The Paper learned that at 14:30 on July 8, Xiao Feng, a well-known oil painter, art educator, the tenth president of the China Academy of Art, and winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, passed away in Hangzhou due to illness at the age of 93. Xiao Feng's daughter Xiao Ge posted a photo with her father on WeChat Moments at around 17:00 in the afternoon to express condolences. She told The Paper: "I rushed to Hangzhou from Beijing today. I didn't expect my father to pass away so soon. His organ failure was caused by illness. My father passed away peacefully."
Xiao Feng and his wife Song Ren, Photographed by Xiao Lu
Xiao Feng was born in Jiangdu, Jiangsu (now Yangzhou) in February 1932. He joined the revolution in 1943 and engaged in literary and artistic work. In 1944, he joined the Xin'an Travel Group. In 1950, he enrolled in the National Art College (now China Academy of Art). In 1953, he was selected to study in the Soviet Union. From 1960, he taught at the China Academy of Art for a long time. He was the vice chairman of the China Artists Association, the chairman of the Zhejiang Artists Association, and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. From 1983 to 1996, he served as the tenth president of the China Academy of Art.
During his 13 years as president of the China Academy of Art, he inherited the school-running ideas from Lin Fengmian to Pan Tianshou, and made new developments in the new era, making important contributions to the reform and development of the China Academy of Art and China's art education. It is worth mentioning that when Xiao Feng first took office as president of the China Academy of Art, he promoted the change of the school name to "China Academy of Art" with his keen insight into the times. This move is by no means a simple name adjustment, but a continuation of the historical context of the academy and a sublimation of its mission. By restoring the "national" status, he not only strengthened the academy's positioning as a national art education center, but also made its academic influence radiate across the country, becoming the core force leading the reform of art education. Behind this strategic decision is his profound understanding that art education must resonate with national development in the context of the era of reform and opening up.
Xiao Feng at the ceremony for the renaming of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts to China Academy of Art
On April 9, 2025, Xiao Feng Art Museum opened, and the "Son of the Times - Xiao Feng and Song Ren Art Exhibition" opened. Mr. Xiao Feng, 93 years old, came to the scene in a wheelchair and donated 503 representative works created by him and his wife Song Ren over the past 80 years to the art museum, covering his creative style from the 1950s to the present. Artist Song Ren passed away on March 1, 2025.
Xiao Feng Art Museum
Exhibition View
On October 24, 2024, Xiao Feng was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles". The award speech mentioned: "Mr. Xiao Feng is an oil painter who uses Chinese aesthetics and Western painting techniques to express history and the times. His representative works such as "Leaving Jiangnan", "Fighting on Luoxiao Mountain" and "Walking in the Reeds" pursue the nationalization of oil painting. His works are colorful, sincere and full of profound historical and humanistic thinking. He has long served as a leader of the China Academy of Art and has made outstanding contributions to promoting the development of art education in my country."
Xiao Feng painting at Yan'an Hotel in 1977
Norman Bethune 134x156cm Oil on canvas 1974 Xiao Feng, Song Ren
As the tenth president of the China Academy of Art, Xiao Feng led the Academy of Art to a new look in the 1990s with his unique ideological vitality and determination for reform. Xu Jiang, vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, chairman of the Zhejiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and director of the Academic Committee of the China Academy of Art, said at the opening ceremony of his art gallery: "Teachers Xiao Feng and Song Ren have jointly created a large number of excellent paintings, most of which are related to their revolutionary experiences and memories. They uphold the cultural vision and strong artistic sentiments that have been nurtured in the flames of revolution, and exude a unique passion and mind of warriors. They aim their brushes at revolutionary leaders and revolutionary people, portraying and cultivating the souls of the most lovely people. They always contain a kind of gentleness and chivalry of teachers and old Eighth Route Army soldiers, are kind and helpful, and always have a special enthusiasm and touching optimism and tolerance towards life."
Student in Green 75x110cm Oil on canvas 1956 Xiao Feng
Xiao Feng and his daughter Xiao Ge
Xiao Feng and his wife have two daughters. The eldest daughter, Xiao Lu, is a contemporary artist. In 1989, she became famous for firing two shots at her own installation work "Dialogue" at the "China Modern Art Exhibition" at the National Art Museum of China. The youngest daughter, Xiao Ge, is currently engaged in art curatorship and media work.
According to the China Academy of Art, Mr. Xiao Feng's funeral hall is located at his home at No. 208 Xiamanjuelong Road, Hangzhou. Relevant units and friends can go to pay their respects from 9:00 to 16:00 from July 10 to 12. Mr. Xiao Feng's farewell ceremony is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. on July 13, 2025 (Sunday) in the Zhuiyuan Hall of Hangzhou Funeral Home.
