“蓝脸的窦尔敦盗御马，红脸的关公战长沙。黄脸的典韦，白脸的曹操，黑脸的张飞叫喳喳……”这首《说唱脸谱》流传甚广，即使不懂京剧，也对它的旋律耳熟能详。

我画京剧人物已经有 20 多年了。2000 年，我从清华美院进修后回到沈阳，创作了《义》这幅画，画中的关羽在中国传统文化中一直是忠义的象征。这幅画在传统油画的基础上，采用了拼贴手法和一些综合材料，它是我绘画生涯中的一幅重要作品，代表着我的转型。此后我尝试用当代语言对中国艺术精神进行表达和创作。

在探索过程中，我不断思考中国的艺术精神究竟是什么？我用什么来表达？很自然地，我找到了“书法”这把钥匙。比如绘制人物胡须的那一笔，看似随意而为，却能令观者“汗毛倒竖”，这一笔或许源于我 20 年书法练习的积淀。

虽然我使用的是西方的丙烯材料，但是我的书写性笔触、写意性精神以及京剧形象都是东方的、中国的，这也成为了我绘画的特色。

我画的京剧人物起初以净角为主。净角形象大多性格外露，个性鲜明。吸引我的除了夸张变形的脸谱，还有他们铿锵有力的动作、充满阳刚之气的姿态。所以这一京剧系列的作品，我称之为“净魂”。“净魂”系列作品中，我主要选择了京剧中有张力的典型形象，阐释我对精、气、神的理解。

近年来，我也开始尝试创作旦角形象，大写意的书法线条让人物充满张力，而背景是我砸出来的颜色，更让人感受到巾帼不让须眉的力量。

京剧主题的作品是我对于中国传统艺术精神的诠释，它们不是陈旧的，更不是没落的。相反，我由衷希望观者能在欣赏的过程中，感受到画面中喷薄而出的生命能量。

The lyrics go: 'Blue-faced Dou Erdun steals the royal horse, red-faced Guan Gong fights in Changsha; yellow-faced Dian Wei, white-faced Cao Cao, and black-faced Zhang Fei with his thunderous cry…' This song, The Peking Opera Masks, is so widely known that its melody is instantly recognizable even to those unfamiliar with the opera itself.

I have been painting Peking Opera figures for over twenty years. In 2000, after completing my studies at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, I returned to Shenyang and created the work Yi (Loyalty). In Chinese culture, Guan Yu—the subject of the piece—has always been the ultimate symbol of steadfast loyalty. This painting, built on the foundation of traditional oils but incorporating collage and mixed media, marked a pivotal transformation in my career. Since then, I have sought to express the essence of the Chinese artistic spirit through a contemporary lens.

Throughout this exploration, I constantly asked myself: What is the true spirit of Chinese art? And how do I express it? Naturally, I found the key in 'Calligraphy.' For instance, a single stroke depicting a character's beard might seem effortless, yet it can make a viewer’s hair stand on end with its raw power. That stroke is the culmination of twenty years of calligraphic discipline.

Although I use Western acrylics, the calligraphic nature of my brushwork, the freehand spirit, and the operatic imagery are fundamentally Eastern—fundamentally Chinese. This fusion has become the hallmark of my art.

My opera figures initially focused on the Jing (painted face) roles, characters known for their extroverted and vivid personalities. Beyond the exaggerated and distorted masks, I was drawn to their sonorous, powerful movements and their aura of masculine strength. Thus, I named this series Jing Hun. In this series, I select iconic figures with immense tension to articulate my understanding of Jing, Qi, and Shen (Essence, Vitality, and Spirit).

In recent years, I have also begun to portray Dan (female) roles. The bold, calligraphic lines imbue these figures with great tension, while the backgrounds—created through a 'striking' technique of splashing color—convey a strength that proves women are every bit the equal of men.

My Peking Opera works are my interpretation of the traditional Chinese artistic spirit. They are not relics of the past, nor are they fading. On the contrary, it is my heartfelt hope that viewers will feel the irrepressible life force surging forth from the canvas.