Lan Zhenghui was born in 1959 in Sichuan, China. He graduated from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 1987, currently he lives and works in Beijing, China and Toronto, Canada.
Lan Zhenghui‘s monumental paintings and striking use of black ink reflect his constant pursuit of expression and feeling. His works are “emotional bursts on paper” characterized by an abstract ink-splash style. Influenced by his background in science, Lan’s aesthetic moves deftly between the realms of the rational and irrational. His brushstrokes are created by systemic body movements, which contribute to the visual and spiritual impact of the works with the swelling of muscle, blood and physical power.
He is an abstract ink brush painter whose style has been termed “heavy ink” by art critic Liu Xiaochun. The description refers both to the large scale of Lan’s works and also reflects the weight of power and spirit within them. Lan puts great emphasis on brush movements, which make his characters come alive. In 2000, he launched a “power brush” movement with some of his fellow artists to promote the natural sense of motion and power in ink brush and oppose contrived methods of expression.
His recent solo exhibitions include: Ink Painting Dream: Lan Zhenghui Solo Exhibition (2011), Contrasts Gallery, Shanghai, China; Lan Zhenghui: Mighty Rain (2009), Ohouse Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia; Heavy Ink Painting by Lan Zhenghui (2006), National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China. Lan Zhenghui was awarded Ontario Art Council Grants to Visual Artist in 2006. His works have been collected by Rubell Family Collection, USA; Consul General of British Consulate at Guangzhou, Britain; Consul General of German Consulate at Guangzhou, Germany; National Art Museum Of China, China; Guangdong Museum of Art, China; China Songzhuang Ink Painting League, China; Florida Gulf Coast University, USA and Chinese Cultural Centre Of Greater Toronto, Canada.
