ChinaCultureConnect - Chen Yiming: Looking back at Chen Yifei after 20 years

Chen Yiming talks about his brother Chen Yifei. Photographed by Ying Xiaojie and edited by Lu Linhan (04:50)

It has been 20 years since Chen Yifei passed away. Time flies so quickly and it makes people sigh.

20 years ago, Chen Yifei (April 14, 1946 - April 10, 2005), an artist who was less than 60 years old, collapsed unexpectedly on the set of a movie and then hurriedly traveled west, becoming a huge topic of the year. Looking back on Chen Yifei's artistic life, it is undoubtedly an unforgettable page in the history of contemporary art in Shanghai and even in contemporary Chinese art, and it is also one of the samples for tracing and exploring the spirit of contemporary Shanghai culture.

"There is no end to Chen Yifei" - this is especially true for Chen Yifei's younger brother Chen Yiming.

How to look at his brother again after twenty years, how to understand Chen Yifei's artistic life and ideal pursuit? How to look at the relationship between Chen Yifei and the city of Shanghai again? 2025 coincides with the 20th anniversary of Chen Yifei's death and the 80th anniversary of his birth. On April 12, the "Tribute to Yifei" exhibition hosted by Shanghai Jinchen Yifeiming Art Museum was opened to the public. This exhibition united more than 50 well-known Shanghai artists who were deeply intertwined with Chen Yifei's life trajectory, with the theme of "Tribute to Yifei", and exhibited 118 paintings.

"From this exhibition, we can see that Chen Yifei emerged from this group of people," said Chen Yiming, the curator of this exhibition and Chen Yifei's younger brother, in a conversation with The Paper. "Twenty years have passed. How do we view Chen Yifei? I think his spirit is the most important thing. He is a person with special artistic ideals."

Chen Yifei (April 14, 1946 - April 10, 2005)

"Chen Yifei came out of this group of people"

The Paper: It has been 20 years since your brother Chen Yifei passed away. I remember that when Chen Yifei passed away in 2005, the cultural edition of Oriental Morning Post, the predecessor of The Paper, launched several commemorative special editions. Time has passed so quickly. I would like to ask you to first introduce this "Tribute to Yifei" exhibition.

Chen Yiming: Indeed, this exhibition coincides with the 20th anniversary of Chen Yifei's death and the 80th anniversary of his birth. It took more than 20 days to prepare. Led by Chen Yifei's works, it presents four works created in 1983 and 1984. Among them, "Back Garden" and "Early Morning" are two treasures from his first solo exhibition at the Hammer Gallery in New York - that was his first exhibition after going abroad in 1983. He went abroad in 1980 and exhibited at the Hammer Gallery three years later. In other words, these two works were Chen Yifei's first international appearance after going abroad.

Chen Yifei: Morning

Chen Yifei: Back Garden

Among the more than 50 artists participating in the exhibition are Chen Yifei's classmates and colleagues. Some of them are senior artists who have similar growth experiences with Chen Yifei and have achieved great success and influence in art. There are also leading figures in the Shanghai art world and various art schools. For example, Xia Baoyuan, Wei Jingshan, and Chen Yifei are all alumni of the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts; Chen Danqing and Chen Yifei met in Shanghai and later met in the United States; Qiu Ruimin and Chen Yifei are not only alumni, but also colleagues at the Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute. This is a commemorative exhibition, and the content of such an exhibition is unprecedented. It can also be said that from this exhibition, we can know that Chen Yifei came out of this group of people.

"Tribute to Yifei" exhibition site

The Paper: This exhibition took more than 20 days to prepare and is so rich in content, which also shows everyone’s remembrance and commemoration of your brother.

Chen Yiming: This is also a characteristic of my curatorial skills. I am usually quite quick. If I have an idea, I will execute it vigorously. One favorable condition of this exhibition is the affection of everyone for Chen Yifei. Their willingness to participate in this exhibition is also a commemoration (and support) of Chen Yifei, and it also gives me face. I have done a lot for my brother Chen Yifei in the past 20 years. Basically, I participated in the planning of major major activities, including filming movies, publishing books, concerts, and exhibitions. A few years ago, I planned the "Young Chen Yifei Exhibition", and I didn't expect it to have such a big impact.

The Paper: There are indeed not many brothers in the art world who have such deep feelings as you two. Perhaps there is also a saying that there are not many brothers who care about their younger brothers as much as he does, and there are not many younger brothers who care about their older brothers as much as you do.

Chen Yiming: Yes, I always ask myself, if I don’t do these things, who will? There are other family members in my family, they are not like me - because I also paint, if I am not a painter, I guess it won’t work. My brother has two sons, and both brothers participated in the planning of the Chen Yifei Memorial Exhibition at the Pudong Art Museum. The brothers have a good relationship. If there is something, they and my brother’s second wife will basically discuss it together. The exhibition I planned is called "Tribute to Yifei", which exhibits more than 100 paintings. I started to worry that the exhibition hall would not be able to accommodate them, but now it seems that it is okay, there are 118 paintings, basically oil paintings.

Chen Yifei (right) and Chen Yiming (left) in the United States in 1998

The Paper: Let’s talk about your brother’s growth process. What do you think of his early works?

Chen Yiming: In fact, his early works almost ruined his artistic life. For example, the Red Flag created around 1973 and 1974 was still influenced by socialist realism at the time. After the All-Soviet Art Exhibition was held in China in 1964, it had a great impact on Chinese painters. Chen Yifei's Red Flag was indeed deeply influenced by the Soviet realistic theme creation in terms of creative ideas and expression methods. The Red Flag is completely different from the "red and bright" style of revolutionary model operas - even the military uniforms in the model operas are spotless, while the Red Flag depicts the cruelty of the battlefield: the smoke is filled, the soldiers are ready to charge in the trenches, and the red flag is raised high. This theme itself is very powerful, but it was criticized as "propagating the horror of war" at the time, and it was even almost named in the internal reference. If it was really reported to the internal reference, his artistic career might have ended. Fortunately, with the efforts of many parties, the internal reference was not published in the end. He was just a young painter at that time, and it was impossible for him to have the so-called "revisionist thought." He passed this test, but his previous works were also controversial, such as "Ode to the Yellow River" which was influenced by Impressionism. Why do Chen Yifei's works always encounter such problems? Now I think it's because he always hopes to express his inner thoughts through his works.

The Paper: People of his generation had very profound thoughts on society, life, and the times, and they were closely connected with their own experiences. This expression of inner thoughts through artistic creation has indeed earned him a reputation, but it has also borne many risks.

Chen Yifei (left) and Xia Baoyuan when they were young

Chen Yiming: Yes, this is the most valuable quality of an artist. In fact, if we paint according to his ideas, he may go further. He has already restrained himself, but there is no way, because the environment at that time was like this. He also realized the creative environment, but the problem is that he just refused to give in. He may have to play by the edge and take the middle road, hoping to pass and satisfy his heroism, romanticism, and idealism. Because I think there were many people who could paint at that time, but why did his works stay? I think history still resonates, and good works will naturally settle down. Many of his works have no place to be exhibited after they were painted, such as "Ode to the Yellow River". He later turned to the creation of themes of ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, which is also a keen capture of human nature.

How to sort out Chen Yifei's works academically

The Paper : You mentioned that Chen Yifei had a strong sense of idealism and heroism. Later, he proposed the concepts of "big vision" and "big art". Because of their connection with commercialization, there are various interpretations of these concepts. It has been 20 years since his death. As a younger brother, re-examining your brother after 20 years, do you have any new insights and understandings?

Chen Yiming: Because we are now studying Chen Yifei, it is very difficult and tortuous to sort out Chen Yifei's creation academically, including his youth and even childhood, his enlightenment, the beginning of his artistic dream, and until he matured and succeeded. We need to sort these out. What was his artistic enlightenment stage like? What was his experience of studying at Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts like? Why did Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts achieve his artistic dream? What are the characteristics of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts in teaching? Why did it cultivate many people, such as Teacher Wei Jingshan, Teacher Xia Baoyuan, Teacher Wang Jieyin, etc.? I want to study Chen Yifei, and we must sort out these issues clearly. Now no one can explain it clearly. No one knows when Chen Yifei started to like painting, when he started his artistic dream, and what were his real achievements at that time? Many questions are not clear. Of course, as a brother, I know him better, including our entire family, we grew up together, and the experience we have gone through all the way. Especially since I am also a painter, I was completely influenced by him and embarked on the road of painting. I think I have the conditions to sort out Chen Yifei's artistic experience in his youth.

Strictly speaking, the most worthy of study is the period from his entering the Academy of Fine Arts in 1960 to his going abroad in 1980. I will not talk about it later. During this period, his experience and learning process, he gradually moved towards success. This is a very important stage. This stage cannot be avoided when studying Chen Yifei. My brother once recalled that his mother took him to church, and he could often hear hymns and see the stained glass of the church, but this cannot fully explain the problem. How can it explain the formation of his artistic dream? Art needs to be practiced, to paint. He has talent, but there must be a stage and platform for him to practice. I think it should be the Children's Palace at first. Many artistic talents, not only painting, but also film, drama, etc., all started from the Children's Palace, and with the learning process at the Shanghai Welfare Association Children's Palace, it is actually closely related to his middle school stage until he just arrived at the art school. I think it is still the enlightenment stage.

I am now editing a picture album of Chen Yifei, about Chen Yifei's youth. All the materials come from the "Young Chen Yifei" exhibition I held in 2021. It was a very successful exhibition, and everyone thinks it is also documentary, and it can provide a preliminary review of this stage of Chen Yifei's growth path, from 1960 to 1980. But now it seems that this is only preliminary, and we still have to continue studying this period, which is a very critical period.

From the Children's Palace to Puguang Middle School, my brother and I went to the same school. When he entered the preparatory course of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, he was still wearing a red scarf. The connection between youth and youth, including the art training in the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, was his enlightenment. We can also see that he gradually showed his artistic talent and his works gradually matured. This is the result after the artistic enlightenment. I can't say who the teacher of the Children's Palace was now, because I don't remember. It must be the same as the current teachers, who are enthusiastic about tutoring children. The teacher of the middle school was Mr. Shi Nanchi. He organized an art group. When I entered the art school, Mr. Shi was still there. I also joined the art group. I entered in 1964, and my brother had left long ago. Teacher Shi Nanchi liked Chen Yifei very much and cultivated him carefully. At that time, it should be called the Youth Palace. The teacher often taught there, but they had no conditions to go in and listen. Originally, they had classes there and listened at the door, and they couldn't get in. He had a strong desire for knowledge, but the conditions were very difficult. He had no paper or pen to draw. His family conditions were not very good, and the whole material was scarce, and there was no conditions. But it was precisely these harsh conditions that created a kind of will in him. The more difficult it was, the more he wanted to find a way to paint.

Chen Yifei when he was young

From the Children's Palace, Puguang Middle School, to Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, he took the entrance exam to Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts without telling my father. He came back to tell my father after he passed the exam. My father had no choice but to say that if he wanted to go, he could go. In the end, he respected his idea. In fact, Teacher Shi Nanchi personally went to my house to persuade my father to agree with my brother. Because the elderly at that time had stubborn ideas, he thought that painting was not a good career. My father's impression was that painters sold paintings on the street, which was indeed the case. But he really met a good teacher, and entering the art school was a different world. Even if he only went to school for half a year, he made great progress.

The Paper: The teachers at that time all had broad visions of both the East and the West and a humanistic spirit, such as Mr. Yan Wenliang, the founder of Suzhou Art College, Harding's watercolor paintings, Meng Guang's sketching training methods, as well as Wu Dayu, Zhou Bichu, Yu Yunjie and so on.

Chen Yiming: The teachers were indeed good. At that time, there was a shortage of teachers, so they were recruited from the society. Some of these teachers were private art studio owners. They relied on running art studios and recruiting students to make money to support their families. Moreover, they had a good principal named Shen Zhiyu, who later served as the director of the Shanghai Museum. He was very creative and dared to innovate and break through. Many of these teachers had a background of studying in France. What was the teaching policy of the Academy of Fine Arts at that time? This time, I want to make this issue clear through sorting out and compiling the picture album. In fact, it is the integration of the Soviet art education system and the European art education system. It can even be said that it is based on the European art education system.

The Paper: Many of these people studied in France, so modern Shanghai’s unique urban vision and cultural context were already apparent at this time.

Chen Yiming: Of course, the Soviet system must be learned in art education at that time. It is possible to follow the Soviet system in sketching teaching, but these old masters all studied in France. How can they use that concept to educate students? Their paintings are still different from the Soviet system.

The Paper: Moreover, the old gentleman was already old at that time. He had digested all the knowledge he had learned in France when he was young, and then taught it to his students, so this group of students in Shanghai at that time was indeed a blessing.

Chen Yiming: It’s a subtle influence, and it’s definitely different. The teacher teaches very seriously.

The Paper: So your brother’s growth is related to the cultural context and background of Shanghai city.

Chen Yiming: Indeed, I think my brother is very lucky. He was the smallest and shortest when he entered the school, and he was studious. In addition, he was hardworking and willing to learn. I remember that he couldn't stop at home. When my mother came back from shopping, she would cut vegetables, put soy sauce bottles and other things in a pile, and he would draw next to them. For example, on weekends, holidays, and evenings, he would draw. So art school was very important to him. It was also destined. He was lucky because he met a good teacher.

The Paper: Although the road to pursuing art is bumpy, you are indeed very lucky.

Chen Yiming: He studied during this period, entering the school from the first grade of the preparatory course. There are physical evidences of his paintings in Puguang Middle School and his childhood. He painted on some papers, such as the sketch marked in 1958, and a watercolor was painted on the back of the paper. It was painted on the same paper, which shows that there was a shortage of materials at that time. Some paintings have both sides, but it is obvious that one was painted in childhood and the other was painted in youth, which witnessed his growth experience. And the watercolor he copied, once copied, his next work was completely different, because when they first entered, it was teachers Harding, Zhang Chongren and others who taught, their watercolors were all top-notch, Zhang also studied in France, not only a sculptor, but also very good at watercolor, and has the charm of traditional Chinese ink painting.

After copying Impressionist watercolors and receiving enlightenment, instruction and demonstration from his teachers who studied in France, many of his works had their teachers’ personal demonstrations of painting next to them. For example, for a bouquet of flowers, Teacher Harding demonstrated how to paint it himself. It was a very vivid example, and it is so precious to think about it now.

Chen Yifei's early watercolor paintings

Chen Yiming: The teaching of the art school emphasizes the combination of short-term assignments and creation. At that time, teacher Zhang Longji was particularly opposed to rigid sketching training. This teaching method has benefited students a lot and achieved twice the result with half the effort.

The Paper: It is indeed important, because many teachers are great masters. If the teacher is a third-rate painter, how can the students be first-rate?

Chen Yiming : For example, Mr. Zhang Chongren was a sculptor and also an anatomy teacher. Many of his existing works have his demonstrations next to them. For example, this skeleton should be drawn like this, the clavicle should be drawn like this, and the ribs should be drawn like this. All of them have demonstrations. These drawings are all there and are very convincing. So this album I compiled should be very good-looking. It will be published this year. We want to leave some art education materials for future generations to study, so that they may have a more objective perspective and better conditions.

The Paper: It can be said that this vividly records the true inheritance of China's modern art education. The birth and growth of Chen Yifei and his group of painters also witnessed the turning point and great changes in China's modern and contemporary oil painting. This is the same as the literature at that time, witnessing the great changes of an era.

Chen Yiming: Yes, after he entered the oil painting training class, the original preparatory course was only two years, but he reluctantly added one more year. In fact, there was no formal training course in this year, and he basically engaged in creation. Why did he spend more than half a year on creation? According to his classmates' memories, they were encouraged to go from the classroom to society, to the countryside and factories to go deep into society, to draw sketches and sketches, and to create after returning. So Chen Yifei has a work called "Transporting Public Grain", which is a graduation work of the preparatory course. It is a very outstanding work. At this time, his paintings have begun to avoid the routine of being programmed and formulaic. For example, if the subject of "Transporting Public Grain" is honestly painted, it would be a group of farmers driving donkeys or horses to deliver grain, but he painted the details of the transportation process, such as a horse suddenly startled and the farmers went to catch it, which is vivid and conflicting. Teacher Yu Yunjie had a profound influence on his creation and color. Later, the teachers at that time were also very excited when they recalled Chen Yifei's school days, saying that he was studious and serious, which left a deep impression on them.

Therefore, his creation started from the preparatory stage to lay the foundation. There are several sketches of his works, such as "Transporting Public Grain" and "Master and Apprentice". I feel very lucky that every stage he has gone through is supported by works. I think I must do this well. If I don't do such research and do a preliminary sorting, there will be a gap and no one will do it. Only when I do in-depth research can I attract the attention of future generations.

The Paper: Actually, it is very important to sort out these materials and present them. Behind art education, people are the witnesses. If future generations study this period of history, the material evidence is all here. You can also say that you have a unique advantage in this regard.

Chen Yiming: Yes, it can be said to be art archaeology. If there is nothing, how can we do archaeology? He walked step by step. Why is Chen Yifei's success worth studying? There are many painters who paint well, but his footprints are very clear. At the beginning of the Chen Yifei exhibition held by Pudong Art Museum, I emphasized that we must sort out each stage clearly, especially the young age, which is the foundation of his art, and study how he walked step by step.

The Paper: You may also feel a sense of urgency personally, but then I remember that you are a painter yourself and you also have to create. How do you arrange your work?

Chen Yiming : I will arrange it very reasonably. I will create when I need to. In fact, I paint a lot and many people come to my studio. But my brother's work is worth doing, because if I don't do it, no one will do it. No one really understands Chen Yifei like I do, including the family we grew up in - how Chen Yifei grew up in this family, this is very important, a family's growth for children, including my parents' requirements and support for children at that time.

The Paper: Looking back now, your parents were quite tolerant of you and your brother, right?

Chen Yiming: My parents actually had nothing to do with art. My mother was a teacher, but she was in poor health and later stayed at home to take care of the family. My father was a technical cadre. If he was engaged in art, how could he not support my brother's painting? He was against my brother's painting at the time. They thought that their children must have a set of technical skills to make money. This was the general idea of parents at that time, and it actually made sense. It was really not easy for painters to survive at that time. There were ups and downs at that time, and their worries were not redundant.

The Paper : You were influenced by your brother to like painting. Did your parents intervene at that time?

Chen Yiming: When I was learning to paint, my brother had already succeeded. And I really like painting. If I didn’t have artistic talent or ability in this area, I wouldn’t be a painter. No matter how much my brother influenced me, it would be useless. I also like it, so I am lucky. My brother paints very hard. After school, he would sketch on the fourth-floor windowsill facing the road, and I would stand by and watch. Sometimes, when my mother came back from shopping, Chen Yifei would put vegetables on the table, drawing cucumbers, tomatoes, and green vegetables, and I would follow him and draw with a pencil.

Of course, my teacher also gave me some guidance on painting, but that’s another story. Especially after Chen Yifei passed away, of course everyone felt very sorry, and I wanted to really push the research on Chen Yifei’s art forward, not just to commemorate him, but to do something practical, to tell the story of his growth and the story of his artistic success.

Shanghai City and Chen Yifei's Spirit

The Paper: If every successful artist has a spirit, how would you evaluate your brother’s spirit?

Chen Yiming: Inheriting Chen Yifei's spirit is the first priority, because he has artistic ideals, special artistic ideals. He has been dreaming, dreaming, and he keeps dreaming. I think he is lucky that Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts is the cradle of his dream, allowing his artistic dream to be realized, and the conditions in all aspects of society have created conditions for his success.

The Paper: Which works do you think best embody Chen Yifei’s spirit?

Chen Yiming: First of all, from the perspective of art history, the representative thematic creations in the 1960s and 1970s, from "Pioneer" to "Ode to the Yellow River", from "Red Flag" to "Strolling", are the most representative of all his thematic creations. They are benchmark works that stand firm in the history of art. Some of them are even unsurpassed, such as "Occupy the Presidential Palace", which is his unsurpassed thematic creation of military themes. Why can they represent him? I think that from a stage-by-stage perspective, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, he was able to paint such good paintings in that difficult environment, which is enough to prove his position in art history. As for the change in his style after going abroad, how to adapt to the new living environment and how to find another opportunity for his art to explode again, this requires brainstorming. It cannot be said that Chen Yifei's paintings became commercial after he went abroad. Of course, there are indeed such criticisms, but this only shows that some domestic painters and art critics do not understand the development of foreign art and how a painter can succeed in Western society. Why did people gradually become more familiar with the paintings that Chen Yifei painted during this period? This explains the problem. As more people went abroad, they realized how difficult it is to be an artist abroad, how difficult life is, and how to combine art and business.

Chen Yifei, Ode to the Yellow River, 1972

Chen Yifei, Strolling, 1979

The Paper: After he came back, he painted so many Jiangnan-style works, including the Jiangnan Water Village Series, the Wind, Elegance, and Song Series, the Shanghai Old Dream Series, and the Tibet Series... His talent and passion are indeed consistent. Of course, there were controversies later, which is normal. Time is indeed fast. It is always a pity to talk about your brother. It was the golden age of an artist, but he died young. He was on the set of a movie at the time. It's really a pity. What do you think of his big visual concept now?

The Banquet, 1991

Chen Yiming: Regarding big vision and big art, this is a major topic in the study of Chen Yifei. Why? Because Chen Yifei himself is an artist. He evolved from a pure oil painter to a visual artist. How did he evolve? It is his change of thought. One is that his understanding of art is not limited to himself. He broadened his horizons, especially when he went abroad and to the West. He believes that what an artist should do is not limited to this. Not every painter realizes this, and not every artist is willing to do it. Most painters basically stay at their own stalls. Why does Chen Yifei have such a thought? Is it related to his artistic ideals?

The Paper: Now that I think about it, it has something to do with his idealism and heroic spirit when he was young. Although cross-border art at that time lacked depth, it was actually just beginning to grow, and his direction was accurate.

Chen Yiming: I said that this is the difference between a person and not every artist can succeed. The key lies here. He has ideas and new requirements for himself. How to keep up with the times. Let me give you a simple example. There is another question that I haven’t explained clearly. Where did Chen Yifei’s big visual ideas come from? Did they come out of thin air? Definitely not. Where did they come from?

After he came to the West, long before he entered the Hammer Gallery, he had traveled around the world. His wish for many years was to fly out of the cage like a bird, to see the world, to absorb the best art nutrients in the world. This was his idea and his dream, and it finally came true. He went to see and absorb what foreign art was like. What was said in Western art history textbooks and what he saw were completely different. He was not only concerned with his own oil paintings, but he must have been exposed to a lot of visual art, and among them, the influence of Bauhaus on him was crucial. No one has mentioned this so far, but I know that he mentioned to me many times that he came into contact with the Bauhaus School, the Bauhaus creation system, and the design system in Germany. The background of Bauhaus was in the early 20th century, just after the First World War, the society was facing paralysis, the economy was in urgent need of development, and people hoped for a better life. This was somewhat similar and consistent with China at the beginning of the reform and opening up at that time. He saw this problem and saw that China was in urgent need of development. Where is the driving force for this development? He learned this from the experience of Bauhaus. Bauhaus is the combination of traditional art and industrial production. What is the medium here? It is design. The same stool, if you design it well, its acceptance, including people's demand for a better life, is consistent. In such a social environment, design is very important, and what can be seen visually can promote the development of productivity.

In 1984, Chen Yifei was in the United States

The Paper : So he had this idea and invested more energy in it.

Chen Yiming : He talked to me many times, but among all the studies on Chen Yifei's great visual art, this is the first time I'm talking about it today. Speaking of the concept of Soho, in terms of its origin, it was much earlier than Bauhaus. When we were in the United States, Soho was still very prosperous. Many painters from Taiwan lived there, and the rent was still affordable. Later, all Soho became commercial areas. Chen Yifei also saw this later. Taikang Road in Shanghai was not Chen Yifei's idea, but a copy of Soho. But they saw this and thought that we could learn from it, which is a great thing in itself. Now, creative parks are really blooming everywhere.

Whether I am talking about the Soho concept or the Bauhaus, they are actually brothers from the same root and are consistent. The core idea is freedom, innovation, and diversity. This is also Chen Yifei's core idea. This has been explained thoroughly.

The Paper: Moreover, having experienced a special period like the 1960s and 1970s, he should particularly feel the importance and value of freedom, innovation, and diversity.

Chen Yiming: The meaning of "freedom" is too broad. It is not the pure ideology we imagine. Artists have freedom and can do whatever they want. He yearns for this and hopes to have such conditions. This is the freedom of artists. Freedom and innovation are his thoughts. He is a leading figure, a leading figure in visual arts. If we say "Chen Yifei brought beauty to people", this is too superficial.

Chen Yifei, Mountain Wind, 1994

The Paper: Actually, come to think of it, your brother also has a cultural context. The cultural genes in him can actually be found in his family, teachers, and Shanghai's history and culture. The spiritual source can be found in the cultural context passed down by those old gentlemen, especially the cultural context passed down by those old gentlemen. There is a broad vision in it. It is the freedom, innovation, and diversity based on the profound cultural context, which is also very important.

Chen Yiming : Yes, this is Chen Yifei’s core idea. It is also why he shifted from the field of pure painting to the field of vision, and finally to diversity. He emphasized diversity. This society must not have only one appearance. What is the purpose of creating beauty? Diversity of thought, diversity of art, especially diversity in visual art. He has done so many things.

The Paper : It was really a tough journey. If he knew that society would develop in such a diversified way, including the current development of AI, what would happen to his "visual empire"? It seems that his ambitions have not been fulfilled...

Chen Yiming : If he had been here in these twenty years, I can’t imagine what would have happened. I think he would have turned Shanghai upside down.

The Paper : It is sad that he died before he could fulfill his ambitions. It has been 20 years since your brother passed away. The Pudong Art Museum is going to hold a large exhibition, “Era Yifei: A Retrospective of Chen Yifei”, to commemorate him. I think it is natural that the city of Shanghai pays such deep respect to him.

Chen Yiming : The most important thing in studying Chen Yifei today is not to hang up the paintings. I have emphasized before that if Chen Yifei's paintings are hung again in the exhibition after 20 years, it was done 15 years ago. I think we must pay more attention to academics and design each stage well. This time, the Pudong Art Museum exhibition is divided into four sections, and Feng Yuan was invited to be the curator.

The Paper : Did you also participate in the early planning of this exhibition at the Pudong Art Museum?

Chen Yiming : Feng Yuan is the chief planner of the Pudong Art Museum exhibition. He is a very serious person. Most chief planners don’t really care about practical matters, but he (vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles) actually participated in the planning this time, sorted out the entire exhibition section, and wrote the outline himself. I admire him very much, and I hope everyone will like this exhibition. From another perspective, my intention is to commemorate Chen Yifei, but what we actually did was far more than that. For example, the exhibition I held a few years ago to commemorate the young Chen Yifei was an attempt to sort out Chen Yifei’s youth, and the response was very good. Everyone thought it was a documentary exhibition, and I was very happy.

The Paper : If that exhibition is defined as a documentary exhibition on Chen Yifei’s youth, will there be a documentary exhibition on Chen Yifei’s middle age, as well as a documentary exhibition on Chen Yifei in the context of macro-vision and macro-art?

Chen Yiming : I haven’t touched on this yet, but I know how to do it. Just like what I just told you, how did the idea of big vision and big art come from? This theory is convincing and can explain it clearly. The essence of Chen Yifei’s thought is freedom, innovation, and diversity. If we can realize his artistic ideal, it will really be a big step forward.

The Paper : Art is actually a reflection of the national spirit.

Chen Yiming: This is the spirit we just talked about.

"Tribute to Yifei" exhibition site, Chen Yiming and Chen Yifei's back view in the exhibition

“His biggest influence on me is how to be a human being.”

The Paper: Speaking of your brother’s influence on you, in addition to helping guide you on the path of art, can you tell us more about his influence on all aspects of your life?

Chen Yiming: To be honest, my brother Chen Yifei has the biggest influence on me - how to be a person. On the one hand, of course he is my painting mentor, but in fact, the biggest influence on me is how to be a person, how to be a person, and how to correctly deal with some things in life. We Ningbo people say, "eldest brother is like a father." My parents both died in their sixties. They were not in good health. If my brother hadn't cared about me, I would be an orphan. I was still in the countryside at the time. When I was in Chongming Farm, my parents passed away. I stayed in Chongming for six years. During this period, my brother and I frequently exchanged letters. I regret that these letters were not preserved later. If these letters were preserved, it would be very touching.

The Paper: If this letter had been preserved, it could have been recorded in art history. It’s really a pity.

Chen Yiming: Yes, fortunately I can go back to Chongming two or three times a year, and he and I have frequent correspondence, because at every stage he asks people everywhere to help my brother, including whether there are any opportunities for exhibitions. I have met many people now, and they all recall that he asked the teacher to transfer him to the school recruit, saying that he hoped to provide some learning opportunities and creative opportunities, and not let my brother work in the fields, because he was in poor health and had hepatitis in the countryside. He took care of my life in every possible way, which was a brotherly love. He did a great job. How he behaved, including his style, demeanor, and temperament, had a profound impact on me.

Chen Yiming as depicted by Chen Yifei when he was young

The Paper : I have another question. How do you view your brother’s influence on you now? If your brother were still alive, how would you imagine his art?

Chen Yiming: People talk about how Chen Yifei's paintings would have been in the past 20 years if he were alive. Who knows? No one knows, but one thing is certain, he must have made great strides forward on the basis of the original, because this clue has already appeared in his later works before his death. He has changed, especially the Tibetan themes, including the way of expression of the water town series, which is different. I think he will definitely change, and the media of his paintings must be diverse. When he felt that his life was threatened, he told me that he might not have the energy to create large oil paintings in the future. He said that he would paint Chinese paintings. At that time, his villa had just been renovated, and he said that it would be good for him to paint Chinese paintings there. He said that he probably didn't have the energy to create large oil paintings. From this point of view, of course he is an oil painter, and he really hopes to make further breakthroughs in the field of oil painting. If his body allows, he will definitely do so. He is always at the forefront.

As for the relationship between his paintings and contemporary art, it is difficult to say. Just like when we paint traditional oil paintings, it is almost impossible to completely jump out of the original style. You can see that my works have changed a lot compared to the past, but they are still realism. You can see that they are not abstract, but there are abstract elements in them. From my own perspective, I require my works not to remain unchanged. When I look at my previous works, I don’t even want to look at them myself. This is my real idea. Some are okay, but there are really some works that I don’t want to look at anymore. I have this idea because I have new requirements for my own works, and the vision is indeed different. At least there must be a contemporary art atmosphere. I think my brother must be like this when he is alive. He may go further. Twenty years is just a moment in our eyes, but these twenty years are the period when his art really reaches its peak. He is 60-80 years old, and his classmates are all alive and well. It is a very regrettable thing to think about it, but I think Chen Yifei is still here. I believe that if he were still here, his art would definitely be a big development.

It is completely reasonable if his great art and vision are further developed according to his ideas. For example, he may shift his main focus to making movies. It is also possible that he will become a great film director and focus on making movies from then on, or even make TV series like Wong Kar-wai, as long as they are well made, or use some other art medium or art form. I believe in his ideas.

The Paper: When I was chatting with Xie Chunyan before, he seemed to have said that your brother is a Shanghai artist with a truly Shanghai style.

Chen Yiming: He knows Chen Yifei too well, to the core, and he sees things more clearly. Of course, I am also very concerned about the public's evaluation and discussion of my brother. This is my normal reaction as a brother, and I think it is also normal. I can accept both positive and negative evaluations of Chen Yifei, as long as it is not malicious slander, I can accept it. No one is without flaws.

The Paper: In fact, it is very real for a person to have some flaws. If you say that this person is perfect, then he may not be a real person.

Chen Yiming: Moreover, the circumstances of each artist are different, and their creative methods are also different. In fact, I also think that there are some vulgar understandings of Shanghai School now, and anyone can be included in the Shanghai School painters. This "Shanghai School" basket can accommodate everyone, which is wrong. I think Shanghai School is also innovative. If you look at our predecessors and art masters, their spiritual core is actually innovative. Chen Yifei truly inherited and passed on the essence of Shanghai School art.

The Paper: You just mentioned your brother’s idealism. Shanghai culture is also a kind of idealism, serving the country through art, and in essence it may still be the spirit of literati.

Chen Yiming: There is an indescribable aura about him. You can't say he is a Shanghainese old-timer. He has a very special Shanghai spirit that is hard to describe.

The Paper: In fact, if we understand Shanghainese in a narrow sense, it means that people are dressed in shiny clothes, pay attention to appearance, and pay attention to food and drink. Of course, it is also used to describe people who have seen the world, have modern consciousness and gentlemanly demeanor. Chen Yifei has a very special Shanghai spirit in him. For example, he once said that the reason he chose oil painting was because oil painting was a product of civilization and science. However, his temperament and endowment also have a deep understanding of the Chinese style and culture. I think he still has a scholarly and idealistic side, and of course it is also mixed with the vision, intelligence, pattern, and grandeur cultivated by the city of Shanghai. He struggled to grow up in the environment of the 1960s and 1970s, and benefited from teachers with a broad vision who studied in France. He can also be said to be a representative of the transformation of modern Chinese artists. His cultural genes and spiritual sources can be found in the history and culture of Shanghai. More than a hundred years ago, the city of Shanghai was the prototype of modern China's transformation. Shanghai not only represents Shanghai, and Shanghai's art not only represents Shanghai. In fact, it has always represented and witnessed the modern transformation of Chinese art.

Chen Yiming: I agree with this statement.

The Paper: Now that I think about it, from a life experience perspective, he also carried a lot of suffering from the nation and country, and wanted to break free, just like you said, to innovate, to be diverse, to save this country, because he also suffered so much, just like you said, he hoped for innovation, freedom, and diversity. It's a pity that he later involved too many areas, and wanted to do them well, but he might not have the energy to take care of them.

Chen Yiming: It was true at that time. He could learn a lot by going out, and his horizons were broadened.

The Paper: This is also what makes us feel moved and emotional when we look back at your brother 20 years later and see his steady progress. It is so rare and precious. I think the reason why he was engaged in grand vision and art was that he had a cultural heritage and a broad mind, but in the end he died before he could fulfill his ambitions.

Chen Yiming: It’s such a pity and a very tragic thing.

The Paper: It’s regrettable but heroic. Of course, there are various opinions about him, but now I think it doesn’t matter. It’s normal for a great artist to have various opinions.

Chen Yiming: So, I am now becoming more and more able to accept, including the negative statements about Chen Yifei.

The Paper: Negative opinions are nothing, it just depends on the perspective. From another perspective, all these topics do not detract from the thinking and value brought by a true artist, which can be seen from the commemoration and attitude of the city of Shanghai on the 20th anniversary of his death.

Chen Yiming : Actually, these will give us a deeper understanding of Chen Yifei. I think not everyone can do what Chen Yifei did. As his younger brother, I also have a sense of responsibility. I always ask myself, if I don’t do it, who will? I have the best conditions. Of course, we have to combine the concepts of the whole society. I can’t do so much by myself, because Chen Yifei is a public figure, and he is a figure who can be left in the history of art.

Chen Yiming at the opening ceremony of "Tribute to Yifei"

The Paper: But it is very important that you plan this and bring these forces together. I especially hope that you can continue to organize and present the literature like the "Young Chen Yifei Exhibition" in the future.

Chen Yiming: Thank you. We will definitely continue to do this.

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Link｜Exhibition Information:

"Tribute to Yifei - Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Chen Yifei's Death"

Exhibition date: April 12 to May 30, 2025

Exhibition address: Shanghai Jinchen Yifeiming Art Museum (No. 88, Yonghong Road, Minhang District)

Participating artists (in order of age):

Chen Yifei (1946-2005)

Zhang Zishen, Wang Jieyin, Fang Shicong, Ding Rongkui, Wan Futang, Wu Jian, Ling Qining, Jin Jifa, Wei Jingshan, Zha Guojun, Chen Gukui, Xia Baoyuan, Zhao Weiliang, Qiu Ruimin, Wang Yongqiang, Chen Zhiqiang, Long Chunli, Shi Qiren, Ren Lijun, Zhang Anpu, Zhou Changjiang, Xia Yubing, Wang Shensheng, Xu Mingyao, Hu Xiangcheng, Yu Xiaofu, Chen Yiming, Xu Weide, Zhuo Fumin, Huang Azhong, Chen Xiejun, Chen Danqing, Li Xiangyang, Lu Jingbo, Liang Jinqing, Zhang Deming, Tan Genxiong, Zhang Xiaoling, Zhu Gang, Ying Xiaojie, Zeng Chenggang, Chen Chuan, Sui Jun, Li Qiang, Yin Xiong, Li Qian, Yin Jun, Zhai Yong, Li Lei, Zhou Zhaohui, Yan Zhilong, Ding She, Jin Jiangbo, Chen Yi, Pan Wenyan, Zhou Yinchen.