He Chengxi and He Chengjue brothers are twin brother artists active in the contemporary art circle. They have co-published six well praised volumes like Chinese Painting Techniques and Southern School Painting Techniques.
Born in a painting family, they have similar life experiences. However, they have different styles of artistic performance. Chengxi is good at color and body, but Chengjue pays attention to artistic conception. The former is brightly beautiful, while the latter states the forceful and far-reaching opinion.
Early in the nineties of last century, their paintings have been renowned in the Shanghai ditch. Their compiled albums got popular recognition. Artistic precursors Hu Wensui praised them as "painting family good at both painting and calligraphy", Zhao Lengyue said "Southern School and North School displaying each talent", and Ren Zheng wrote "the oceanic Hes sparkle with ingenious paintings", Cheng Shifa described their unique creation as "mixed style of north and south".
The brothers have contrary styles, but they can make perfect complementary match with cooperation. A decade ago, their co-representative six-meter-long work "River Dawn" (see Figure) encircled the width, depth, and height into a painting, which had such perfect coordination in curving, cracking, rubbing, dotting, dying, and patting as if painted by the same person. This painting had rich meaning and magnificent vigor. There were ships shuttling in the river, skyscrapers erecting on the banks, bridge standing like rainbows, and rosy clouds all over the spring sky. The panoramic view of the ten Mile Huangpu River was unfolded with seagulls sweeping over the river, people cheering around, and balloon ribbons flying everywhere. The brothers' proficiency of painting was reflected everywhere in the painting as if it were painted by one person. When exhibited in the Art Museum of China in 1995, CCTV introduced their paintings.
One of the exhibits Cold Moon and Chilly Frost is an elegant, quiet and dreamy work. Chengxi fully presented the natural wit of light and color with well-crafted stained techniques of Lingnan School. The upright branches and trunks even looked like Chengjue's style. Such coordinated unity resulted from their brotherly telepathy may be the reason for their success.
During the popular Shanghai World Expo, He Chengxi and He Chengjue brothers show their 60 well-made works, and they will definitely get popular with people all over the world. |
