Born Zhao Kalin in Bengbu 1961, the artist has become an important Chinese
master of contemporary realism. At an early age, Kailin understood that he
wanted to be involved in the arts. "By eight, I knew I wanted to be a painter,"
Zhao relates. "It was my second grade teacher in elementary school who
taught me basic painting skills and encouraged and challenged me. Most
important, she taught me how to soar with imaginary wings through the secret world of art."
Under her tutelage, Zhao's painting abilities matured, so much so that his work
began appearing in juried shows in Bengbu.
(odonwagnergallery.com)
Return to My Hometown
Rong
Splendid Attire
Images from mandarinfineart.com
Memories of My Youth
From artadoo.com
Beautiful Memory of
Qiuxiang
From contemporarychinesefineart.com
The
title,"Beautiful Memory of Qiuxiang ", pays homage to an opera based
on a legend about Tang Bohu .......During a trip to the West Lake, gifted
scholar Tang Bohu falls in love at first sight with Qiuxiang, a maid in the
residence of Hua Hongshan, a ranking official. For Qiuxiang's sake, Tang
forgoes his noble status to serve as an attendant in Hua's residence. There he
unfortunately meets his cousin sister and ex-lover Feng Yulan. An emotional
entanglement among Tang, Qiuxiang and Yulan evolves. Eventually, however, Yulan
gives way to enable her cousin brother to marry his true love, Qiuxiang.
Zhao Kailin's
choice to place this portrait of a sitting beauty in the foreground among the
great painting styles of Song Dynasty Emperor/Painter Ji, Zhao and the great
Ming painter Bohu, Tang is evidence of Kailin's admiration for his pedigree,
for his cultural roots and for his rich heritage. The beautiful young women in
Kailin's composition is a direct descendent and a symbol of the lineage that is
the Great history of China
(contemporarychinesefineart.com)
Waiting for Marriage-detail
Spring Wind Over Last Night- detail
Spring Wind over Last Night
Images from octavia-gallery.com
In 1988, Zhao Kailin was accepted for graduate studies at the prestigious
oil painting department of Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts, China's most
illustrious and rigorous fine arts institution. "From 1988 to 1990, I
studied there and learned traditional western-style oil painting," states
Zhao. "It was the most important period of art studies in my life."
During this period of intensive training, Zhao was exposed to the
galvanizing portraits of Dutch Renaissance master Rembrandt Harmenszoon van
Rijn (1606-1669) and was immediately taken with the work's luxuriant brushwork,
jewel-like color and commanding manipulation of light and shadow inspired by
Italian Renaissance painter Carravagio (1573-1610). It was during this same
time that Zhao also became enamoured of the elegantly voluptuous society
portraiture of American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Sargent's
Madame X (1884), a full-figure portrait of a mysterious porcelain-skinned woman
dressed in a long black dress that scandalized Paris's Salon of 1884, most
certainly has left its silky mark on many of Zhao Kailin's portrait paintings.
More recently, Zhao's work has concentrated on depicting beautiful,
introspective young women, most of whom are Asian and dressed in traditional
Chinese attire. Several of the latest pieces feature females with musical
instruments. These paintings capture the essential aura of young women
suspended between the innocence of childhood and the smoldering sexuality of
womanhood, evoking a sense of longing, dreams and desire.
"Every painting I do involves personal stories and memories," Zhao
explains. "I am always striving to communicate not only the beauty and unspoken
personal narratives of these women, but also the inherent beauty of Chinese
culture and life."
Zhao Kailin's work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions
throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S. and is a part of notable public and private
art collections. Winner of a number of awards for his work, and has been an
influential mentor to a number of other painters currently represented
exclusively by Contemporary Chinese Fine Art in Laguna Beach, California.
(contemporarychinesefineart.com)
An Old Story of China
Images from absolutearts.com
At Window
From brickleartcollection.com
Education:
1991
Graduated from the Central Academy
of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
Solo
Exhibitions:
2006
"Zhao Kailin's Realism Oil
Painting," Contemporary Chinese Fine Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
1994
"Zhao Kailin's Realism Oil
Painting across Northern Europe Region," Kurt Svenssons Gallery,
Stockholm, Sweden
1993
"Zhao Kailin's New Realism Oil
Painting," Kurt Svenssons Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
1992
“From the East,” Kurt Svenssons
Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
1991
“Zhao Kailin Oil Painting
Exhibition,” Kurt Svenssons Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
1990
“Zhao Kailin Realism Oil Painting
Exhibition,” Mexican Embassy, Beijing, China
Selected
Group Exhibitions:
2010
“Eli Klein Fine Art Winter
Exhibition,” Eli Klein Fine Art, New York, NY
2007
“5th China Realism,”
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2004
“Kail Studio Artist Exhibition,”
Gallery 27, London, UK
2002
"Kail Studio Artists Group
Show," Frames Contemporary Gallery, Perth, Scotland
2000
“Exhibition for Kail Studio,” Powell
Street Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“New Journey Beyond the Silk Road: Kail Studio Artists,” Utopia Gallery, North Queensland,
Cairns, Australia
1997
“Out of China,” Odon Wagner Gallery,
Toronto, Canada
“Tone,” Art House Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“American Western Coast and Eastern Culture Foundation: International Exhibition” Arts Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
“American Western Coast and Eastern Culture Foundation: International Exhibition” Arts Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
1993
“English & Chinese Culture-Art
Exchange,” Framed Contemporary Gallery, Perth, Scotland
1991
“China Contemporary Fine Arts
Exhibition; Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Japan,” Tokyo, Japan
(kleinsungallery.com)
