Sponsored by the National Art Museum of China, China Artists Association and Nanjing Arts Institute, “Oriental Implication- Su Tianci’ s Retrospective Exhibition” is currently on display at Hall 1 and 3 of the museum until Oct.16.

The exhibition showcases a total of 130 oil paintings from the year of 1948 to his last two month, including “girl in blue” in 1948. Ling Huanru, his wife, will donate 25 pieces of works to the National Art Museum of China including 15 oil paintings, sketch drawings and water color paintings. A lot of artists attended the opening ceremony on Oct 10, such as Wu Guanzhong, Jin Shangyi, Liu Dawei and Feng Jianqin.

Born in south China’s Guangdong province in 1922, Su Tianci regarded the art as his cause at his early age and received artistic courses in professional schools. He has worked as a teacher in the art department of Shandong University and Nanjing Arts Institute since 1951.

Inspired by Lin Fengmian, a famous modern painter and educator, Su Tianci integrated the oriental artistic spirit with the western oil paintings. Such conception is fully reflected in his figure and scenery paintings, such as “Female youth in black”, “Early spring”. His works feature elegant quality and abundant poetic appeal. He has established a new landmark in the field of the contemporary Chinese oil paintings with his unique artistic style.    

Fan Di’an, Director of the National Art Museum of China, commented, Song Tianci made research on the fusion of the Eastern and the Western arts and created a brand-new level of the freehand oil painting. 

Held in the National Art Museum of China for the first time, this exhibition is hoped to display and review the achievements of Su Tianci in his lifetime. Su Tianci, a collection of his paintings, was initiated on Oct.10. An artistic seminar about Su Tianci was held then in order to arouse concerns for the history of the Chinese oil painting and further thoughts for its development.