A Study Into The Social Predicaments Of Chinese Oil Painting Since The Founding Of The PRC

Based on a thorough study of the historical development of Chinese oil painting, especially that of more than 60 years since the founding of the PeopleWs Republic of China, this study finds that oil painting as a cultural carrier carries the spirit of the times, and painters, as a recorder of history that evolves over times, unconsciously incorporate the mainstream spirit of the time into their artworks, thus making them "imprint of the times".However, due to the rapid development of new China, especially after the reform and opening up, Chinese oil painting has also undergone a series of transformation. In the transformation, painters, mainly influenced by mainstream spirit of the time, gradually depart from their own personal artistic choices that develop on the basis of aesthetics and philosophy import, and have to create some works that lack in differing individual spirits but best reflect and represent that of the time. The artistic value of their paintings has been decreasing.In consideration of this, the thesis attempts to re-interpret the development of Chinese oil painting since 1949, to explore its "imprints of the times" and its social predicaments imposed by the times, and accordingly to further investigate how to facilitate art innovation in Chinese oil painting in contemporary China to achieve greater development. Specifically, this thesis proceeds as follows:The first part of this thesis, also Chapter One, sets out to investigate the history of Chinese oil painting and to sort out the mainstream art styles common to different historical periods. Then it elaborates on the outlook of the artworks at different stages in recent decades, the results of which boil down to the specific imprints of the times displayed in Chinese oil painting. Further as time changes, so do the social trends, which ultimately result in the change of the ximprints of the times| in artworks.The second part of this thesis, including Chapters Two and Three, mainly analyzes the external factors that influence the development of artworks, on the basis of the previous section. In the development of oil painting since the founding of New China, influenced by the time, environments, politics and other external factors, there appeared passive mental imprisonment and obedience in paintings. There has been very strong influence on the development of oil painting whenever there is a major historical event. The artworks produced after each event appears to be quite similar. In this sense, oil paintings are rather constrained; its creation is also due to the unconscious obedience to social developments of the times.Chapter Two approaches the problem from a broad perspective. However, when the collective trend changes, then individual changes ensue. For oil painting, this individual change comes from the painter, which amounts to an analysis of the changes in creative spirit, patterns and styles of Chinese oil painting from within. Specifically, Chapter Three thoroughly analyzes the convergence and accommodation of the painters both from undue pursuit over "happiness" and from the rigidity in creativity, so as to figure out why artists are lost in oil painting.The third part of the thesis, i.e. Chapter Four, based on analyzing the causes and current situation of the social predicaments of Chinese oil painting both externally and internally, concludes that there is a sense of co-existence and herd instinct in Chinese oil paintings in recent decades. Following this sense, in artistic creativity there is a general inertia. Original art acuity gradually degrades in bondage. When artists awaken and want to seek a breakthrough in the siege of this art form, they must first sort out the value demand of artistic creation and their internal driving force, whereby they also need to reflect today’s resistance encountered in oil painting innovation and development, and thus explore how to seek the multiple paths of innovation in the development of Chinese contemporary oil painting art. Although there exists in the development of oil painting anxiety, pain and other paradoxes, there may be chances of new life precisely because of this.To recap, this study is intended to sort out the imprints of the times! in Chinese oil painting since the founding of the P.R.C., and to explore the common features of the artworks over different periods of time, so as to investigate the social predicaments of oil painting and its potentials for future innovation and development.