Zhiyuan Cong is having a solo exhibition from January 29 – February 18, 2013 at the Riverside Gallery.

Opening Reception: February 2, 2013, 5pm-8pm

Closing Reception: February 15, 2013, 6pm-8pm

The Rhythm of the East – Ink Painting Exhibition by Zhiyuan Cong

Zhiyuan Cong was born in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China. Painting has been part of his life since his childhood, he has moved to the US almost 25 years ago, he is still missing his hometown and he expresses all his memories and thoughts by using his painting brushes.

The first time I saw Mr. Cong’s artworks, I was so impressed by “The Guanyin Budisattva with thousands of hands” from his Basketball Series. The art piece has the colors and an indescribable romantic charm of Dunhuang frescoes in Old Ancient China, and when I came closer to see the art piece, the details of the painting and the technique he used made it looks even more amazing. In the basketball series, Mr. Cong combined the Oriental traditional religion with modern Western Sport perfectly. His exquisite printmaking technique brings the life into his art, the colors are rich and proper, and we can see the beauty of flying dynamic shows on the paper.

If you have seen his work, you would be shocked by the strong power in his art, they are so unique, and we can tell the east culture in his blood. There are special stories behind each of his paintings: countrywomen working in the southern town; the precious sculptures Italy got back after a war; the volcano, the sea, the Hula dance in Hawaii; American basketball; World trade Centre after 911 Incident; the old farmer stays his apple tree field, etc. Mr. Cong has traveled to a lot of countries and has seen all different kinds of views and people, he always choose to remember those memories and feelings by painting them into paper. Someone say: reading is touching dreams with eyes; and for Mr. Cong, he is using his painting brushes to express his life.

Zhiyuan Cong has his own particular painting style; no matter it is ink painting or printmaking. His ink painting is elegant, peaceful, fresh and full of mystery; the printmaking he created has bold colors and looks refined, all the painting details are so well-done. His skills and ideas made those vivid paintings, the characters in his paintings look alive and you can feel his mood and feelings when he created them.

As a professor at the William Paterson University of New Jersey as well as the head of the university’s Printmaking Program and the Director of the Center for Chinese Art, Cong thinks heritage is very important in art; he hopes to impart cultures, spirits, histories and techniques through his artworks; in the other hand, he also learned knowledge and art spirits from his mentors; the most famous Chinese Painting Master Qi Baishi was his mentor’s mentor; Mr. Cong can remember his mentor was telling him: there are no bad colors, there is only bad way to use those colors. Those words remind him to work hard every day and aware he does not get loose. When I asked him what is the difference between a professional artist and an unprofessional artist? He said only professional artists can show their mood, cultures and stories into artworks; for professional artists, it’s a creation, not a work. All these philosophies and thoughts keep him moving forward.

Cong has also received reviews of his work from The New York Times, The Star-Ledger, The Record, Herald News, World Journal, Chinese News Net, People’s Daily, NJN, BBC, WLIW, CNN, CCTV-4. His artworks have been collected at many acclaimed museums and Companies, such as the National Art Museum of China, Nanjing Museum of Art, the New Jersey State Museum, Jersey City Museum, Zirnmerli Museum and American International Group, Inc.,

Unite Nations and The Organizing Committee for the Olympic Fine Arts Exhibition 2012, London.  During his 24 years in the United States, Cong has given hundreds of lectures and demonstrations at art museums and universities around the country, such as the Chicago Art Institute, Princeton University, U.C. Berkeley, Indianapolis Museum of Art, University of Oregon, Youngstown State University, Ontario College of Art and Design and Taipei National Arts University. Cong has earned several awards such as: 2012 Gold Award for catalogs for his project Summer Art in China catalog in the 27th Annual Educational Advertising Awards; Chinese Cultural Ambassador Award , New Jersey Chinese-American Chamber of Commerce, 2012; Participation Award by The Organization Committee for the Olympic Fine Arts 2012, London; Artist-in-residency, East-West Center, HI, Spring 2002; The New Jersey Printmaking Fellows for 2001, Rutgers University; The First-Place Award, The American States Arts Competition –1993 Exhibition; Irving and Lena Lo Scholarship and C.V. Starr Scholarship at Indiana University 1990-1994.

He has held more than 20 solo exhibitions and over hundred group exhibitions, including those at United Nations Headquarters, New York; The Olympic Fine Arts Exhibition 2012, London; National Art Museum of China, Beijing and The Butler Institute of American Art, Ohio.

The very good news is, Zhiyuan Cong’s Solo Ink Painting Exhibition “The Rhythm of the East” will be hosted around 2013 Chinese Spring Festival in Riverside Gallery, New Jersey. All of his representative works will be shown, his exhibition is definitely going to bring us an artistic holiday, art lovers will have the chance to see his art works and experience the positive spirits of his art. All the overseas friends can get together talking about arts and sharing stories and cultures.