Visit of Professor Jiang Hongsheng from China: Painting Exhibition, Master Classes in Calligraphy and Peony Painting

Fr om September 21-27, INRTU was visited by Professor Jiang Hongsheng fr om Zhejiang Wanli University (ZWU). He presented an exhibition of his paintings and conducted master classes on calligraphy and peony painting in the traditional Chinese technique. He also participated as an expert for the Baikal Urban Planning University.
The organization of the professor's reception was managed by the Head of the International Affairs Department, Nina Berngard. According to her, the partnership between INRTU and Zhejiang Wanli University, which is based on a Student Exchange Agreement and a Memorandum of Cooperation, allows the parties to actively develop student and faculty exchange programs. This cooperation offers INRTU excellent opportunities to strengthen its position within the international academic community.

"Our universities are connected by strong partnership and active academic collaboration. A vivid example is the trip of INRTU students to an international festival at ZWU two years ago, as well as the successful completion of study abroad programs and participation in summer schools about 20 INRTU students at Zhejiang Wanli University. In continuation of this fruitful work, we were very pleased to invite Professor Jiang Hongsheng to visit our university. This visit is an important step in strengthening our ties and opens up new opportunities for joint projects in the fields of education and science," said Nina Berngard.

Jiang Hongsheng graduated fr om Zhejiang Normal University in 1997 with a degree in English language teaching. However, as he himself admits, he had a strong desire to pursue painting. He managed to turn this dream into reality. Peonies hold a special place in the professor's work. These flowers adorn the silk scrolls he presented at the exhibition in Building 'G' of INRTU. The collection also included still-life paintings created in Ningbo by his international students. The artist continued the theme of flowers during a master class for students and faculty of the Department of Jewelry Design and Technology. The master taught them how to paint blooming peonies in the Chinese style. The students mixed watercolors, experimenting to find the right shades of pink.

"Peonies are a national symbol of China. They represent peace, harmony, beauty, and love. For centuries, poets and artists have celebrated these flowers in their works. Thousands of poems have been written in honor of peonies," the professor says with admiration.

Jiang Hongsheng also introduced the culture of his country to future architects. The artist asked the students to write out characters from a lyrical poem about young women. As he demonstrated the strict order and sequence of the brushstrokes, the master spoke about the symbolism inherent in the art of Chinese calligraphy. According to him, it takes 30-40 years to perfect one's calligraphy skills. The characters can reveal much about Chinese culture and worldview. For example, "Fu" 福 translates as "happiness." This character is composed of several radicals signifying 'mouth,' 'field,' and 'roof.' If you combine these three elements, it implies that someone who is well-fed, clothed, and has a home is already a happy person. Furthermore, the professor took a tour of the main building of INRTU, which is adorned with mosaics, stained-glass windows, and other monumental artworks created by the university's graduates. The tour was led by Dmitry Dorokhin, Department of Monumental and Decorative Art and Design named after V.G. Smagin.

Jiang Hongsheng noted that he was greatly impressed by the creativity of the young people:

It should be noted that the master was assisted with translation and in conducting the master classes by design students. They had previously interned at ZWU and visited Jiang Hongsheng's workshop.Yulia Pavlova spent two semesters in China. In the student's opinion, the professor's art is inspiring:

"The place, wh ere Jiang Hongsheng's workshop is located, respect him greatly and help in organizing his creative meetings. The locals are proud to be able to 'lend a hand' in developing the artist's 'Peony Path.' The master literally breathes this captivating form of graphic art. That's why Russian students also became deeply immersed in the art during the exhibition and master classes. For us, as future artists, it was very valuable to get acquainted with different techniques and materials, and to view art through the lens of other cultures."

Jiang Hongsheng also attended the opening ceremony of the 27th session of the the Baikal Urban Planning University, dedicated to the theme "Irkutsk. Karl Marx Street District. A New Life for the Streets of the Historical Center." Concluding his visit, the professor explored the sights of Irkutsk and Lake Baikal.