"Don't let people praise the color, just leave the fresh air to fill the universe." From ancient times to the present, plum blossoms have been used as a traditional image to reflect the noble character of Chinese literati, and they have their own styles in the works of different artists.

The Paper learned that on April 25, the curator-guided special activity of "Treading the Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works from the Collection of Liu Haisu Art Museum" was held in Shanghai Liu Haisu Art Museum. It is reported that, as one of the representatives of the Three Friends of Suihan, Liu Haisu Art Museum plans to form a series of themed exhibitions of the three ancient Chinese traditional images of pine, bamboo and plum. This exhibition is the first exhibition of this series. The 27 pieces of works exhibited for the first time since they entered the Liu Haisu Art Museum are also one of the exhibitions with the most ancient collections and the most concentrated exhibitions since the opening of the Liu Haisu Art Museum.

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

"Don't be praised for your good looks, just leave the clean air to fill the universe." Plum blossoms are noble, elegant, cold, and steadfast, and have always been regarded as gentlemen and close friends. The custom of literati admiring and chanting plum blossoms has a long history, and famous sentences and excellent works have emerged one after another. Plum blossoms, the first to bloom, spring only in the world, representing the character of tenacity, unyielding, endless life, cool and noble. As the representative of "Three Friends of Sui Han" and "Four Gentlemen", plum blossoms have a deep weight in the hearts of ancient Chinese literati. Using objects as a metaphor for emotion and expressing one's mind, plum blossoms, a traditional Chinese image, have their own charms in the works of different literati. For literati who wander outside their minds, plum blossoms are often used as a traditional image to reflect the inner noble character, and it continues to this day.

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

"The Chinese classic image represented by plum blossoms represents the in-depth thinking of things beyond the surface in traditional Chinese thought. In the fast-paced present, it is full of fragmented information, which also brings with it the understanding of the public's way of thinking and the depth of thinking. Influence. This exhibition is not only a display and interpretation of traditional Chinese images, but also hopes to inspire viewers to look back on the origin of traditional images and think about the spirit of traditional culture, and then explore the significance of traditional culture in the contemporary context .” Zhang Wo, the curator of the exhibition, said during the tour.

"Mountain Bridge Exploring Plum Blossoms", Zhao Mengfu (Biography), Yuan Dynasty, Chinese painting on silk, 135.8x77.4cm

"Spring Outing", unknown, Ming Dynasty, traditional Chinese painting on silk, 109.8x98.8cm

It is reported that the exhibition takes the past dynasties plum blossom theme works collected by Liu Haisu Art Museum as the main clue, combined with various forms of contemporary plum blossom theme collection works to display, from Huangquan to Liu Haisu, from easel painting to creation of various materials, from online to online Under the VR experience of public education activities, systematically and multi-dimensionally display and analyze the Chinese classic image of plum blossoms, show the creations of plum blossoms in the works of various artists that are both common and full of individual diversity, and present the inheritance and changes of imagery expression. The formation of the symbolic meaning of ancient Chinese traditional images, the formation and traceability of the plum blossom image, the social and spiritual factors behind the multiple meanings of the plum blossom image are displayed in four sections: The inspiration of analysis and imagery creation to modern times and the current situation in contemporary times run through history and today.

"Plum Blossom Narcissus", Lu Zhi, Ming Dynasty, traditional Chinese painting on silk, 71.7x19.4cm

"Ink Plum Picture", Zheng Xie, Qing Dynasty (biography), traditional Chinese painting on paper, 27.2x22cm

"Plum Blossom", Jinnong, Qing Dynasty (Biography), Chinese painting on paper, 19.5x13cm

"An important highlight of this exhibition is Liu Haisu's own calligraphy and artistic creation. His collection is undoubtedly in the heyday of the development of the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. On the one hand, he is enriching his research on ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting and Creation, on the other hand, hopes to enrich and develop the localization of oil painting through the research and creation of ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting. In today's exhibition, we can see such a group of works that Mr. Liu Haisu spent a lot of money collecting at that time. "Shang Hui, academic host of the exhibition, said.

"Wuxi Plum Garden", Liu Haisu, 1954, oil painting, 71x92cm

"Beautiful Fighting Han Gongchun", Liu Haisu, 1965, Chinese painting on paper, 108.6x103.6cm

"Ink Plum Picture", Liu Haisu, unknown date, Chinese painting on paper, 104x54.4cm

"Whether these (ancient) works are real or fake is not important to us today. What is important is what kind of handed down works he could see on the market during the Republic of China. There are different views or opinions, but at least it is some old things, some works from different eras made before the Republic of China. An understanding of the works and styles of famous ancient calligraphers and painters." Shang Hui said.

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

"Treading Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom-themed Works Exhibition in Liu Haisu Art Museum" site

The organizer of this exhibition also cooperated with Shanghai Chuangtu Network Technology Co., Ltd. to launch the VR interactive experience area of "Jackdaw Picture". Here, the audience will personally experience the real painting environment of the work of Huang Quan, a painter of the Five Dynasties - "The Picture of Jackdaws".

"Picture of Jackdaws", Huang Quan (Biography), Five Dynasties, Chinese painting on silk, 94.7x157cm

Huang Quan, an artist of the Five Dynasties, is famous for his delicate and flexible flower and bird shapes and neat and rich brushstrokes and coloring, reflecting the aesthetic taste of the court at that time, and is known as "the richness of the Huang family". Huang Quan's works have well-proportioned lines, delicate rendering, and vivid shapes. While vividly depicting the form, they also show the vitality of the scenery.

"The work "Picture of Jackdaws" depicts the cold scene in winter, with dead wood, white snow, crows, barrenness and vitality intertwined. VR technology uses 3D models to create exactly the same scene as "Picture of Jackdaws", restoring the real world to the greatest extent. The light and shadow environment and interactive experience reproduce the situation and atmosphere in the painting, and restore the painter's perspective at that time." Zhang Wo believes that "Jackdaw Picture" is not only a delicately portrayed work, but also reflects the painter's state of mind at that time. VR technology allows us to stand beside the painter, deeply understand the implication and emotion in the painting, and experience the impact of the picture in a more vivid way.

The exhibition will run until May 14, 2023.