Artist's works reflect profound heritage

On Wednesday, the exhibition The Freedom Reconstructed by Lines and Philosophical Thoughts: Another World of Jidi Majia opened at the Tingtaoguzhong Art Museum in Xichang, Liangshan prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan province. The exhibition features 42 calligraphy works and 43 paintings created by Jidi Majia, a poet and artist of the Yi ethnic group.

The comprehensive exhibition runs until Aug 15 and encompasses poetry, calligraphy and painting, showcasing Jidi Majia's representative works and artistic essence. Each piece reflects profound thought and exquisite skill, presenting his creative style and artistic concepts.

A contemporary Chinese poet, Jidi Majia's work has been widely acclaimed at home and abroad, with many of his poems translated into nearly 40 languages and published worldwide.

At the opening ceremony, poet Li Guofu praised Jidi Majia's calligraphy and paintings for their vigorous strokes and lively charm, revealing a profound understanding and unique perspective on traditional culture. He noted that Jidi Majia's works possess rich cultural connotations, philosophical expressions and ethereal aesthetic realms.

Wu Liyang, vice-chairman of the Sichuan Writers Association, said that Jidi Majia's greatest strength as a calligrapher and painter lies in achieving "a high unity of contradictions". His works reflect the profound heritage of traditional inscriptions and modern calligraphy styles, integrating elements of the humanities, history, geography and ethnic customs.

Jidi Majia said that as a native of Liangshan prefecture's Yi ethnic group, this exhibition in his homeland is like "presenting a report to his mother". He emphasized that his creations are deeply rooted in local culture, and the rich and diverse culture of Yi people has profoundly influenced his poetry, calligraphy and painting. He said the exhibition will serve as a communication medium, allowing more people to learn about his hometown.

Jidi Majia uses lines and colors as carriers to convey his inner thoughts and meanings. He said that "another world", referring to a world beyond poetry, is also closely connected to his spiritual world.

"Many people know me through my poetry, but each person's spiritual world is rich and composed of poetry, calligraphy, painting and other forms of creation. Therefore, in terms of language expression, another world is different from my poetic world, but on a more fundamental level, my spiritual world remains consistent," he said.

Jidi Majia hopes that through this exhibition, he can showcase his years of exploration and achievements in poetry, calligraphy and painting. He also hopes to inspire more people to develop a love for and pursuit of art. He emphasizes that art is interconnected and inclusive; only through continuous cross-disciplinary exploration and courageous innovation can one create more works of art that embody the spirit of the times and personal style.

Zhang Shangqing contributed to this story.