The exhibition displays over 200 pieces of works of Zhang Yangxi and involves in multiple art categories like print, cartoon, picture poster, oil painting, watercolor, line drawing and sketch. Art chronology of Zhang Yangxi is also on show, which presents his art course and achievements and enables viewers not only achieve a comprehensive understanding to his arts but also style and techniques of the older-generation artists devoted all his life to. 180 pieces of works among the over 200 exhibits were donated to NAMOC by family members of Zhang Yangxi on occasion of commemorating his one-hundred-year birthday, which greatly enriches the category and quantity of NAMOC’s collection of Zhang Yangxi’s works. The exhibition is not only a commemoration to Zhang Yangxi’s one-hundred-year anniversary but also commendation to his art and an appreciation to the donation by the State.

Zhang Yangxi is a highly accomplished artist in the art development of new China. He learned wood engraving by himself under the direct of new woodcut movement proposed by Lu Xun in his early years. Zhang picked up the knife as his pen and answered the call of Left-wing art movement. As a art pioneer of Anti-Japanese War publicity, Zhang Yangxi initiated and organized progressive organizations like “Time Painting Association”, “Sichuan Cartoon Association” together with friends having a common ideal. His creation can be divided into two phases. The first phase is at eve of China’s Liberation when most of his works care about the grassroots and courage to fight. His woodcuts reveal insight to humanity and courage of era; The second phase is after China’s Liberation when his works, completely abandoning haze and depression of previous years, involve in more themes and forms of language and are filled with passion of new age. In 1955, Zhang Yangxi visited Romania and Hungary, which enhanced his determination to maintain nationalization in engraving. Zhang’s representative works in this phase such as Send Meal to Fields, The Work for The Year is Best Begun in Spring are the new fruits of his exploration to nationalization.

Zhang Gufeng, representative of Zhang Yangxi’s family member, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the success of this exhibition in his address at the opening ceremony and received NAMOC’s Donation Certificate awarded by the Director Fan Dian.

After the opening ceremony, seminar on “A Long Way Journey with Fruitful Arts—Zhang Yangxi Art Exhibition for One-Hundred-Year Anniversary” was held in Academic Lecture Hall at the 7th Floor of NAMOC. and founders and scholars of woodcut circles made an in-depth discussion on Zhang Yangxi’s contributions to woodcut .

It is learned that the exhibition will last to January 3, 2013.