Jianpeng is from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, he has a typical Zhejiang people's temperament that is alert, reserved, resourceful and witty. In addition, he has an extraordinary comprehension of Chinese paintings. With his rich and varied life and educational experiences moving from south of China to north, upgrading from a bachelor's to Ph.D. program, his painting skills have been significantly improved; in many aspects of arts, he has exceeded his peers. Since I was his teacher, I know him very well and have paid special attention to his artwork creation. Especially, not long ago, I received his latest large painting album, I am enormously proud of what he has achieved. I am also proud that he has been insisting on practicing as a poet, calligrapher, painter and seal carving artist – four in one: an indivisible wholeness and a unique, mysterious and continuous artistic tradition of Chinese painting. Eventually, his years of training and practice has resulted in a qualitative change in his artworks.

　　I have always believed that Jianpeng has the potential to make a valuable contribution to Chinese painting in the near future, because he has a deep nostalgia for the past and traditional Chinese painting. It is really rare for the younger generation to take such an interest in traditional art forms.  He is willing to value the inseparable relationship between calligraphy and painting, believe in traditional practice principles of Chinese painting, and endeavour to enhance the universality of Chinese painting, rather than flashy individuality. Hence, his works are modest but powerful. What he has been practicing and accumulating have laid a solid foundation for his greater achievement in Chinese painting. It's like I always say, your real competitor is your contemporaries; the competition is like marathon, who perseveres until the end wins the game.

　　Certainly, from the perspective of art history, art has always changed and moved forward, I applaud these artists' courage and actions for the innovation of Chinese painting. However, what I value the most is a good grasp and a deep understanding of Chinese culture itself, which is the premise for creating and studying Chinese painting. By doing so, it would be to avoid utilitarianism, speculation and shortcuts to art for short-sighted interests. When Jianpeng taught at the College of Fine Arts, Xinjiang Normal University, he travelled across mountains, rivers and deserts of Xinjiang, experienced humanistic legacies of the Silk Road and created many pieces of drafts and paintings. Most of his works show a moderate, gentle and even a little 'conservative' expansion of themes from the depiction of magnificent nature to the focus on the present time.

　　I completely understand Jianpeng's choice and determination. In my opinion, he intentionally slackens his pace and reflects on his own works to stick to logical artistic principles with which he conducts his creations. Therefore, I really admire Jianpeng's current mindset and attitude toward life and art, as well as his calm in facing the world of flashy surface and vanity. Not seeking to prevail over others, not behaving ostentatiously to attract the public's attention, and not violating disciplines to pursue fame. By means of investigating, experiencing and comprehending the nature of life, Jianpeng created a great deal of paintings including small and large size paintings, long scrolls, ink paintings and colour (zhongcai) paintings. His works are full of passion, warmth and literati disposition, as well as take on many highly commendable features: containing enormous power, offering a wider variety of possibilities, distinct personal style with a strong nostalgia, and grounded in real life rhythm. Although his paintings are still in a process of transformation and have not reached their mature form, his research methods, artistic philosophies and comprehensive understanding of national cultures slowly but firmly and continuously illuminate his way to success.

　　Based on years of experience of creating paintings and dealing with painting theories, I firmly believe that development of individuality under universality is the major principle and premise of exploring Chinese painting in present day. That is to say, individuality is highly necessary and crucial factor in the evolution of Chinese Painting; nevertheless, the maintenance of traditional key values of Chinese painting is still essential for creating and appreciating Chinese painting nowadays.

　　Confronting great changes in knowledge structure, way of thinking and mindset, the artists of Chinese painting should get hold of the unchangeable, stable and everlasting elements in the ever-changing time. Hence, how to sustain Chinese-style uniqueness and embrace multiculturalism and how to absorb fine cultures of other nations and integrate them with Chinese local cultures will be new questions for China's artists to deal with. This distinctive art forms - Chinese painting and calligraphy could be likened to abysmal sea and artists are like swimmers, the 'swimmers' are only allow to get a glimpse of the profound art when they dive and snorkel instead of floating on water.

　　Today, even though lots of young painters have created numerous works and won awards, they haven't completely comprehended the nature of Chinese painting. Their works are successful is due to the fact that they are more proficient in applying skills and theories of Western painting to their works. It sounds like a paradox, but it is a fact. If a Chinese painting can not reflect its creator's years of practice, cultivation and accumulation, its value and significance can be greatly reduced. For that reason, Chinese painting is not only related to the visual, but also is spiritual.

　　Jianpeng's attitudes towards Chinese painting enable him to explore more unexpected and new possibilities in Chinese painting and attain greater levels of achievement in the future. Since Jianpeng is determined to cultivate a personal style by years and years of practices, reflections and meditations instead of a crash course in style, he has so many things to do and so many problems to be solved. For Jianpeng, everything seems to be so clear and foreseeable, but meanwhile it is so blur and uncertain. As a result, his exploration and creation are filled with vitality and power.

　　Indeed, how to expand the matrix of Chinese painting to break through outmoded schema; how to embody features of the times without losing its own philosophies; how to explain the new possibility of Chinese ink painting and the questions about landscape and conception, shape and meaning in the new age, remain to be resolved. I deem that Jianpeng as an excellent "swimmer" will eventually contribute to solving these problems.

Professor Chenhang

Dean of the School of Fine Arts, Southwest University; Director of the Chinese Artists Association

Huowei Hall

18/04/2015