The human spirit in Jiang Zhaohe’s art

On the Agenda

In 2012, Chinese netizens amused themselves by digitally altering an image of the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu from school textbooks — turning him into a motorcyclist, an athlete, a superhero, and more. The meme, shared under the hashtag “Du Fu is busy,” went viral. Few realized, however, that the original painting of Du Fu was created in 1959 by Jiang Zhaohe (1904–1986), a pioneering master of Chinese ink painting.

That portrait, along with many of Jiang’s works, is now on display at “The Wild Trail of Mine”, a solo exhibition at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Shenzhen Daily reported. Most of the pieces portray ordinary people — nameless yet deeply valued by the artist. Jiang’s wartime works from the 1930s and 1940s depict homeless children and families begging on the streets, offering a searing record of the nation’s suffering. His monumental 27-meter-long painting “Refugees” (1943) is widely regarded as one of the greatest figure paintings of the 20th century.

The exhibition’s design mirrors the emotional trajectory of Jiang’s career. Visitors first enter a dimly lit hall displaying works that confront wartime hardship. From there, they move into a spacious, brightly lit gallery featuring paintings created after 1949, when New China emerged. Jiang shifted from unflinching depictions of war to images of workers, mothers, children, and ethnic minorities — still ordinary people, but now framed in peace and hope.

Jiang often said his portraits reflected social realities as well as his own inner state. “The essence of Jiang’s artistic vision never wavered — a commitment to the dignity of individual life and a profound belief in the power of human emotion,” curator Zheng Shiru told *Shenzhen Daily*. This constancy, Zheng added, guided Jiang through the challenges of his long career.

Alongside depictions of contemporary life, the exhibition includes Jiang’s paintings of historical figures such as poets Du Fu, Li Bai, and Li Qingzhao. These works allowed him greater space for personal reflection and technical innovation. A section devoted to his role as a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts features sketches and archival materials, underscoring his enduring influence on Chinese art education.

Dates: Through Oct. 21

Venue: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Futian District

By Times Reporter