以世纪或朝代为美术“断代”,往往有碍认识和把握美术自身演化的规律。但就20世纪的中国美术而言,确有理由框定出一个完整的“断代”界限,因为中国美术就是伴随着世纪初的凄风苦雨和救亡图存的奋争与呐喊开始其现代化进程的。在这样的历史境遇中,20世纪的中国美术呈现出鲜明的特征和纷繁复杂的现象,其中以下几点是颇为显著并值得深思的。 首先,西方美术文化对现代中国美术起着示范、刺激、传输与强化作用。本世纪的前40年及80年代以来,在中国美术界兴起的诸多思潮,出现的各种流派几乎都是西方美术文化冲击与融入的结果。即便是世纪中叶以后一段时期,极具颂歌与武器功能的主流美术,事实上也是苏俄美术 Taking the century or dynasty as the art “dating” often hinders understanding and grasping the law of art’s own evolution. However, as far as Chinese art in the 20th century is concerned, there is a real reason for framing a complete “dating” line because Chinese art started its modernization process with the struggle and cry of the miserable life and salvation at the turn of the century. In such historical circumstances, the 20th century Chinese art presents distinctive features and complicated phenomena, among which the following are quite remarkable and worth pondering. First of all, western art culture plays a role of demonstration, stimulation, transmission and reinforcement of modern Chinese art. Since the early 40s and the 80s of this century, many schools of thought that emerged in the Chinese art world have produced almost all kinds of schools that are the result of the impact and integration of Western art and culture. Even for a period of time after the middle of the 21st century, the mainstream art of carols and weapons is in fact the art of Soviet Russia