Artist: Chen Lian Jun (b. 1961)
Mr Chen Lian Jun graduated from the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in 1986. Two years later, Mr Chen successfully applied to the Central Art Academy in Beijing for the postgraduate study of an associate lecturer’s course. Chen was an appointed artist at the Liaoning Art Academy. Currently, as a member of the Chinese Artist Association and the Chinese Plate Etching Art Society, the oil painter is also an associate professor at the Liaoning Fushun Educational College.
His works were exhibited in some major art exhibitions such as the 7th and 8th National Art Exhibitions; the Sceneries of China Art Exhibition, and the Asia Art Exhibition in Japan, among others. Mr Chen has also done three solo exhibitions in Singapore. His “Beiguo Jiangnan” Oil Painting Exhibition was held in the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre and he simultaneously published an art book: Oils by Chen Lian Jun. Collectors of Mr Chen’s art include art museums, private organisations and individuals. The Government of China has accredited the artist twice with prominent cultural awards for his remarkable contributions to the art community and his professional achievements. Certainly, Mr Chen is one of the most influential realistic style oil painters in contemporary China.
Morning Herd
Grazing the aureate fields, Morning Herd ennobles a commonplace rural sight of a herd of cows roaming freely in the countryside. In the absence of a herdsman, the cows chew leisurely at the golden grass in a semi-orderly fashion. The light, feathery strokes of Mr Chen’s brush gives this oil painting an upbeat and restful feel. Similar to a shire-like place out of J.R.R Tolkien’s imagination, Mr Chen Lian Jun’s idyllic piece of innocent cattle would not be complete without the background scenery of stubbly hills. Glaring sun rays are subdued by a partly cloudy sky which irradiate the piece with a honeyed glow. Morning Herd may be partly influenced by Romanticism and Realism art styles; the artist displays his appreciation for nature and uses warm colours to express his content and emotions, alongside the tranquil sensations associated with the countryside in a life-like, detailed manner that captures everyday life with accuracy. The morning herd, indifferent to the world, go about their lives in search of food, water, and a mate. This simplicity is both enviable and lamentable, for the cattle will be free of mortal worries but unlikely to comprehend the ecstasies of the human condition. Mr Chen’s oil painting of these animals calls for art appreciators to consider their future as the rising morning sun brings about a new beginning and opportunities for renewal.
Golden Sunshine
With fewer cattle than in Morning Herd, Golden Sunshine focuses on the intersection between Man and Nature to emphasise the constancy of the Sun. Instead of having human figures that populate the space, Mr Chen paints of three cows converging at a pebbled path, sheltered by pumpkin orange-yellow and cadmium green coloured tree canopies. The foremost “torched” tree takes on the golden colour of the sunshine and Mr Chen takes much care to paint realistic shadows cast on the ground. As the title suggests, the Sun radiates regardless of the changes on this Earthly realm and its rays are bars of gold we can only grasp but never own. Golden Sunshine is a hopeful and inspiring piece, one that reminds the audience that the Sun will always rise after the darkest of nights.
Mr Chen Lian Jun’s Realism painting style avoids idealisation without the uglification of the world but embracing its beauty, an achievement that few artists can proclaim.
