JIA HAO YI

Jia Hao Yi (b. 1938) is a senior Chinese artist renowned for his paintings of horses. He follows in a long line of distinguished Chinese artists who have treated this subject, from the earliest dynasties to modern masters such as Xu Beihong (1895-1953) and Huang Zhou (1925-1997). However, Jia Hao Yi’s style is unique. It has been commented that while others use ink to depict horses, Jia Hao Yi uses the horse's form to show the strength and intensity of his pen and ink.

Pioneers of 20th century Chinese ink painting, like Xu Beihong, brought back Western ideas from Europe to reinvigorate the stagnant Chinese painting tradition. But while the permeation of concepts and techniques from Western modern art into traditional Chinese art became increasingly common, the use of the medium of ink remained a symbolic mark of China's tradition, spirit and culture. Just as Xu Beihong's paintings are imbued with distinctive nationalistic characteristics, Jia Hao Yi's horses are a dynamic symbol of power and might, filled with tremendous vigour and energy.

Born in 1938 in Zunhua County, Hebei Province, Jia Hao Yi studied at the Art Faculty of the Beijing Art Institute, graduating in 1961. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), he was engaged in the production of political paintings and leaflets. Subsequently he travelled widely in China, visiting Sichuan, Inner Mongolia and Gansu Province. In the 1980s and 1990s his work was exhibited internationally, in Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, USA, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. By 1987, critics acclaimed him as a first-class artist and his work was collected by major museums in China.

Jia Hao Ji deliberately does not dwell on too meticulous a depiction of the horse's physique; rather, he prefers to emphasise its power and energy. To this end, he has simplified the application of ink, depicting his horses by a series of bold brushstrokes. After Xu Beihong, Jia Hao Ji's horses have created another milestone in the history of Chinese painting.