Could the cliffs before you speak? Here at Shihu, they whisper tales of art and spirituality. Shihu is also known as Shi Hu. Let me tell you a story of an artist and a sacred place intertwined.
Shi Hu, born Shi Chenghu in 1942, became an established modern Chinese artist. He hailed from Xushui County. This creative soul studied at the Beijing College of Art and Design. He also attended the Zhejiang Academy of Art. Some even called him the “Picasso of the East” due to his unique painting style.
Shi Hu’s journey took him to Africa in 1978. He toured thirteen countries. This trip profoundly impacted his art. He was inspired by the vibrant colors of African cultures and wildlife. You can see this influence in his famous African Sketches. Later, Shi Hu delved into Western art. He explored Modernism and Abstractionism. He became skilled at painting figures and animals. His configurations were strong and unique. Shi Hu used a boneless technique. This created a striking contrast with bright colors. His brushstrokes were bold.
From 1968 to 1969 Shi Hu taught at the Beijing Arts Crafts College. In 1977 he became an art director. He worked at the People’s Fine Art Publishing House in Beijing.
Shi Hu’s art reflects Chinese culture. He understood foreign influences. He consciously embraced his responsibility to Chinese art. His art uses ink to express Chinese temperament. He explored expression patterns for the Chinese nation. Shi Hu absorbed global creative ideas. He employed the ink language of Chinese painting. He used Western oil painting patterns. He drew inspiration from Pollock’s abstract expressionism. He also took from De Kooning’s black ink abstraction. All of this was done with an oriental calligraphic style.
Shi Hu believed that the true essence of Chinese art was among the people. He found inspiration everywhere. Granny’s paper-cuts women’s shoe patterns and peddlers selling silk yarn inspired him. He depicted abstracted pictures. He used simple language similar to children’s paintings. His pictures had a romantic and vigorous temperament. This captivated audiences. It turned simplicity into vigor. His work reflects Taoist philosophy. The ink and lines interweave visibly and invisibly. They are stamped with the flavor of Chinese culture.
Shi Hu was not conservative. He was a pioneer of innovation. He understood the disadvantages of Chinese painting. He addressed the fact that it did not value color seriously. His tests broke through the limits of rice paper. He made color expression more vigorous. He painted figures in ink. He also created bright color paintings.
Shi Hu saw ink as having aesthetic perception and spirit. He reinforced ink to expand expression. The strong point of Chinese fine arts is the line. He created new means of line. He developed it into a systematic language. Shi Hu also showed initiative in understanding self-cultivation for artists. He called on Chinese artists to undertake social responsibility. He kept guard for his Chinese culture.
Shi Hu created freely in ink, oil painting, calligraphy and poem. His works set up a bridge for global exchange. It explored the way for Chinese painting to enter the world. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 81.
So, as you stand here at Shihu remember the artist who drew inspiration, from both the world and his homeland.