Exhibition Celebrates China’s Army Day

“The Pioneers” (1972), an oil painting by Wei Jingshan and late artist Chen Yifei

TO celebrate the 90th anniversary of China’s Army Day on August 1, an exhibition featuring a cluster of sculptures and paintings, under the theme of Jinggang Mountain, is currently running at Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute until August 6.

Jinggang Mountain, in east China’s Jiangxi Province, is known as the birthplace of the Red Army, predecessor of the People’s Liberation Army, and the “cradle of the Chinese revolution.”

It is on Jinggang Mountain that Chairman Mao set up his first peasant soviet in 1927. Since then Jinggang Mountain has been considered as a symbol for revolutionary spirit.

The 24 oil paintings showcased at the exhibition were created in the 1970s and 1980s by artists at the institute. They all share a strong realistic style, vividly depicting some famous historical moments.

Today, a lot of these works are considered as milestones in China’s modern art history.

In fact, since its establishment in 1965, Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute has long been known for producing politically themed artworks and has nurtured a group of big shots including Xu Mangyao and late artist Chen Yifei (1946-2005).

Last year, the institute sent an artist delegation to Jinggang Mountain. The artists stayed there to get a deep understanding of the historic mountain.

“It is interesting that these works all reflect a similar theme although they were created in different periods,” says Xiao Gu, director of the institute. 'This is an exhibition about not only the history of China’s Red Army, but also art itself.”

 Date: Through August 6, 9:30am-4:30pm

Venue: Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute Museum

Address: 111 Jinzhu Rd