Well-known Calligrapher Jiang Shoutian Invited To Exhibit His Calligraphic Works
Source:Shaoyang International CultureWriter:Zeng ZhenghuaTime:2015-03-04Clicks：次
On January 23, 2015, an exhibition of well-known calligrapher Jiang Shoutian’ s Calligraphic Works opened at the Art Gallery of Baoqing Mansions in Shaoyang. Over 100 works are on display, all being Jiang’ s recent creations of mainly small sheets, hand scrolls, and folded sheets of poems by Shi Tao, Ni Zaishi and those written in the Song Dynasty. On the opening day, the exhibition attracted a large number of calligraphic lovers and visitors, among whom were Vice-chairman of Shaoyang CPPCC Jiang Kerong, Chairman of Shaoyang Literary Union and Vice-president of Shaoyang International Culture Association Zhang Qianshan and Deputy Director of the Calligraphy & Fine Arts Office of Hunan CPPCC Zhang Xiliang. They appreciated the splendid artistic feast along with the students and tutors of Shaoyang Teaching Station of Zhang Xiliang Calligraphic Institute.
Jiang Shoutian, born in June, 1963, is a member of the Academic Committee of China Calligraphers’ Association, deputy chief editor of the magazine Guide To Calligraphy and deputy director of Henan Calligraphers’ Association. He was awarded the prize of the 3th Youth Calligraphic Theorists, the second prize of the National Academic Workshop of Official Script and the third prize of the 1th China Lanting Calligraphic Theory. He used to be a judge of the 2th China Lanting Calligraphic Theory Award, the 8th China Calligraphy Research and the 2th National Forum of Cursive Script. In 2012, he became one of the Ten Annual Figures Of Chinese Calligraphy. It is the first time for him to be invited to exhibit his works in Shaoyang. He holds that Chinese calligraphy is China’ s rarity as well as a traditional art so that young generations should pay special attention to it because it is honored as a poem without words, a picture without paint, a dance without movements and a kind of music without sounds. However, such an art is not enjoyed by young people nowadays. Therefore, we must strengthen the cultivation of their interest in calligraphy and painting.
Jiang Shoutian is a calligraphic theorist. The reason why he was selected as one of the Ten 2012 Figurs of Chinese Calligraphy sponsored by Calligraphy and Calligraphic Journal was that as a calligraphic theoretic critic and vice chief editor of a calligraphy magazine he schemed continuously a series of academic calligraphic exhibitions of high standard which had a great influence on calligraphic field. In regard of his special status, his calligraphic social practice is not common. He did it and he did so successfully that every participant was satisfied. He promoted his brand of ‘Jiang Design’ easily and immediately. It is unbelievable that a calligrapher, a calligraphic investor, a calligraphic collector and a calligraphic medium personnel are mixed together in a graceful, polite, emotional and promise-keeping Jiang Shoutian. He set up a flag of mutual benefits and winning in calligraphic world, which attracted masses of calligraphers even though some of them hesitated for a while at first after having choosing their themes. This can really be said as a marvel.
Many visitors, even professional calligraphers, were fascinated by the clearness and tranquility of Jang’ s scholar-typed works. Having appreciated Jiang’ s works, they realized that calligraphy is not merely of skills, which are far from the standard of a calligrapher, Calligraphy is of many things, such as a calligrapher’ s spirit, thoughts, cultural cultivation, artistic exploration and life experiences. Jiang’ s works have transcended skills, which opens a splendid door for his scholar-typed calligraphy. He says with a firm faith, ‘It is easy to master skills successfully, but it is far from a great style. A great civilized style lies in a great soul. A small calligraphic work bears the weight of the Great Way. The greatness of calligraphy results in its transcendence of form. If the spirit and culture are drawn out of a calligraphic work, It will fall low to a beautiful handcraft which has noting to do with soul.’
Jiang Shoutian’ s calligraphic works are good material and spiritual example to Shaoyang students of Zhang Xiliang Calligraphic Institute.
(Translatede by Yi Daoqun)