Youth Painting

Born in 1950, in Guangdong (Canton) Province, Zhao Qian Xu dreamed of being an artist from the time he was a little boy. However, like many others who came of age during the Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong, life did not usually work out according to plan, and he ended up working on the docks. Of course, nothing can destroy the soul of a true artist, and he would paint scenes from the docks during his breaks. During a stint in the Red Army, one of his commanding officers, noting his ability in art, recommended him for study at the Guangzhou Fine Arts Academy, and his life was finally on its proper course. At the art academy, Xu studied oil, watercolor, and traditional Chinese painting, all of which he views as, simply, tools for expression, in his art, and he, sometimes, mixes techniques of Chinese and Western art, in his paintings. Although he has the ability to paint very realistic paintings, he tells us that he prefers the freedom and creativity of a more abstract approach, which is not well understood by people in the local market. All told, he has created about 300 works, so far, and some of his works have been published in a three volume set of books. We appreciate all of his works, from the realistic to the abstract; we recognize his skill and understanding of art. Others have recognized it, too. In that regard, he has won China National art prizes, as well as a gold medal and first prize in Guangdong. His works have been collected in museums and by collectors in eight countries, around the world, including the U.S., Britain, and Japan. We currently works at the Guangzhou Art Institute, run by the Guangzhou Ministry of Art and Culture.