Anna Zhao

    anna.whizh@yahoo.com

    MORE than 60 paintings showing Tibetan lives over the past half century by Tibetan artist Chigya Dawa are on exhibition at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum through Dec. 10.

    Covering a broad range of art forms such as print painting, sketch, watercolor painting and comic strip, the exhibits are a summary of the artist’s achievements over the past 50 years.

    Born in the Garze Tibetan Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Chigya Dawa lived a deprived life as an orphan before the area was liberated from serfdom. In 1956, he was sent to a class for ethnic minorities at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, a cradle for many ethnic minority artists. During a visit home after graduation from the institute, he was overwhelmed by a myriad of thoughts arising in him after seeing the revolutionary changes in his hometown. He then set his mind to portraying the lives of his townsfolk with his carving knife.

    Chigya Dawa soon shot to fame after completing a print painting depicting the Liberation Army and Tibetans sweeping snow off the Sichuan-Tibet railroad after the painting was published in the People’s Daily. A group of print paintings depicting his childhood further earned him recognition. He was not yet 20 years old.

    “I hope to use my painting tools to delineate the mysterious nature in the snow-covered plateau and the virtues of Tibetans, their diligence, bravery, persistence and kindness,” he said.

    As an artist who grew up amid social transition, Chigya Dawa presents in his paintings strong imprints of the life he has lived. Depicting ordinary people’s lives are a dominant theme in his works, in particular his print paintings.

    Many of his works were award-winning pieces at exhibitions in China. His “Making a Trail Blaze,” “Family Happiness,” “Pastoral Songs,” “People Who Plant Trees” and “Deep Thinking” have become landmark works in the history of print painting in China.

    Critics think that the artist’s works, which have an integration of social judgment of characters, represent the artistic development with print paintings in that period of history.

    The exhibition also showcases the museum’s academic research on Chinese print painting in the 20th century.

    Dates: Through Dec. 10

    Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, 6026 Hongli Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路6026号关山月美术馆)

    Metro: Longgang or Longhua Line, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit B