The original collection history of Soviet prints in China must mention Lu Xun’s name. Lu Xun has obtained 118 original prints from more than ten Soviet print artists, including N.Piskarev, Bikov, Gonzalov, Helensky, Fafulski and Mildrohin within four years, and he selected 60 of them, In 1934, Lu Xun published a Soviet print collection book called “Yinyuji”, and another collection book called “Soviet Print Collection” in 1936.
 

The publication of the Soviet print collection "Yinyuji" is the earliest art document printed by the original works of foreign print artists since the “May Fourth Movement”. Lu Xun said in the preface to the collection, "these works are at my hand, as if they are a heavy burden. I often think that there are only more than 100 woodcut paintings in the original version. In China, I may be the only collector. However, neglect them and hide them from the world would be a disrespect to the artists and the art work themselves. Besides, some have been scattered, some of them have been burnt down in flames. But now, my life is still full of uncertainty. If these art happen to be vanished one day, it’d be a pity than losing my life."

It is Lu Xun's editing, publishing and recommendation of Soviet prints that gave birth to Chinese creative and revolutionary art, it gave birth to the first generation of revolutionary paint artists in China since Lu Yi in Yan'an, there were Gu Yuan, Yan Han, Li Qun, Li Hua, Jiang Feng, Wo Zha, Wang Qi, Chen Yanqiao, Cao Bai, Lin Fu, Huang Xinbo, Hu Yichuan and Wu bo etc.

Lu Xun was living in a generation with poor living conditions, under the rough circumstance, it was unable to provide the Chinese art industry with the whole Soviet art illustration. Therefore, the understanding of Soviet art supported by the academic background was extremely limited to the reproduction and imitation of function and practicality, knowing the whole perspective of the Soviet art was something unachievable by the time. This historical background inspired me to salvage a panoramic view of Soviet art with Soviet prints and artist manuscripts as the main body, along Lu Xun's footsteps and by the convenience of managing my business back and forth in China and Russia. Standing upon the position of art history, to unveil the true appearance of Soviet art. So far, this journey has lasted 10 years.

On the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the October Revolution in 2016, the Cultural Activity Center of the Russian Embassy in Beijing held a "Sun Yiyu literature exhibition of Soviet print". Many descendants of revolutionary pioneers who were graduated from the Ivanovo International Children's Academy were invited to the occasion, as well as several well-known artists. More than 100 official media from China and Russia, including China News Agency, Tass news agency, China International Radio Station, Today Russia, have come and reported on the exhibition. One year later, on the centenary of the October Revolution in 2017, the Russian Embassy in China held another "Sino-Russian Scholars Forum" in the cultural center, and again invited Sun Yiyu to hold a week-long "October Revolutionary Art Literature Exhibition" at the forum. “So far for 16 years, my ‘Soviet art collection journey’, which predominately formed by Soviet print and artist manuscripts, began to enter the public eye, my exhibition and media exposure are going up. As a cultural project, we collected, edited and organized the news reports from the mainstream media for references.”

1. The Soviet print exhibition commemorating the 99th anniversary of the October Revolution was held in the Russian Cultural Center of Beijing (CRI Russian radio reporter: Zhao Yi, Guan Hongyan)

Chinese representative who studied at Ivanovo International Children's Academy in Russia attended the event (photo: Guan Hongyan)
 

Speech by Novoselov, senior counsellor of Russian Embassy in China 

The victory of the “October Revolution” once ignited the fire of countless revolutionary volunteers fighting for their freedom and dreams. Although time flies, they have been forgotten in the history, but the passion still burning and surge in people's memories from time to time. The children of revolutionary pioneers who studied in Ivanovo International Children's Academy, the descendants of the pioneers of new China —— Liu Aiqin, daughter of Liu Shaoqi, Liu Xia, daughter of General Liu Huishan, and Wu Shaoyun, daughter of former Secretary General of the Central Military Commission Wu Yunfu, Li Duoli, Li Mingna, Han Moning Liu Jingying, Chai ELi, and Zeng Fanglan, Ren ya, Li Shuhua, Zhao Qilian and Wang Na attended the opening.

 

 

 

Chinese representative who studied at Ivanovo International Children's Academy in Russia attended the event

 

Speech by Liu Aiqin (Daughter of Liu Shaoqi,student of Ivanovo International Children's Academy

 

Speech by Li Duoli (Son of former provincal governor of Heilongjiang) , the revolutionary predecessor of Ivanovo International Children's Academy

 

 

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was joined by famous Chinese cultural icon - Zhang Jigang, and friends from media field in China and Russia. Senior counsellor of the official envoy of the Russian embassy in China- Nowoshelov, ,collector of Soviet prints - Sunyiyu, consultant of Russian cultural center - Kasen, Sun Tianshu has been developing the leading figure of cross-border e-commerce between China and Russia, and finally TASS, the official media of Russia.

 

 

Speech by Novoselov, senior counsellor of the Russian Embassy in China
 

 

Welcome speech by Kasen, consultant of Russian Cultural center

 

 

Sun Tianshu, chairman of China Russia cross border e-commerce platform of enterprise development

 

Speech by Zhang Jigang, Chinese famous producer director & artist

 

 

Speech by Sun Yiyu, collector of Soviet print

 

 

The Soviet print is a real beauty in the history of Russian art. It is the most outstanding inheritance and development of Russian realism painting tradition.

 

 

Collector Sun Yiyu signing his books

 

Group photo of guests with the revolutionary pioneers of Ivanovo International Children's Academy

 

 

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