In the second stage, Jiang painted the "Bicycle Series." Like all of his works, these paintings are characterized by "leaping" and shimmering lights. Objects and their shadows reflect one other and it is difficult to differentiate between the components of the main part of a picture. In fact, the bicycles are nothing but a medium since the order of pictures is abstract. This was a breakthrough for Jiang -- to go from imitating concrete objects to expressing the logical order of his inner mind. His strokes became more fluid and lively, but still forceful and more compatible with the nature of watercolors.
In the third stage, Jiang painted what he witnessed in Europe when he was studying in Paris. Although he only reproduced the actual scenes before him to keep the memory alive, his choice in subjects reveals more reason and rationality in the structure of his pictures and color tones than in his earlier works. More importantly, the spiritual aspect of the scenes became the first thing that Jiang aspired to portray. Unlike the works in the first stage, here, Jiang achieves an even better mastery of technique, coordination of hands and mind, and the integration of scenes and feelings, where his hands reflect his mind and the scenes integrate feeling.
Light is very important to Jiang's watercolors. It is not only a medium, but also a goal for the artist. Many watercolor fans respect Jiang's sensitivity to light and are shocked by his bold and spiritual treatment of light. For Jiang, light is not only a necessity of life but also a belief.
Jiang regards watercolor painting as a life-long career, which is not easy since traditional Chinese paintingand oil painting are considered the mainstream of art in China today. It requires great courage and confidence to find a place beyond the mainstream.
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