Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, the birthplace of “Scar Art” and “Rural Art,” witnessed an important chapter in the history of art in China. From the end of 1970s to the middle of 1980s, literature and art shifted from idealistic portrayals of heroes to the depiction of reality and fate. This transformation of aesthetics is best represented by a group of painters from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Their works developed from humanistic concern and took their subjects from rural realism and the lives of minority groups. Some of these paintings are referred to as “Scar Art” for their criticism of reality and reflection on the Cultural Revolution.

The term “Scar” derives from a novel of the same name. The novel describes the disastrous consequences of the Cultural Revolution and has been adapted into films and comic books. It also initiated a trend of “Scar Art” and “Scar Literature.” The advent of “Scar Art” stimulated many artists from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute to rethink about humanity. In their works, respect is paid to the lives of individuals, whose merits are reinstated. A shift had occurred from the promotion and worship of political icons to the natural expression of personal feelings.

Though founded later than other art schools and located in a much more remote region, in southwestern China, and lacking academic traditions and an artistic lineage, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute found its redeeming qualities in its culture of artistic freedom and an open space for developing artistic characteristics. Typical artists of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute include Luo Zhong-li, He Duo-ling, Cheng Chong-lin, Zhou Chun-ya, and Zhu Yi-yong etc.

Mr. Lin Ming-che, the president of Mountain Art Foundation, has been collecting the works of artists from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute since the early 1990s. He organized several joint exhibitions for them and founded the Luo Zhong-li Scholarship for Oil Painting. His support and promotion have improved the lives of artists, stimulated their creativity, and accelerated their artistic development. To enhance the impact of this exhibition, the Foundation has offered its artistic collection and invited several important artists to visit Taiwan in the name of artistic exchange. It is hoped that this exhibition will strengthen the audience’s understanding of the development of art in China.