Chen Yifei
[citation needed] Although denounced for "capitalist behaviour", Chen's work with oil painting earned him recognition from Chinese authorities.
Since the Cultural Revolution, Chen became the forerunner of a new age in Chinese art, promoting a new sense of modernity and lifestyle in his paintings, including fashion, cinema and design.
In his oil paintings, Chen abandoned his uncritical glorification of the party to blend realistic technique and romanticism with Chinese subject matter, especially melancholic and lonely women in traditional dresses.
His characteristic "Romantic Realism" paintings use dark and dense colours and convey a sense of richness and integrity.
At the same time, he had also transformed himself into a style entrepreneur, creating fashion brands, decorating hotels and selling high-end clothing and chic home furnishings.
"[1] As the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976, Chen continued making oil paintings, now shifting his focus to a more romantic and European style.
In the last part of Chen's life, he devoted his time increasingly to acting as a "style entrepreneur" working as a modeling agent, fashion designer and decorator as well as focusing on his film productions.
Chen first received inspiration for these works when he travelled to Europe in the summer of 1982 and toured the canals, noting similarities in the ambiance between the East and West.
Chen's artistic career began soon after graduating from the Shanghai College of Art when his realistic style of oil painting caught the attention of Communist officials.
The picture is a historical epic depiction of a group of soldiers raising a red flag, representative of the history of the Revolution.
The work was originally inspired by a poem (written by Guang Weiran) and a song (composed by Xian Xinghai).
[7] The revelation of this work marked a pivotal point in Chen's artistic career, propelling his art into further success in the future.
To gather intelligence and insight into the people and customs of Tibet, Chen spent some time in the 1980s exploring Jiangnan.
His "Tibet" works feature the tanned and coarse Tibetan people with no pretense of activity and muted expressions.
One such example of this unique blend is his painting Poppy which derives its content from a Tang dynasty song about a woman who solemnly questions her fate.
In answering a question regarding his work, Chen is quoted to have said: "I love paintings, clothing and films because they are all beautiful things".
The film began production in February 2003 when Chen Kun was brought in to replace Jiang Wen as a leading actor.
After spending time abroad and gaining a broader perspective on fashion, he developed a collection that reflected a fusion of Western and Eastern influences.
[2] Chen was a notably personable man and was one of the few celebrities who liberally gave out his cellular phone number to reporters.
