibition, sponsored by Li Keran Painting and Calligraphy Institute;

　　2014, "Da Shi Zao Hua Zhong De Xin Yuan" (means "Arts are created from nature as well as the artist's emotion and creation) participated in Chinese Painting of Famous Zhongtang Works Exhibition, hosted by Li Ke'ning and the Chinese Academy of Classical Chinese Painting And Calligraphy Institute;

　　2014, the 2nd China Contemporary Famous Calligraphers Invitation Exhibition of Haiyue Fenghua, hosted by Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Magazine and China National Academy of Art Exhibition;

　　2014, Mountain Searching National Landscape Painting Famous Artists Invitation Exhibition, sponsored by Shandong Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Qilu Evening News;

　　2014, Shifeng Zhou Works Appreciation, sponsored by Beijing Ink Anda;

　　2014, "Dui Jing Xie Sheng" (means "sketching the scene"), "Huangshan Yan Yun Ru Meng Lai" (means "Huangshan cloud fell into dream"), "Yu Zhong Xin Yu" (means "new rain in the mountain") participated in the Third Art Exhibition Tour of Chinese Painting Institute of Chinese Art Academy in Art Harbin - Lutheran Art Museum, Jinan - Shandong Art Museum, Nanjing - Jinling Art Museum Wuxi - China Painting Institute Sketching Base;

　　2014, "Wu Xin Chu Xiu" Zhou Shifeng Light Smoke Landscape Works Exhibition, by Qilu Art Museum - Green Gallery;

　　2015, New Archaic Chinese Painting Famous Nominated Exhibition, by China Pingshan Branch of China National Academy of Art;

　　2015, "Ji Chang Yuan Ji Jing", "Ji Chang Yuan Zhong Shi Liu Hong", "Ju Qu Ji Xing", "Mei Yuan Xun Fang", "Meng Li Shui Xiang Ru Xu", "Feng Jing Jue Jia Zai Gao Chu" participated in the Chinese Red Exhibition, sponsored by Beijing Hanhaide Cultural Development Co., Ltd. 1920 Art Museum;

　　2015, "Ying Shan Feng Gu" (means "the spirit of Yingshan Mountain") selected for Chinese Painting Institute in China Art Gallery Exhibition;

　　2015, garden series, participated in the China Art Research Institute Chinese Painting Sketch, Creative Exhibition in Wuxi, Qingdao;

　　2015, "Tai Hang Zi Yan" (means "Taihang smoke purple") in Chinese Dream Taihang Soul --- National Chinese Painting Exhibition, sponsored by China Artists Association;

　　2015, "Shi Quan Yuan", participated in Capital Museum Art Museum - Exhibition of Chinese Paintings 2015 in Capital Museum;

　　2015, "Lao Shan Xie Shen", Chinese Painting Institute of Chinese Academy of Art-Focus On People's Life Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese Arts Museum;

　　2015, 6 sketches, participated in the Chinese Painting Institute of China Academy of Art - Depth of Life Performance Sketching Exhibition, sponsored by National Museum of China;

　　2015, "Mountain Searching - the Third National Landscape Painting Invitational Exhibition", jointly sponsored by Shandong Federation of literary and Art Circles, Qilu Media Group, etc. ;

　　2015, "Yan Lan Ji Tan - Zhou Shifeng Light Smoke Landscape Boutique Exhibition", sponsored by Rivers and Mountains Painting Institute of China Artists Association and Qilu Evening News ;

　　2015, "Wu Gu Song Yan", participated in "Color Chinese Dream - the First Yuquanshan Art Museum Academic Invitation Exhibition", organized by the Chinese Culture Promotion Association;

　　2015, Qilu Evening News Artist Invitation Exhibition;

　　2016, "Yin Xia" (means "song to sunlight"), "Xuan Li Xi Yu" (means "beautiful western regions") in the "Sixth Chinese Painting Festival Chinese Painting Institute Director Exhibition", sponsored by Chinese Society of Painting;

　　2016, with 28 works participated in the Sixth Chinese Painting Festival Chinese Painting Society Director Invited Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese Painting Institute ;

　　2016, with Chinese painting "Ban Ling Song" participated in Picturesque (Eighth Exhibition) Wuling Wenmai Exhibition In September, 2016, Shanyi Sharon Seventh Exhibition - Light Smoke Landscape - Zhou Shifeng Art Exhibition;

　　2016, with "Ban Ling Song Feng" participated in the Picturesque Eighth Tour Exhibition, jointly sponsored by the Rivers And Mountains Institute of China Artists Association, Chinese Painting Institute, Painting Institute of Hubei Province, Hunan Art Academy, Guizhou Chinese Painting Institute, Chongqing Chinese Painting Institute On September of 2016, participated in the Third China Dongying Art Fair - Invitational Exhibition of Chinese Famous Artists in the Yellow River Mouth, organized by Shandong Provincial Association of Artists and Brilliant Picture Gallery of Dongying City;

　　2016, Guangrao International Expo Center of Shandong Province successfully exhibited "Northland Meteorology - Contemporary Chinese Peasant School" by North China School of Landscape Painting, Beijing Research Center of North School of Landscape and Chinese Landscape Painting Research Academy;

　　2016, "Mountain Searching - the Fourth Sketch of the Contrast between the North and South Landscape Architects" by Shandong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shandong Gallery Association;

　　2016, participated in the Eighth China Painting Famous Boutique, sponsored by public newspapers, the Shandong Federation of Literary and Art Circles;

　　2016, to participate in the "Echo of the Mountains - Li Baolin Teachers and Students Bing Shen Painting Exhibition", sponsored by Chinese painting Institute, Li Keran Arts Institute, the Rivers and Mountains Institute of Chinese Artists Association;

　　2017, the "Dancing Strength of Cultural Inheritance" --- Series of Young and Middle-Aged Artists Shui Qinlan - Shifeng Zhou's Works Exhibition, sponsored by China Academy of Art at China Art Museum Exhibition;

　　April, 2017, Young and Middle-aged Series Exhibition "Shui Qin Lan - Zhou Shifeng's Paintings" held by China Academy of Art China Art Museum, "Chinese Painting Observation" Exhibition Tracking - Shifeng Zhou Art Exhibition, "From ‘Qin Yan Shan Shui' to ‘Shui Qin Yan Lan' - Shui Qin Lan- Shifeng Zhou Exhibition" ;

　　April, 2017, invited to participate in the Chinese Painting Society to host the "Belt and Road & World In Union --Landscape Painting Exhibition", Yanhuang Art Museum on display;

　　June, 2017, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy magazine held the "Environment filled by the Heart" "Chinese painting and calligraphy" magazine Painting and Calligraphy Institute Painting and Calligraphy Institute of Landscape Painting Creation Works Exhibition in the "Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" Art Museum Exhibition, and published in the "Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" No. 10;

　　July, 2017, China Cultural Industry Promotion Committee calligraphy and Painting Committee hosted "Send Xingyou Shifeng Zhou Chinese painting exhibition", 60 works displayed in Qingdao Lanwan Art Exhibition;

　　July, 2017, "Xi Shan Han Xia" participated in the series events of in commemoration of Mr. Li Keran's 110th Anniversary -"Hui Wang Cang Shang Gan Huai Shi Dai" (Look back to the era of vicissitudes), sponsored by Li Keran Painting Institute;

　　September, 2017, "Contemporary Chinese Painting 60 Artists Nomination Exhibition" Invitation Exhibition was exhibited at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Museum;

　　September, 2017, Rivers and mountains Institute of China Artists Association held the Picturesque Rivers And Mountains- Contemporary Chinese Painting Landscape Famous Academic Invitation Exhibition in Dalian Art Exhibition;

　　In October 2017 "Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" magazine hosted "Su Yue Yin Dan Qing" "Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" Painting and Calligraphy Institute Art Exhibition October 2017 "Ji Qing Yu Min" displayed in China Art Research Institute of Chinese Painting Sketch exhibition in Wuxi ;

　　November, 2017, "Ba Guai San Jie" - Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy and Painting, sponsored by Yangzhou Eight Weirdos Memorial Exhibition;

　　December, 2017, participated in the "Meng Zhu Dan Qin - 2017 Works of Contemporary Green Landscape Painting Masters Exhibition" hosted by Hunan Academy of Fine Arts;

　　December ,2017, the 30th Anniversary of the Rivers and Mountains Painting Institute Exhibition, sponsored by China Artists Association and Central Calligraphy displayed at Painting Channel Exhibition Hall;

　　· Recent Solo Exhibitions

　　Oct. of 2015, Yan Lan Ji Dan: Shifeng Zhou's Fine Mist Landscape Paintings Exhibition, sponsored by China Artists Association River and Mountain Painting Group and Qi Lu Evening News;

　　Apr. , 2016, 28 works exhibited at the Sixth Chinese Painting Festival's Chinese Painting Institute Council Members Invitational Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese Painting Institute;

　　Apr. of 2017, Shui Qing Lan: Shifeng Zhou Works Exhibition, part of Young and Middle-Aged Artists Exhibition, sponsored by Chinese National Academy of Arts, held at the Nayional Art Museum of China;

　　Jul. of 2017, Ji Xing Yan Xia: Shifeng Zhou Chinese Paintings Exhibition, sponsored by China Culture Promotion Association Calligraphy and Painting Committee, held at Lan Wan Art Museum (Qingdao, Shandong)

　　·Published and Collected Works

　　"Approaching Classics: Shifeng Zhou's Collection" , 2001, by Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House;

　　"Spiritual Appeal in the Mist: Shifeng Zhou's Paintings", 2007, by China Pictorial Publishing House;

　　"Contemporary Talented Painter Shifeng Zhou", 2008, by Beijing Fine Arts Publishing House;

　　"By Kiln and Pine: Shifeng Zhou's Fine Porcelain Paintings" , 2009, by Hubei Changjiang Publishing Group and Chongwen Publishing House;

　　"Mist Landscape Paintings by Shifeng Zhou" , 2010, by Hubei Fine Arts Publishing House and Hubei Changjiang Publishing Group; "Shifeng Zhou—Classic Works in the History of Modern Paintings" by Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House;

　　"Kiln on Fire Again",2010 by Wuhan Publishing House;

　　"Artistic Charm of Hanyang" , 2012, by Wuhan Publishing House;

　　"Chinese Artists: Shifeng Zhou" , 2012, by Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House;

　　"Shifeng Zhou, the most valuable academic artist in the market",2013, Jinin University Press;

　　"No Intention for Becoming an Official" a new selection of Shifeng Zhou's mist landscape paintings of underglaze porcelain, 2014, by China Culture Publishing House;

　　"Door to Marster: Shifeng Zhou" , 2015, by China Culture Publishing House;

　　"Young and Middle-Aged Artists from Chinese National Academy of Arts: Zhou Shifeng", 2017, by Culture and Art Publishing House;

　　And a dozen versions of Shifeng Zhou' s "Mist Landscape Paintings" published.

　　Many of his works are collected by Complete Works of Chinese Contemporary Classic Art.

　　"Morning Breeze", 1995, collected by the Chinese Ministry of Culture;

　　"A Spring Morning at Mount Xi", 2000, collected by Beijing Artists Association;

　　"Red Sunset at Mount Xi", 2007, collected by Guangdong Museum of Art;

　　"Mist Landscape" series, 2008, collected by Hubei Museum of Art;

　　"Wind and Mist at Mount Song", 2008, collected by Olympic Art Center;

　　"Mist and Sunset at Mount Xi", 2008, collected by Renmin University of China;

　　"Beauty of Spring on the Lake", 2011, collected by Tibetan Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Artists Association;

　　In 2012 and 2013, "Mist Landscape", collected by Shenzhen International Art Fair Organizing Committee,

　　Shifeng Zhou's works and papers have been published in Fine Arts, Art Observation, Chinese Painters, Chinese Paintings, Chinese Fine Arts, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, Chinese Painters and Calligraphers, China Arts Space, New Horizon, Rong Bao Zhai, and other national leading art journals, and featured in China Culture Daily, People's Daily, Hubei Daily, Hubei Pictorial, Chutian Metropolis Daily, Wuhan Evening News, China Art Weekly, Qi Lu Evening News, and so on. In addition, his story has been featured on CCTV, Hubei TV, Wuhan TV, Shandong TV, Guangdong TV, and Hunan TV, Beijing TV.

　　In August 2017, the Central Calligraphy and Painting Channel began to broadcast "One Day One Painting - Shifeng Zhou" teaching program in 15 consecutive days;

　　· Art Statement by The Artist

　　"You" (literally touring) is a unique aesthetic approach favored by Chinese landscape painters, who shake off the bondage of the worldly affairs and enjoy the utmost spiritual freedom through the way of "you", i.e. touring through mountains and waters.

　　Zhuangzi was among those ancient philosophers who advocated "you" the most. He believed that "you" was the best way of knowing and embodying "Tao" and that one reaches the supreme spiritual realm of "you" when one was able to communicate alone with the infinity of the heaven and the earth. Zhuangzi spirit, therefore, lies in the spirit of "you", during which one will "wang" (literally forget), i.e. forget himself, his pursuit, the objects round him, what he knows and even his desire, thus "no longer have any thought of his limbs or his physical form" and then "enter a mountain forest to observe the natural qualities of the wood". (Chapter 19 of Zhuangzi,)

　　The spirit of "you" has had a deep impact on landscape painters through Chinese history. Reading the history of Chinese landscape painting, one may find that every single painting represents the process of the painter's embodying "Tao", i.e. touring and forgetting. Mr. Xu Fuguan once concluded that the life of "wang" (forgetting) and "you" (touring) is a life that fully embodies the artistic spirit.

　　In my childhood, I dreamed of touring far away through mountains and waters, hoping to learn from Nature through the way of touring or sitting or sketching just in a world of real mountains and waters. Later, with the support of my parents, I began my first trip to Mount Lushan to observe and paint from life, following the ancient Chinese painters, who would bring the painting brushes with them and paint whatever view or trees they saw interesting. Ever since then, I have toured through the country, appreciating and enjoying the beauty of mountains and waters. Year by year, I observe that the forms and shapes of mountains and clouds are always changing, and through years of sketching from life, I realize that mountains and clouds have no regular forms thus painting is not supposed to follow the same patterns. I somewhat understand the true meaning of xieyi (freehand painting), which is characteristic of "the likeness of non-likeness as the true likeness" or "resembling in spirit instead of in appearance". In ancient Chinese classics, there is the so-called term "ti dao" referring to the approach to the law in accordance with Nature, which literally may mean embodying "Tao". "Tao", as said in I Ching (Book of Changes), is superior while skills are inferior. Chinese painting master Huang Binhong claimed: "It is Tao that skills shall be oriented toward." However, if an artist wants to understand the true relationship between skills and "Tao", he is supposed to "you" (tour) through mountains and rivers. It is through "you" that an artist is able to get his own feelings toward Nature and further to express with his own means the true spirit of mountains and waters.

　　Nature has nurtured my spirit and deep feelings towards the mountains and waters, and I feel that I am able to reach my ideal state of emptiness and lightness through "wang" (forgetting) and "you" (touring). It is always my utmost dream to express the spirit of mountains and rivers in my painting. For the past thirty years, I have been touring in natural mountains and rivers, pursuing the real spirit of them. Those qingyan shanshui (literally paintings of mountains and waters in light mist) presented in this album mark just the first step to realize my dream. I will continue to tour through the country and experience the beauty of the tall mountains and great rivers.

　　At the age of fifteen I acknowledged Mr. Wen Lisan as my teacher, and at thirty Mr. Feng Jinsong, and then at forty Mr. Li Baolin. I followed them to learn the "Tao" of being a man and of doing art. I could not have achieved anything, even a small step of progress, without their instruction. Hereby, I would like to take the opportunity to give my sincere thanks to them as well as those fellows and friends who have helped me in my artistic career. I would also like to thank my family members who are always there waiting for me to come back home.

　　(The postscript was written at my study named Tianfeng Lou shortly after I returned to Wuhan from Shennongjia, where I visited Shennong Ding, known as the first peak in Central China.)

　　·Works