Liu Weimin

Liu Weimin, also known by his pen name Su Xing, was born in October 1974 in Zhangpu, Fujian Province. Since childhood, he has been passionate about painting and has created works independently. Over the years, he has made many friends and received high praise from various circles. He loves his hometown and especially cherishes the bamboo and lotus flowers in the ponds, feeling the profound power of nature deep within his heart, which has had a significant impact on him as he approaches middle age.

His artistic style is mainly focused on large-scale freehand ink paintings, concentrating on themes such as bamboo, lotus flowers, peonies, and bird-and-flower paintings. He particularly loves to use bamboo and lotus flowers as subjects. The fresh green bamboo and the pure lotus flowers have attracted countless literary figures throughout history. Bamboo represents resilience and integrity, while lotus flowers symbolize purity rising from mud, creating harmony between humans and nature, and shaping his upright, honest, and dignified character.

His works are grand and dynamic, circulating widely in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Dubai, and other places. His ink bamboo painting was selected for the 16th "East Sea Waves" Newcomer Exhibition of the Fujian Artists Association, his snow bamboo painting was selected for the 17th exhibition, his reed flowers were selected for the Second Contemporary Bird-and-Flower Painting Exhibition of Fujian Province, and his ink lotus painting was selected for the Third Provincial Freehand Painting Exhibition. Many of his works have won gold awards, special prizes, and second prizes in domestic and international exhibitions and have been frequently collected by renowned art academies, local military units, well-known enterprises, and even celebrities in both China and abroad.

In April 2012, he held a personal exhibition at the Famous Brand World International Wine Lounge in Zhangzhou; in April 2013, he participated in a joint exhibition at the Baorongtong Art Museum in Xiamen Library; in 2014, he exhibited at the "China Dream" National Calligraphy and Painting Masters' Tour Exhibition in Hong Kong; in 2015, he won the Best Youth Award at the Sino-Arab Cultural Exchange Exhibition; in November 2016, his works were selected for the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Masters' Art Exhibition in Dubai, and he published Contemporary Chinese Ink Painters, Selected Works of Liu Weimin's Freehand Flower-and-Bird Paintings, and Liu Weimin's National Painting Collection. He is hailed as the "First Bamboo Painter of Minnan."

He currently serves as a guest painter at Zhuang Yucun's studio at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, a member of Longjiang Calligraphy and Painting Academy in Zhangzhou, vice-secretary-general of Min-Tai Painting Academy in Zhangzhou, a member of Zhangzhou Artists Association, a member of Fujian Artists Association, a member of Chinese Calligraphers and Painters Association, a professor at the Level One Fine Arts Teacher Training Center of the Chinese Calligraphy and Photography Artists Association, a council member of the Chinese International Calligraphy and Painting Research Institute, honorary vice-chairman of the Chinese Literature and Art Union, the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Artists Association, and the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Academy International Han Studies Research Association, a permanent council member of the Star International Art of Singapore, vice-president of Zhongzhou Calligraphy and Painting Academy in Henan, a signed painter at Beijing Renmin Fine Arts Network and Yizhonglian, a signed painter at the Silk Road International Joint Organization, and an expert guest professor at the Fujian National Defense Culture Education Base of the Creative Culture Center under the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China.

In Liu Weimin's paintings, every blade of grass, tree, flower, and leaf is bold and unrestrained, full of passion. In the depth of his works, one can see the remarkable courage, abundant energy, and stubborn perseverance that the artist possesses when facing life's long journey. Momentum is an important characteristic in Liu Weimin's bamboo-themed paintings. His bamboo paintings vary in form and content. Regardless of the angle or form of expression, they exude his strong spirit, broad-mindedness, and evoke emotional resonance in the viewers. Liu Weimin not only excels in large-scale freehand ink painting but also skillfully employs techniques such as dotting, shading, dry rubbing, and splashing colors. Years of accumulation and practice, along with his unwavering dedication to art and continuous creation, have brought him to where he is today, making him a true contemporary master of Chinese ink painting.

During the interview, I had the privilege of witnessing Liu Weimin paint live. With a calm demeanor, he wielded his brush with precision, maintaining momentum throughout the process. Even in the chilly autumn weather, he was drenched in sweat, showing his vigor and vitality. While appreciating his works, what moved me most was not just the lifelike depiction of bamboo but more so his swift brushwork and boundless heroic spirit.