Visitors attending the opening gala watch a video presentation. Lu Shengzhong (in front, middle) joins them. (Photo : Today Art Museum)
Sometime in the 1960s, a kid caught sight of a painting of a rooster displayed at his neighbor’s residence. The incident somewhat contributed to his dream of having one in the future.
Fast forward to 2015 and the boy, now in his early 60s, owns a rooster painting. No, he didn’t buy one. He painted one and the massive work of art is now mounted on a wall in a museum.
Chinese papercut artist Lu Shengzhong exhibits his “Rooster” at Today Art Museum in Beijing’s Chaoyang District.
The 63-year-old’s oil painting has graced the museum since Nov. 8. as part of his latest exhibition, “Last Century,” reported the Global Times.
Lu’s papercut and installation artworks are also on display. The solo exhibition will run until Jan. 1, 2016.
“‘Last Century’ is a starting point, the beginning of modernity. All the problems we attempted to solve during the past hundred years were problems of last century,” wrote Lu, according to the museum’s official website.
Lu continued: “The hardship we have been through and sacrifices we have made during the period, never meant to convey today’s results. Therefore we have no reason to live in the moment.”
The museum tells the public that Lu’s exhibit “is undoubtedly anticipated” and describes it “as a comprehensive survey of his artistic practice and thinking.”
The artist made his last exhibit in 2007. Lu took to New York his works and collectively called them “Square Earth, Round Heaven” upon exhibition at the Chambers Fine Art.
His last solo exhibit in the country happened in Chaoyang District’s 798 Art Space in 2003, called “Left Hand, Right Hand.”
