In Sep.30th 2023, the“Vivid Variations – The Chromatic Universe Within a Young Mind,” Chen Zequan's solo exhibition opened at the Jing Shi Art Museum Beijing Normal University. The exhibition is hosted by the Children's Art Education Center of Beijing Normal University, supported by the Art Education Center of Beijing Normal University, organized by the Jing Shi Art Museum, and co organized by the Organizing Committee of the Oriental Star Exhibition. Initiated by Teacher Fan Xi from Tsinghua University, academic hosted by Prof. Dr. Zhen Wei, Vice Dean of the School of Art and Media at Beijing Normal University, doctoral supervisor, and Director of the Jing Shi Art Museum, curated by Gao Yue the curator of youth calligraphy and painting art. Professor Li Mu, Director of the Institute of Social Aesthetic Education at Tsinghua University and Doctoral Supervisor at the Academy of Fine Arts Tsinghua University, Professor Wang Peng, Head of the Department of Fine Arts and Design at Beijing Normal University’s School of Art and Media, Professor Fu Gang from the Design Department at Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Director Li Jiaduo of the Children’s Art Education Center at Beijing Normal University, and Associate Professor Li Yan from the Department of Fine Arts and Design at Beijing Normal University ect. Teachers and students from the university, as well as family and friends attended the opening ceremony.

The exhibition shows thirteen oil and acrylic paintings created by Chen Zequan since 2019. Chen Zequan's works are full of vitality and emotion. He boldly and freely uses colors, depicting his own "Vivid variations" through hitting, scraping, scratching, sweeping, splashing, and other methods. These colors, shapes, and lines are like music variations evolved from notes, melodies, and beats, rhythmically moving on the canvas, creating rich and vivid images. Each work is not only a youth's exploration and innovation of color collision and blending, but also his intuitive expression of life, nature, and inner world. In Chen Zequan's works, we see the innocent and flawless, courage, and strong curiosity of the youth, and further feel his fearless exploration and pursuit of art, life, and the world.

In the preface, Prof. Dr. Zhen Wei, the academic host of this exhibition, Vice Dean of the School of Art and Media at Beijing Normal University, doctoral supervisor, and director of the Jing Shi Art Museum, wrote: I generally do not use the word “genius” to praise or evaluate the artistic talents of children or adolescents. In my opinion, simplicity and naturalness are closer to the deepest primal forces of artistic freedom than cleverness and wit.

However, the first time I saw Chen Zequan's painting, it surprised me, It seemed as if the instinct to apply colors and the actions of making strokes transcended identity, age, and knowledge background. Colors, dots, lines, and surfaces jump out on their own, like pulses, breaths, instincts, dancing and singing loudly: "I am natural, a brilliant painting of the colors of life!"

Therefore, faced with the vibrant paintings of this young artist, I forgot to categorize them using art history or artistic styles. I also did not want to affix academic labels such as abstract, expressionist, performative, or naive. Such labels would be too mature and too dull for both the young painter and us.

I would rather get to know this young artist, his remarkable parents and teachers, and understand how it is possible to provide this young artist with an almost impossible creative space and educational environment. Yet, I still wish to view this exhibition as a dazzling dream of childhood and adolescence. This is because, no matter how influential and widespread the theories and histories of civilization written in books are on our cognition, they are not as miraculous as life itself. Let this dazzling dream of art continue to grow in its natural and spontaneous form. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to it with great anticipation.

The initiator of this exhibition, Teacher Fan Xi from Tsinghua University, stated at the opening ceremony that: Children's paintings often appear imaginative, innocent, energetic, and romantic, full of longing and imagination for the unknown world, seemingly abstract. But adults often cannot truly understand children's inner world. This is because children have not yet gained a universal understanding and cognition of the "real" world among adults, relying almost solely on intuition to present the world in the most intuitive and authentic way. Intuition and imagination are the abilities that many artists pursue throughout their lives, which are fragile and fleeting. Children naturally possess these two abilities to a greater or lesser extent. As they age, it is difficult to fully retain these two abilities, and they require our utmost care, guidance, and cultivation. Once intuition and imagination is lost, there is a lack of bold and fearless expressiveness and primitive perception of life. Teacher Fan Xi hopes that children like Chen Zequan can always maintain their innocence and sincerity towards art while exploring their personal artistic path.

Curator Gao Yue delved into the theme of the exhibition and her insights into youth art. Throughout the long history of art, color has often been regarded as a vehicle for emotion, a direct and powerful means of expressing one’s inner world. However, when this understanding is expressed through the perspective of an artist who is just 12 years old, the insights and impacts it brings are beyond our imagination.

Chen Zequan’s works refuse to be interpreted or categorized in a uni-dimensional manner. From his early graffiti and compositions made of everyday objects to his later complex and rich oil and acrylic paintings, he demonstrates a diversity and inclusiveness in his art. He effortlessly

navigates between the innocence of childhood and a mature aesthetic, creating works that are consistently captivating. Most impressively, his pieces accurately capture his mood and feelings towards the world at the time of creation, be it curiosity, joy, or awe.

As the curator of this exhibition, I am honored to have the opportunity to present the works of the young Zequan and to attempt to interpret his vibrant and imaginative artistic world. Here, audience will have the chance to witness how a young artist uses color, shape, and space to build a vibrant and profound personal world. Please follow us into this colorful, vibrant, and possibilities filled world of art.

Prof.Li Mu, Director of the Institute of Social Aesthetic Education at Tsinghua University and Doctoral Supervisor at the Academy of Fine Arts Tsinghua University mentioned that: Mr. Lin Fengmian, an esteemed figure in China art world, once said that art touching people's hearts because it wields two elements: one is its strength and the other is its beauty. Zequan already has these two elements preliminary. His paintings are imbued with the pulsating power of youth and an infinite longing for the future; the beauty in his work is not only evident in his creative skills and fluid mastery but also in his natural and naive emotional expression.

Through his paintings, Zequan shows us his sensitive insights and perceptions of color and the world. These works do not need to be adorned with flowery language; they are the most direct reflection of Zequan’s inner world.

Art is an abstract language that transcends verbal and written communication. Many hidden emotions and spiritual worlds are often difficult to articulate with words. However, through painting, these can be released, helping people to find their true self. We look forward to Zequan maintaining his courageous spirit of exploration and his free heart. On the path of art, he should speak freely, pouring out those endless inner worlds onto the canvas with his brush, thus deepening his love for painting. Following the heart, create freely, and in the future, no matter where you are, as long as you hold the paintbrush, you can express the indescribable emotions in your heart.

Professor Wang Peng, Head of the Department of Fine Arts and Design at Beijing Normal University’s School of Art and Media, stated that it is not an easy task for a 12-year-old youngster to complete such a large and large-scale work, that requires tremendous strength and patience. Repeatedly watching Zequan's painting creation video on site, it was found that his dragging, swinging, and even hitting movements in the creation are all manifestations of explosive power, patience, and love for painting.

Professor Fu Gang from the Design Department at Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication mentioned in his speech that art is not just a display of skills, it is first and foremost a unique perception of the world. At the age of 12, a child begins to rapidly grow mentally. During this period, they are able to accept and understand a large amount of information, but in order to extract their own insights and express them in an artistic way, they need to have a deep understanding and appreciation of things, as well as the ability to control the overall visual perception. From Zequan's works, one can feel the emotions and thoughts he conveys. For art educators, how to help such young people go further and explore their artistic path more deeply is a question that requires deep thinking.

Director Li Jiaduo of the Children’s Art Education Center at Beijing Normal University said, "It's amazing that Chen Zequan can find his hobbies, persist in his creations, paint hundreds of works, and feel happy from them. I hope Chen Zequan can think more in his artistic creation and practice, and I look forward to him coming back to hold an exhibition again someday in the future."

Following the opening of the exhibition, guests held a discussion on "Youth and Art - Exploring Emotions and Education Behind Colors" in the conference room, delving into topics such as emotions and family art education behind youth art creation, injecting new thinking and vitality into youth art education and youth art creation.