Analysis On The Development Of Contemporary Ink And Wash Figure Paintings

With the combination of the multiple methods such as documentary research, graphic analysis and artistic sociology, and by categorizing traditional and modern figure paintings since1900, the essay makes a thorough analysis of the complicated development of contemporary ink and wash figure paintings and raises many questions that they are going to confront with in future.With that purpose, the essay divides Chinese ink and wash figure paintings into three periods of time, classic, modern and contemporary ones. Meanwhile, it also paraphrases the concept of ink and wash figure painting as "a kind of paintings with the theme of figures", and then it puts forward two seeming contradictory ink and wash concepts, with one favoring traditional connotations and the other favoring modern requirements beyond traditions. It is from those points that the essay makes an examination on the changes of ink and wash paintings in different periods of times, and portray the different forms and connotations of the paintings, hence getting their whole development structure. Firstly, the main characteristics of classic ink and wash figure paintings come from the joining together of traditional Chinese thoughts of Confucianism and Daoism. With emphasis on the spirit of "entering the world" of Daoism, the paintings make themselves a successive historical whole of cultural connotations and artistic forms within a closed appreciation system, which is the centre of traditional Chinese culture, the reflection of traditional Chinese art and literature structure under the influence of Confucianism.Secondly, it is under the influence of new democratic revolution that modern ink and wash paintings come into being. Modem figure paintings focus on establishing totally a new system with new forms and connotations, hence making a new aesthetic system of Chinese figure paintings. In addition, they intend to create an unprecedented new manifestation of ink and wash.Thirdly, contemporary ink and wash paintings since1980come into being as a special period under the contrast of classic and modern periods. Unlike the previous two, contemporary paintings are in the multiple forms. On the one hand, they pick up the language of traditional ink and wash freely. On the other hand, they have an intentional fusion and absorption of other forms of art. Contemporary ink and wash figure paintings intend to make a breakthrough under the tense condition of the competition between traditional and modern forms of paintings. On the basis of caring for people in all the aspects, they pursue a means of ink and wash manifestation transcending all previous ones. At the same time, this reflects a humanitarian pursuit in the age of globalization.The essay ends by pointing out that the practices of ink and wash figure paintings since1980, which have transcended those of classic and modern periods and become the main form of art in the new age, are achieved on the basis of the consistent exploration and pursuit of humanistic spirit, and that the heavy task of the artistic construction and exploration of contemporary humanistic spirit is in need of the lasting shouldering by ink and wash paintings in the new age.