Draft:Zheng Yuebo

Zheng Yuebo (1907–1991) was a modern Chinese ink wash painter who pioneered the unique painting styles of "permeable-paper painting" and "innovative finger painting".

Life

Zheng Yuebo was born in Singapore and before the age of 20, he had moved with his parents to Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other places. In 1928, with the support of a friend, he applied to the Hangzhou School of Art, where he began to receive professional art training. Initially enrolled in the Western painting department, he later transferred to the design department, although his foundation in Western painting remained crucial to his lifelong artistic pursuits. During his time at the Hangzhou School of Art, he was influenced by the school's principal, Lin Fengmian, and the Chinese painting teacher Pan Tianshou, who was skilled in finger painting, which reflected in his future artistic endeavors. After graduating, he held teaching positions and also co-founded a company with his classmates. In 1943, he held his first solo exhibition in Yantai, Shandong Province, followed by a second exhibition in Shanghai the following year. In 1948, while working for the China Oil Tanker Corporation, he was assigned to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where he later settled and developed his career. In 1952, he was appointed as a full-time teacher of pattern and drawing at the Provincial Normal College, and his works were exhibited in Taiwan, Japan, and other places. In 1960, Zheng Yuebo, along with Ma Shaowen, Wang Zhanru, Lin Yushan, Hu Kemin, Fu Juanfu, and Ji Kang, formed the "Eight Friends Painting Society," primarily focused on ink wash painting. They held at least four "Eight Friends Joint Exhibitions." In 1962, he was hired to establish the Fine Art Department at the National Taiwan Academy of Arts and served as its department head. In 1967, due to personal reasons, Zheng moved to the United States and opened an art gallery called "Chinese Art Garden" in California. During his time in the United States, he lived near Chang Dai-chien and the two artists interacted frequently, resulting in many works by Chang Dai-chien with added backgrounds or inscriptions for Zheng's paintings. In his later years, Zheng continued to hold solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Artistic Style

Zheng Yuebo is widely recognized for his distinctive painting techniques of "permeable-paper painting" and "finger painting." His "permeable-paper painting" boldly explores the characteristics of paper and ink, while "finger painting" goes beyond tradition by skillfully using fingers to apply and rub ink, creating a three-dimensional effect on the canvas. Additionally, scholar Lu Ruiting suggests that Zheng Yuebo combines Western techniques with the Eastern concept of "the interplay of emptiness and solidness." He adeptly incorporates the concept of "leaving blank spaces" and "emptiness" into realistic portrayals, presenting an aesthetic style that lies "between resemblance and non-resemblance."

References

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• WikiProject Taiwan 1000 Draft