This exhibition is about two famous artists: Dong Dafeng, famous for his paintings, writings and

seal carvings, and Zhu Linlin, for his extraordinary talent in reviving traditional Chinese
caricature.

Both of them are masters of the words and of the ink brush illustrating admirably Tianjin culture
(Tianjin’s nick name is 哏儿都/ Gen’er Du, or Funny Town). Describing Mr. Zhu Linlin’s
traditional caricature I must mention master Fang Cheng’s expression: “humor is passion for
life”, because I think it characterizes best his desire to reflect, by means of a refined language,
life and society with a truthful eye. Zhu Linlin’s fame was achieved, through the years, by his
witty and satirical caricatures, the most renowned being the “Bad Old Man” series. But what I
admire most in Zhu Linlin’s art is the struggle to reaffirm the craftsmanship of the traditional
caricature in a world flooded by the huge cartoon industry based on digital technology.

Knowing Mr. Dong Dafeng through social media, I can say that he is passionate in everything he
does, whether he writes, paints, collects or carves seals; he is a powerful opinion maker and
supporter of the true value in art. All I can say looking at Dong Dafeng’s painting is that I
understand his veneration towards refinement, simplicity and equilibrium, conciseness and
tranquility. Admiring his paintings it becomes very clear that they really can represent
contemporary Chinese abstract art, due to their blend of the abstract language, traditional
Chinese ink paintings, and a certain spiritual Buddhist component, as it is revealed by the work
“The Source of Life”, which definitely invites to meditation. Through the act of painting, Dong
Dafeng is making himself known to us as a deep thinker (The Source of Life), a bright person
(Shiny Days), and an energetic soul revealed by decisive brush-strokes or ink drops (The
Beginning of the Mankind, Celestial Chaotic Bodies). In his works, he tries to seize the moment,
but also to visualize and create the future through the eyes of the past, like in the series dedicated
to the Huashan Rock paintings in China, the sacred place where Sky, Water and Earth are
meeting.

Taking a close look at every painting it is impossible not to grasp the essence of Dong Dafeng’s
soul in the moment of creation, because everything, every color splash, brush-stroke, or drop is
in the right place, with no error. His soul penetrates the hand and creates masterpieces which
reflect a state of mind, an emotion, an instant of life and of nature.

“I just want to give life and soul to every ink dot”, says Dong Dafeng.我只想赋予每一个墨点生
命和灵魂. And this is what he really does!

Summing up, I see an artist in love with Life and Nature, with great respect towards tradition,
and a strong fighter for true values in art, and I strongly advise young artists to take Dong
Dafeng as a role model!

Diana Roman, art critic