Geometry: The Basic Clue of Zhao Dajun's Painting Practice

Zhao Dajun (1937-2023) was born in Hankou and his ancestral home is Shandong. In 1954, he studied at the Affiliated Middle School of Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. In 1958, he studied at the Oil Painting Department of Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating in 1962, he stayed on to teach at the academy. He was the chairman of the first faculty and staff congress of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, deputy director of the academy's academic committee, deputy director of the oil painting department and director of the mural department's teaching and research section, and professor. He enjoys the State Council's special contribution allowance. Starting from the 1960s, Mr. Zhao Dajun began his painting practice which he called "my modernism". The career of this artist, whose life spanned several eras, was based on the collision with the surrounding artistic reality and China's realistic tradition since the second half of the 20th century. The creative method with a spirit of forced reflection that he adhered to throughout his life provides an important text for us to understand the formation path and historical driving force of Chinese realism. The exhibition is titled “Geometry”. Through this concept, which has both visual and ideological meanings, it attempts for the first time to outline the basic clues of the painting creation of this important pioneer in Chinese modern and contemporary art who is not yet fully recognized, and analyzes his work between the tension here and beyond here. Several sketches that have been hidden for decades and have never appeared in public exhibitions appear in this exhibition. Starting with two of these sketches, "Hercules" (1978) and "Portrait of Mr. Lu Xun" (1978), the exhibition will present two intertwined paths in Mr. Zhao Dajun's painting practice.