Who Is Leng Jun: Facts about 'Most Realistic Paintings'. Biography, Career, Personal Life and

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Leng Jun is a Chinese contemporary artist best known for paintings and drawings that appear like photographs. Born in 1963 in Sichuan, he was influenced by the period of economic shift known as the "opening of China" that occurred while he was coming of age. As China opened, information coming in from the West helped him develop as a painter. “For people like me who were born around the 1960s, we were teenagers at the time when we formed our worldview. That was a great opportunity. Looking back, reform and opening-up really saved the soul of our generation,” Jun said. The artist currently lives and works in Beijing.

Chinese Painter Leng Jun: Biography and Career

The artist was born in 1963 in Sichuan Province, where he graduated in 1984 from the Teachers College, Hankou, Wuhan, the branch of the Department of Art. Jun is dedicated to the way of painting method of adopting simple design and components to signify a sort of aesthetic viewpoint of his own, which makes the composition of the painting more divine and sanctified. Leng Jun is a comprehensive artist – not only a painter, he is also the leader of Wuhan painting academy, national 1st-grade painter, vice president of Hubei province artists association, chairman of Wuhan artists association, a member of Chinese artists and member of Chinese oil painting association.

Awards and Exhibitions of Leng’s Works

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Leng Jun won the Art Award in the 2nd Annual Chinese Oil Painting Exhibition, Beijing, and the Golden Award in the 3rd Annual Chinese Art Exhibition. His paintings have been sold regularly at auctions throughout China and have been acquired for private and institutional collections worldwide. He had become more renowned and influential in art circle since his works were carried to a great deal of important exhibitions all over the country. He tries to avoid the way of western painting technique that entails a lot of detailed subjects to be junked on the painting. The most important features of his work are details, done with utmost perfection.

Specific Approach to an Act of Painting

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The stillness and serenity of his paintings resemble the classical art. The subjects are painted with delicate brushstrokes, their faces still and calm. Despite the tranquility that overflows his work, there lies a subtle, yet powerful emotional drive that affects the audience. His enchanting portraits and paintings of still life carry the elegance and vigor. The paintings bring life and vitality into the room. They captivate the viewer and transfer the engaging energy that the subjects possess. Jun's sense of aesthetics gives power to his paintings and they give the power back by glowing in their detailed perfection.

Exhibitions

2002

Chinese oil painting three year exhibition

2001

Oil painting big exhibition excellent work prize of a China

2000

The door of 1979-1999 centuries invite an exhibition

2000

Art museum, Shenzhen

1999

Gold prize the ninth national and beautiful exhibition

1995

Gold prize in the third Chinese oil painting year exhibition

1994

Prize in the Second Chinese oil painting exhibition

1993

Silver prize in Chinese oil painting year exhibition

Facts About the Oil Paintings of Women Are Considered the Most Realistic in the World

Creating portraits that are startlingly lifelike, Chinese artist Leng Jun is a master of hyperrealism. The accomplished painter is particularly known for his detailed oil paintings of women, where every wisp of hair and fiber of clothing is rendered to perfection. Born in 1963, Leng came of age during a time of great economic reform known as the Opening of China. This great cultural change, and the Western influences it introduced, greatly influenced his art.

Interested in painting from a young age, he first experimented with oil paint while in middle school. Though no oil paints were readily available in China at the time, a friend gave him a few colors to experiment with. These early experiments stayed with him and so he continued his studies with a steady flow of information from the West helping to shape and mold him as a painter.

“For people like me who were born around the 1960s, we were teenagers at the time when we formed our worldview. That was a great opportunity. Looking back, reform and opening-up really saved the soul of our generation,” said Leng. “At the time, information coming from the West greatly contributed to the enlightenment of our people. It also laid a very solid foundation for my later creations.”

Though he was well respected as an artist prior, it was after his 2004 oil painting titled Mona Lisa that his work went viral. This photorealistic portrait of a woman was based on the principles of Leonardo da Vinci's iconic painting but depicts a modern woman. This work was followed by a series of photorealistic portraits of women, each more detailed than the next. By examining the details, one can appreciate the precise brushstrokes that pull out each aspect of the sitter.

While there is some criticism that these works look too much like photographs, Leng maintains that anyone seeing the paintings in person won't be deceived. It's not his intent to compete with or imitate a photograph, but rather he'd like to push his art to its limits. By balancing technical skill with the ability to bring emotion to his paintings, he's been able to touch people around the world.

“I want to push my painting skills to a higher level. What is the most difficult thing? To paint people,” Leng told CGNT. “For example, still life or rusted metals, they're not something we see every day. People deal with people the most and people are most familiar with people. To portray people and make others believe is the hardest thing.”

Leng Jun - Mona Lisa, 2004 (Left) / Detail (Right)

Leng Jun - Mask, 1992 (Left) / Spoon and Networks, 2002 (Right)

Photo: Leng Jun

Photo: Leng Jun

Photo: Leng Jun

Photo: Leng Jun

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