Wandering the World (1571): Auspiciousness at Home — Zhang Jiarui's 88-Year-Old Longevity Art Documentary Exhibition

At the end of 2021, I had the honor of visiting the 'Auspiciousness at Home — Zhang Jiarui's 88-Year-Old Longevity Art Documentary Exhibition'. The picture shows the exterior of the Dalian Shanshang Art Museum, where the exhibition was held.

During the pandemic, visitors had to have their temperature taken and register before entering the museum.

'Auspiciousness at Home — Zhang Jiarui's 88-Year-Old Longevity Art Documentary Exhibition' was co-hosted by the Liaoning Fine Artists Association, Dalian Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Dalian News Media Group, and Dalian Public Cultural Service Center.

The organizer was Dalian Shanshang Art Museum. The picture shows the opening ceremony venue at Dalian Shanshang Art Museum.

Exhibition period: November 28, 2021 – January 28, 2022. Due to the pandemic, the opening ceremony was postponed to December 26, 2021. The picture shows Zhang Jiarui delivering a speech at the opening ceremony at Dalian Shanshang Art Museum.

Exhibition address: Shanshang Art Museum, No. 36 Tangshan Street, Xigang District, Dalian. The picture shows the exhibition hall of Dalian Shanshang Art Museum.

Zhang Jiarui was born in 1934 in Jinzhou, Dalian. He began working as an editor in the early 1950s and served as director of the editorial department and editorial board member at Dalian Daily. He is a senior editor. He won the China News Award (First Prize for Editing). He receives the State Council special allowance. He retired in 1996. He served as vice chairman of the Liaoning Fine Artists Association and chairman of the Dalian Fine Artists Association. He is currently vice chairman of the Bookplate Research Association of the China Artists Association and chairman of the Academic Committee.

Zhang Jiarui has served as a member and chairman of the jury for more than ten China Bookplate and Small Print Exhibitions and International Bookplate and Small Print Exhibitions. He has been creating prints for decades and has won the China Print Award, the Lu Xun Print Award, and the Li Hua Print Award. His prints and bookplates frequently participate in major domestic and international exhibitions and have won numerous awards. His works are collected by the National Art Museum of China, the British Museum, the European Woodblock Foundation, and many other museums and art institutions, as well as collectors and collecting organizations. The picture shows a brief introduction of Zhang Jiarui.

As both a journalist and an artist, Zhang Jiarui also engages in graphic design, art criticism, essays, and prose, in addition to prints and bookplates. He has published more than 30 books, including 'Zhang Jiarui's Prints', 'Zhang Jiarui's Bookplates', 'Collected Works of the Studio of Bitter Joy', and 'Essence of Foreign Bookplates'. The picture shows a group photo of myself and Mr. Zhang Jiarui.

The first exhibition hall displays Zhang Jiarui's prints and bookplates created in recent years. The picture shows the woodcut 'Ancient Cypress Touching the Sky'.

Woodcut 'Ancient Winding Path'.

Woodcut 'Primitive People's Bronze Drum Dance'.

Woodcut 'Wonderful Rockscape'.

Woodcut 'Stonehenge'.

Mr. Zhang Jiarui's outstanding advantage lies not only in his 'simple feelings' but also in his thorough understanding of the Party's 'arduous and glorious' history. These are the 'Centenary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China' series of prints created by Zhang Jiarui.

'Opera Facial Makeup' series.

'Beneficial Teachers and Friends' series.

'Song of the Sea' series.

'Song of the Sea' series.

'Beautiful Dalian' series.

'Dalian Relics' and 'Looking Back at Lüshunkou' series.

'Lu Xun and Art' series.

The second exhibition hall displays masterpieces collected by Zhang Jiarui from his beneficial teachers and friends. Over decades, Zhang Jiarui has forged unforgettable friendships with senior masters in the Chinese art world, from which he selected 88 works by these teachers and friends.

Mr. Yan Han helped Mr. Zhang Jiarui a great deal. After Mr. Zhang returned to the city from the countryside, he lived alone in a very small dormitory. Mr. Yan then painted a landscape and sent it to celebrate the completion of his new home.

One of Mr. Yan Han's calligraphy works.

One of Mr. Yan Han's woodcut works.

Mr. Hua Junwu inscribed for Zhang Jiarui: 'A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near', a testament to their friendship. The picture shows the hand-painted zodiac envelopes that Mr. Hua Junwu gave to Zhang Jiarui each year.

One of the Pigsy series comics created by Mr. Hua Junwu at the invitation of Zhang Jiarui for the Dalian Daily.

Mr. Hua Junwu's comic handscroll presented to Zhang Jiarui and his wife.

Mr. Zhang Jiarui and Mr. Huang Yongyu have known each other for over half a century, as both teacher and friend. This is a sketch of a young Zhang Jiarui by Huang Yongyu.

The huge traditional Chinese painting created by Mr. Huang Yongyu on the spot at his home for Zhang Jiarui.

One of Mr. Huang Yongyu's woodcut works.

Mr. Zhu Minggang was an early founder of the Printmaking Department at Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts and served as deputy director of the Lüda City Federation of Literary and Art Circles' Art Work Committee. This is Zhu Minggang's 'Bamboo and Sparrows', ink on paper.

This is a huge traditional Chinese painting presented by Han Meilin.

This is a calligraphy work presented by Shao Huaze.

This is a scroll presented by He Haixia.

This is a huge traditional Chinese painting presented by Yin Shoushi.

This is a traditional Chinese painting presented by Dong Chensheng.

This is a traditional Chinese painting presented by Shen Rongjian.

This is a huge traditional Chinese painting presented by Cui Zifan.

This is a fan painting presented by Gu Yuan.

This is a huge traditional Chinese painting presented by Fang Cheng.