He has pushed the art of ink accumulation to its limits, creating "majestic and dynamic" landscape paintings.

"Standing in front of Mr. Lai Zhigang's colossal ink landscape paintings feels like listening to the final movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral'—you are enveloped in an emotional atmosphere, struck, conquered, and deeply impressed! The grandeur and sublimity of the paintings will surely awaken the dormant artistic spirit within you!" expressed Wang Zhong, former Vice Chairman of the Theory Committee of the China Artists Association and former Editor-in-Chief of the journal 'Art,' with deep emotion.

On April 17, the exhibition "Inheritance and Innovation — Lai Zhigang Ink Art Exhibition" opened at the National Academy of Painting of China. The exhibition was co-hosted by the Guangdong Museum of Art, Li Keran Academy, and China Fine Arts News, and implemented by Shenzhen Lai Zhigang Ink Landscape Painting Cultural and Artistic Development Co., Ltd. The theme "Inheritance and Innovation" showcased over 100 famous works by Lai Zhigang, summarizing his achievements in artistic creation over more than 40 years. Over 100 guests, media representatives, collectors, art enthusiasts, and staff gathered, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Wang Ping, President and Editor-in-Chief of China Fine Arts News. The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Li Baolin, a renowned painter and member of the National Academy of Painting of China, and Sun Ke, former Vice Chairman of the China Painting Association and a renowned art theorist. The subsequent art seminar was chaired by the renowned theorist Wang Yong.

The theme "Inheritance and Innovation," penned by Mr. Zou Peizhu long ago, serves as both encouragement and earnest expectation for Mr. Lai Zhigang, reflecting the initial aspiration towards art that Mr. Lai has maintained for many years. Over the past 40 years of artistic activity, he has deeply studied traditional ink accumulation techniques, inheriting the strengths of masters such as Gong Xian, Huang Binhong, and Li Keran. After mastering the principles of ink accumulation, he has developed and innovated the technique while overcoming obstacles and continuously improving himself, gradually forming his own style. His works display majestic and solemn landscapes, freely changing clouds and mist, reflecting a confident, powerful spirit of the times and rich spiritual meaning, marking him as a representative figure in modern ink landscape painting.

In this exhibition, Mr. Lai Zhigang presents over 100 masterpieces of various sizes and styles, showcasing his artistic talents. This is akin to reproducing the poem of Cao Zijian, a major figure in Jian'an literature from 2,000 years ago: "Literature is like spring flowers, thought is like bubbling springs. Words are read and written into prose." Works such as "Art & Dao," "Great Tide," and "Huangshan Clouds" exhibit tremendous momentum, inheriting the grandeur of Southern Song dynasty painter Li Tang. On the other hand, the hand-painted works "Fuchun Mountain Residence," "Eastward Flow of the Great River," and "River Snow" express the ethereal landscapes of heaven, earth, and mist with delicate ink accumulation, displaying vibrant scenery. Upon close observation, the mist-enveloped landscapes evoke a sense of an immortal dwelling, mesmerizing viewers.

Also striking are the small-sized yet profoundly detailed sketch paintings. He aligns sensory perception and brushwork to express the natural frankness that emerges from "Dao."

Mr. Lai Zhigang stated, "The core of my creation is 'change' and 'vitality.' 'Truth' is my attitude towards artistic creation, and for an artist, the most important thing is to maintain a true and pure heart."

Mr. Lai Zhigang uses the ink accumulation technique, combining momentum and thickness to depict clouds and mist, aligning with the Daoist pursuit of harmony with nature and humanity in Chinese cultural art. "Dao connects the tangible and intangible aspects of heaven and earth, and thought permeates the changes of wind and clouds." Mr. Lai conveys the charm of Dao through his ink works and recreates a pure natural ink world with a sincere heart.

Chen Dianzhi, professor at Renmin University of China, doctoral supervisor, and renowned art critic, commented, "The clouds and mountains painted by Mr. Lai Zhigang can be regarded as timeless masterpieces. They embody both momentum and thickness, and their grandeur fits the atmosphere of the new China. Personally, I believe Mr. Lai's 'Art & Dao' is especially representative of modern landscape painting in line with the spirit of the times."

Renowned art theorist and researcher at the China Academy of Art Wang Yong remarked, "Mr. Lai Zhigang's modern ink accumulation landscape paintings have created a new style in the creation of modern Chinese landscape paintings and realized the modernization of traditional Chinese landscape painting. He has pushed 'ink accumulation' to its limits, reproducing 'majestic and dynamic' landscapes and addressing the deficiencies of Song dynasty landscape paintings with the technique of ink accumulation. This is also his personal innovation."

The exhibition will continue until April 23.