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Self portrait

From posters, portraits, still life and landscapes to abstract or historical themes, Tu masters all kinds of painting, but he still feels tense about his future creation.Shirl Smithson (Chairwoman of the OPA) said: “As a painter myself, I spent a lot of time in museums to see the heritage we are left with by past masters. I am glad in today's technology dominant world and consumer oriented society, Tu has inherited the old fashion which enriches our spiritual life.”

“I paint for the future, not for the present.” said Tu. It reminds of author Yu Qiuyu's words in his book “Art Engineering”: “Art creation is about providing a place free from the daily pursuit of trivial interests and humble desires.” It is the prospect each artist should look for.

The success of Tu Zhi-Wei also broke the curse of “The East is east and the West is west, and never shall the twain meet”.

Almost single-handedly, Tu Zhiwei has become an unofficial 'International Cultural Exchange Ambassador' for China and the United States. His wife, Dani, explains, "Mr. Tu has had much personal success. He is very thankful. But for him it is not important to buy fancy cars or a bigger house. He wants to help the poor people, especially the young, to learn about art and maybe they can become good painters or muscians some day. To help make that happen is a better way to live.“

Zhiwei Tu Art Exhibition at Liu Hai Su Art Museum in ShangHai

BODY LANGUAGEBacks, the Great Wall, the Moon

BODY LANGUAGEFeet, Troops and Horses, the Earth

recreates Emperor Qin's heroic military forces, painted in fiery tones, overcoming obstacles and holding off barbarian raiders from the north.

Since the 80s, Tu Zhiwei began creating large paintings in order to represent the brilliance and magnificence of Chinese epics.

BODY LANGUAGE- Heads, Books, Pit

depicts the high price of stability in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) after the tumult of the Warring States Period (476-221 BC).  That third century BC "cleansing" in all its horror is rendered on a canvas stretching eight meters in length and two meters in width. It's like a mural of an inferno. The canvas is part of his project to create 10 more colossal canvases on 10 epic topics from China's history, in 10 years. "Heads, Books, Pit" was created over 18 years.

BODY LANGUAGEHeads, Books, Pit  During Emperor Qin's reign, he brutally eliminated intellectuals across the land because he feared revolution. Books, sources of ideas, were burned to ashes and often their writers buried alive, including Confucian scholars. Their words were stifled, but Tu's canvas gives them voice

The painting “Hands, Raft, Yellow River” depicts struggling against the Yellow River. Workers are caught on a wooden raft in the middle of the surging Yellow River, one of China’s oldest and most well known rivers. Tu has put the focus on the physical bodies of the workers, showing every tension in every muscle as they fight against time and tide to turn the gigantic rudder. In a metaphorical sense, Tu has also shown the struggle against the concept of fate, and conveys a sad melody of the Chinese people.

Dancing with swords in Hongmen party in Qin dynasty 2010

The story of the jade

Princess Wencheng

Princess Wencheng (died 680) was a niece of the powerful Emperor Taizong of China's Tang Dynasty, who left China in 640, arriving the next year in Tibet to marry the thirty-seven-year-old Songtsän Gampo (605?–650 CE) the thirty-third king of the Yarlung Dynasty of Tibet, in a marriage of state as part of a peace treaty along with large quantities of gold. She is popularly known in Tibet as Gyasa, or 'Chinese wife'

The Seven Steps Verse, also known as the Quatrain of Seven Steps is a highly allegorical poem that is usually attributed to the poet Cao Zhi. The poem's first appeared in the classic text Shishuo Xinyu, published in 430. The famed scene describes Cao Pi's suspicions of his brother Cao Zhi trying to usurp his rule (Cao Pi was also jealous of his brother's talents, particularly his masterful command of imagery). Consequently, Cao Zhi is summoned to the court and is issued an ultimatum in which he must produce a poem within seven strides such that Cao Pi is convinced of his innocence. Cao Zhi does so, and Cao Pi becomes so flustered with emotion that he spares his brother, although he later exacts punishment upon Cao Zhi in the form of demotion. The poem itself is written in the traditional five-character quatrain style and is an extended metaphor that describes the relationship of two brothers and the ill-conceived notion of one harming the other over petty squabbling.

(Shirl Smithson, former President of Oil Painters of America, compiled this coffee-table sized book of works by Zhiwei Tu).

Seven Step Poem

Boiling beans to make soup,filtering them to extract juice.The beanstalks were burnt under the cauldron,and the beans in the cauldron wailed:

"We were originally grown from the same root;Why should we hound each other to death with such impatience?"

Jules Kirschenbaum was a former professor of art at Drake University, where he taught for over 25 years. His work has been shown on a national level and is included in numerous private and public collections, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art.

Portrait of Jules KirschenbaumJules Kirschenbaum

Courthouse

Drying rice

“There was not any electric power, no electric light, telephone, radio, movie in my poor village. Until 1960s, there were electric power light in school but weak light, at home we used small kerosene lamp. I do not know when I had the first shoes - 10 years old? I did not have bed at home until 27 years old” Zhiwei Tu

Neighbors

Saturday Flea Market Summer garden

“I was not planning to be an artist. I just suddenly came out to love art. I did not have plan or a little idea of thinking study in art school. There was not any signal to let me think that way of being artist….. After college I know art history in the World”.

Zhiwei Tu

South Temple 2007 The Chicago River 1991

“There is not the fact that people live by Metropolitan Art Museum in New York so they would become good artist. Many great artists came from countryside or far from big cities. A great artist may come from everywhere”. Zhiwei Tu

Song for mountains Song for the village

Sound: Chinese ambient music

Text and pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda