Abstract art exhibition reflecting on social changes held in Beijing

Jin Rilong: Inner Voice in the Universe, showcasing total 50 representative paintings of artist Jin Rilong in his creative career in One Art Museum in Beijing, wraps up on March 28, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of One Art Museum

Jin Rilong: Inner Voice in the Universe, showcasing total 50 representative paintings of artist Jin Rilong in his creative career in One Art Museum in Beijing, wraps up on March 28, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of One Art Museum

An abstract art exhibition is being held in Beijing reflecting social changes during China's reform and opening-up in the past 45 years. 

The exhibition, which is named as Jin Rilong: Inner Voice in the Universe, showcases 50 paintings by artist Jin Rilong, and is being held at One Art Museum now in the city. 

Jin is a Chinese artist who has experienced the reform and opening-up period, and his works especially reflect the changes in China's social environment and ideas that have been changing with the times. But at their core, the works evoke the spirit of traditional Chinese culture with their oriental beauty.

Jin Rilong: Inner Voice in the Universe, showcasing total 50 representative paintings of artist Jin Rilong in his creative career in One Art Museum in Beijing, wraps up on March 28, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of One Art Museum

Lasting until March 28, the exhibition presents the different aspects of Jin's artistic career at different stages, allowing viewers to experience the rich spiritual world he creates.

Arranged in chronological order, the first floor displays Jin's creations before 2018, while the second floor focuses on his works from 2019 to more recent ones.

The exhibition is academically directed by Fan Di'an, head of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), with Zhang Zikang, head of the CAFA Art Museum, as its curator.

Jin Rilong: Inner Voice in the Universe, showcasing total 50 representative paintings of artist Jin Rilong in his creative career in One Art Museum in Beijing, wraps up on March 28, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of One Art Museum

"Every visitor can find connection to the works through their own knowledge and aesthetic experience. I hope that through this exhibition we can provide clues for the visitors where they can learn more about abstract artists like Jin," said curator Zhang at Tuesday's opening ceremony.

As a Korean ethnic artist born in Yanbian, Northeast China's Jilin Province, Jin made his name after winning a gold medal in the first National Minority Art Exhibition with his work "Grandma" reflecting the life of ethnic minorities in 1982.

He later explored a new painting style by integrating music into his oil abstract works after he went to the Dunhuang Grottoes and was inspired by murals that depicted musical instruments used over a period of about 1,000 years.

He gained a PhD in art in South Korea before turning toward modern abstract art.

"My pursuit of art coincided with decades of China's reform and opening-up. China's industrial revolution was also completed in this period. These years have compressed the history of the industrial revolution in the West, which took more than 200 years," said Jin in an interview with Culture China in 2022.

Talking about his transition from figurative art to abstract art, he said that this process is not his intention, but "a process following the development of the times."