Mr. Lai Zhigang is well-known as a contemporary Chinese landscape painter, and his works are familiar to us. The opportunity to host Mr. Lai Zhigang's landscape painting exhibition at the National Academy of Painting is indeed significant as it gathers his recent series of large works. These pieces arguably establish a unique "Lai Zhigang style" of landscape through their ink painting compositions and his distinctive brushwork patterns.

 

This style, I believe, can be characterized by several features:

Firstly, his ink paintings demonstrate a particular quality of dilution and gray scale tones, coupled with an exploration of traditional brush and ink forms, which collectively form the distinctive characteristics of Lai's brushwork.

Secondly, his landscape paintings are both expansive and bold, displaying a magnificent presence especially when showcased in large halls, which I think truly excavates the grand visual tension present in contemporary landscape paintings.

Thirdly, Mr. Lai’s landscapes, while rooted in tradition, also stand at the forefront of modern times.

 

His landscapes are majestic, and as he has painted various landscapes across China, he has seemingly encompassed all the scenic views of the country under his brush. Thus, these features present the unique and enchanting artistic traits of Mr. Lai Zhigang.

 

As I am associated with the Central Academy of Fine Arts, I have participated in the research of the Chinese painting system at the Chinese Academy of Painting in recent years. In this context, the issues of light and shadow, and modeling have indeed become major concerns in the academic teaching and creation of Chinese painting in the latter half of the twentieth century. From Mr. Lai Zhigang's landscapes, I perceive four subtle aspects:

First, his paintings truly represent a variation of gray tones, expressed through pure ink, which if described using modern evaluative language, show a richness in tonality and ink gradation. As previously mentioned by a professor, his large-scale works feel symphonic, and his medium-scale works remind us of arias, drawing comparisons from musical history. Thus, the variations in gray tones, actively forsaking color to seek richness within monochrome in ink, represent a conscious choice by Mr. Lai.

Second, the individual expression in his brushwork and structure, especially the intricate techniques of layering ink and creating texture, generates a new style characterized by a sense of precision and detail. Often, looking at the finer details of his paintings, there's a sculptural feel, particularly in the depiction of mountains and even water, which I believe adds a tangible solidity to his portrayal of landscape and cloud formations.

Third, the integration of his brushwork and ink marks is particularly suited to large paintings. The full compositions benefit from his controlled and minimalistic brushstrokes, which are not written but rather stippled, making his technique ideal for managing large-scale works with assurance. Sometimes, the control over brushwork and form defines the direction and style. This observation aligns with seeing Mr. Lai Zhigang's paintings, which are dense and coherent. If we were to use traditional terminology or view his works from the perspective of either the Northern or Southern schools, they create a unique style that is indefinable by conventional categories, reminiscent of the work of Bada Shanren.

Lastly, the texture of imagery in Mr. Lai's landscapes, though mentioned by previous professors, wasn't explored deeply. These textural qualities are not just contemporary characteristics but also reflective of the momentary and ephemeral aspects he captures in his plein air sketches, which he crystallizes into clear and precise representations of form and spirit in his landscapes. Thus, employing the term "sculpting landscapes" seems apt for Mr. Lai's work, allowing us to perceive a sense of melancholy, sublimity, and profundity—a painter's contemplative and emotional engagement with the landscape.