Preface

Foreword Exploring the Eastern poetic essence between freehand brushwork and realism, Cao Ming’s art constitutes a quiet revolution that spans Eastern and Western visual vocabularies. In the context of contemporary art, where ideas clamor and images proliferate, he has built a spiritual homeland rooted in the essence of painting through his brush—a realm that embodies the rich vibrancy of oil paints while flowing with the elegant agility of ink wash. The works on display in this exhibition encapsulate the artist’s decades-long, profound contemplation of the warmth of life and cultural roots, showcasing a mature artist’s latest exploration in integrating the "spirit of freehand expression" with "oil painting language." The core of Cao Ming’s artistic style stems from his rare "dual-track" academic background. He is not only an oil painter with solid foundational skills but also possesses a profound grounding in Chinese painting. In his early years, studying alongside realism masters Wang Shenglie and Lü Fuhui, his artistic path was deeply influenced by these great masters. This dual background endows his artistic genes with uniqueness. Instead of viewing Eastern and Western painting as opposing barriers, he has seamlessly integrated the essence of Chinese painting—such as the "quality of brushwork," "connotation of brushstrokes," and "expressing spirit through freehand"—into the texture and color of oil painting with an open and inclusive mind. The loose, agile brushstrokes, thinly applied flowing colors, sensitive capture of the rhythm of lines, and persistent pursuit of "conveying spirit through portrayal" in his works are all deeply rooted in the fertile soil of traditional Chinese aesthetics. His creation is an active stripping away of "complexity" and a devout pursuit of "essence." He practices the aesthetic principle of "simple freehand expression." "Simplicity" refers to the refinement of visual form—filtering out cumbersome and redundant colors and details, and constructing the order of the picture with the most concise shapes and subtle color differences. "Freehand expression," beyond the boundaries of technique, elevates into an attitude toward life and artistic philosophy. It manifests as the "calligraphic" tension in the moment the brush touches the canvas, as the artist’s "capturing fleeting impressions through his own nature and feelings" when facing familiar figures, and as "the dialogue, communication, and integration between subjectivity and objectivity, pursuing the unity of self and things." His paintings are not passive imitations of appearances but capture the flickering poetic sparks in fragments of ordinary life, elevating objective reality into an imagistic truth that carries "the meaning of life and human warmth." His works are characterized by "naturalness, freshness, and simplicity," with three key strengths: loose, thinly applied brushstrokes, precise and vivid depiction, and the natural integration of figures with the atmosphere of the background. The recent masterpieces by Cao Ming presented in this exhibition mark a more mature artistic language and deeper Eastern implications. While maintaining the consistent agile, calligraphic quality and fresh style, the depiction of the characters’ spiritual world is more restrained and profound, and the refinement of formal language is more pure and confident. He continues to explore the delicate balance between flatness and a sense of space, seeking new emotional resonance in the harmony and contrast of colors. These works are a testament to the artist’s guardianship of the spiritual pure land in a noisy era and his chanting of life’s poems with a brush. They invite viewers to slow down, immerse themselves in the unique significance arising from the resonance between oil paints and the soul, and feel the purity and warmth that transcend technical forms and reach the essence of life. In Cao Ming’s paintings, we see not only a painter’s talent and perseverance but also a clear path for Chinese oil painting filled with cultural consciousness.