ILLUSTRATED: Zhou Chunya, Timezone 8, Hong Kong, 2010, color illustrated, pp. 156-157

Active, changing, brilliant, innocent and true to the artist himself—analyzing Zhou Chunya’s paintings, stroke by stroke, we see his personality vividly outlined in front of our eyes. From the capture of forms to the manipulation of color and the presentation of texture, all kinds of painting skills have become simply effortless to him. His creation and venture display a kind of deviant and astounding beauty, as he always puts it: "It is a gentle kind of violence."

"Sleeping Beauty" was created in 1995, a year when Zhou and Heigen lived a happy family life as father and son. Heigen, a German Shepherd that was a gift from Zhou’s good friend, was the artist’s first dog. In the 90s, people were forbidden to have pets in the cities of China, so Heigen remained hidden in the apartment. From waking up in the morning to having meals, taking shower, working on paintings and going to bed, Zhou did everything with Heigen. Since German Shepherds are very smart and sensitive, Zhou and Heigen had long gone beyond the master and pet relationship. A small family formed by a man, a dog and the heroine of this painting was bonded by such a deep attachment that the three of them spent time together from morning until night. Zhou painted his life. He painted Heigen—Heigen running, Heigen lying, Heigen jumping, Heigen's family. On a blank canvas, uninhibited brushstrokes become a powerful emotional outlet that embodies the understanding, dependence and love between Zhou and Heigen.

"Sleeping Beauty" demonstrates both a living landscape and a timeless moment. Painted over and over again, plump and lying nudes have been the indispensable subject of artists from all ages. Zhou used his favorite color, brown, as the main tone, and then brushing the spatial difference with black, and the warm female body and handsome Heigen. For four years, Heigen had slept in the same bed with Zhou, or even between Zhou and his girlfriend, sharing their breath and heartbeats with each other. Heigen died in 1999, and Zhou expressed the two most painful moments in his life: one was the passing of his father in 1969, the other was the death of Heigen. Only with such a powerful emotion can one create such a touching piece of art.

In 1986, Zhou already gained fame at the age of 31. He left everything behind and went to Kunsthochschule Kassel, a college of fine arts in Germany. A new wave of artistic movements surged across the German art scene in the 80s, which was also the most prominent period for Neo-expressionism. Zhou’s artistic creations were greatly influenced by the shock and the experimental style he received while studying abroad. After returning home, his exhibitions have been continually held in China, Taiwan, Europe and the Americas due to his outstanding talent and progressive style, which has also earned him a vast following of collectors. From "Portraits" and "Mountains and Rocks," "Heigen," "Taihu Lake Stone," "Green Dog," "Red Men" to the "Peach Blossom" series of recent years, all his work that seems to be unrelated and disconnected reflects the life and emotions of the artist. Zhou's work shares the artist’s passion and straightforward expression. Artistic creation cannot survive alone without the artist. For Zhou, his themes, colors and styles naturally come from inside. He says, "Everything painted must be filled with emotion, full of love." Artist Zhou Chunya will continue to please his audience with his rich and powerful work.