Vernal Equinox (2005-2008)

The Vernal Equinox series was Zhu Wei’s major creative project during 2005-2008. In this series, the composition of the painting draws reference from the image of the classical Chinese famille-rose porcelains. Filling the picture with interspersed little human figures, Zhu adds his own touch to these works with his trademark classical ink wash style. The artist’s concern with politics stemmed from his personal background with the People’s Liberation Army, but this interest soon faded following his demobilization. The Vernal Equinox series in 2005 marks a new beginning for Zhu. By adopting a more down to earth expression and a comical context, his direct response to ideology becomes less explicit. What is more apparent now is his concern for humanity and one’s living conditions. At the same time, the artist’s studies of traditional Chinese culture, such as Chinese literature, poetry and lyrics also lend the Vernal Equinox series a taste of Chinese antiquity. Those figures’ faces are impassive, but variously register glum indifference, distress, surprise, or satisfaction. Their hands are tucked into pockets or folded into sleeves. The sense of space or time is not the subject in these paintings, here the messages of empathy and social criticism are very clearly in the tradition of the educated elite. His awareness of the weight that words and images have carried in both traditional and modern China make his art both fascinating and obscure: messages are deeply imbedded in layered allusions and small details.

《开春图》（2005-2008年）

《开春图》系列是朱伟自2005年至2008年间的主要作品，在这一系列作品中，画面构图汲取了一些中国粉彩瓷器的图案，画面被错落有致的小人布满。90年代以来朱伟对政治的关注缘于他身处军队环境的切身体会，而随着朱伟远离军队生活，他作品中的这一特质也逐渐淡化，2005年《开春图》系列作品的创作，成为朱伟艺术创作一个新阶段的开始，世俗化的表达和戏谑的内涵，淡化了意识形态的表态，而更多了人情味道和生活的姿态，同时朱伟对中国文学、诗词等传统文化的研习，也使得最近的《开春图》系列多了几分古色古香的气质。人物表情漠然，但又各不相同，有的显得阴郁而无动于衷，有的忧伤，有的惊诧，有的心满意足。他们的手插在衣兜里或藏在袖子里，三三两两，人物形体大小各个不同，但无定规，空间感和时间感在此都不作为被叙述的对象，他的画所透露的社会精英秉承的移情与社会批判的信息非常清晰。他意识到传统中国和现代中国承载的文字和图像的力量，这让他的艺术既令人着迷又隐密晦涩：讯息被深深地隐藏在多层暗示和微妙的细节里。