Master Lecture Room | Yu Wenjiang: the Most Vivid and Natural Characters Are of the Greatest Beauty

“When observe and reflect, one should not follow the trend, nor blindly imitate and follow a particular painter or teacher, but to be clear about their own aesthetic proposition, follow their own journey when forming artistic styles and techniques. As a painter, when skills and abilities are decent enough, what you paint is all about your life experience and personal cultivation.” —— Yu Wenjiang

“China is a multi-ethnic country. The Chinese people of different ethnic groups, living in different parts of the country, are endowed with unique appearances and temperaments. As a figure painter, it is important to be aware of this subtle difference when sketching in different areas."

"Figure painting differs from landscape and birds and flowers especially in realistic painting as the figures are with richer and more specific details. Thus, to fully present the realistic and touching details, painters should make certain trade-offs. What is important in a successful figure work is the natural flow of true feelings, whether the painter's emotions are incorporated into it, and whether the painter has contributed true feelings.”

Yu Wenjiang was born in 1963 in Yantai, Shandong Province. As a national first-class artist, he is currently the Vice President of the China National Academy of Painting and the Deputy Director of the Art Committee of China National Academy of Painting. He is also the Honorary President of Ningxia Academy of Painting and Calligraphy.