Chen Ying’s Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition will be conducted in Duo Yun Xuan Gallery located in Nanjing Road East. As a matter of fact, it is extremely normal to launch a painting exhibition in this famous gallery. In addition, recently many big-shot masters in the art field have held their solo exhibitions. Compared with these masters, Chen Ying is only an average worker in the cause of education.
Chen Ying| 《A family letter reports peace》 | 96 x 178cm | 2010
Chen Ying began to learn painting at the age of 50, when life is half spent before we know what it is. Chen Ying, however, set us an example to demonstrate that youth is not only a stage of life but a state of mind. Chen Ying is always challenging herself in life. Her works the Autumn Chrysanthemum displayed in the exhibition immediately catches the audience’s eye, which reveals powerful spiritual strength, her love and continuity of 5000 years of Chinese culture and civilization.
In China, a person’s self-cultivation has always been given priority since ancient times. Initially, learning Chinese calligraphy and painting reflects a concept of education that a person’s inner accomplishment should be achieved through art, which no doubt trains a person’s noble character and elegant behavior leading to a relaxed and virtuous life. The exam-oriented education, however, was placed too much emphasis, while art education had to be left behind. As a result, art is only what a few art candidates are pursuing. There is no denying that lack of art education is not beneficial to a person’s inner establishment. But nowadays, some people are dying to achieve quick success and get instant benefits．And therefore, In a free diverse society only examination is not feasible at all. The transition from examination-oriented education to quality- oriented education has been a trend of education in our country. In the quality- oriented education, art education is playing a vital role. So, students’ artistic accomplishment first depends on the level of teachers’inner establishment.
Chen Ying| 《Ink Plum axis》 | 69 x 34cm | 2012
While teachers are urged by authorities of education to master basic knowledge of calligraphy and paintings, art, after all, can not be commanded mechanically, which badly needs communication. At present, few exhibitions are launched specially for teachers. Even if so, the exhibitions are in small scale. Chen Ying’s Exhibition of Calligraphy and Paintings held by Shanghai Duo Yun Xuan and Jianping Group School is actually an effective try to set up a platform where the educational concept of Qualification plus Personality and Specification plus Selection can be illustrated, and meanwhile to enhance the cultural brand of Duo Yun Xuan with a history of over 100 years. And therefore, there is no doubt that this cultural event suggests Duo Yun Xuan’s responsibility for cultural construction, and will set a completely new model for quality-oriented education.
Eastern Net, January 8, 2013