Shanghai Daily news

Zhong Ming’s “The End of Philosophy — Sartre.” Zhong first became well known in China for his 1980 portrait of Jean-Paul Sartre.

In 1980, artist Zhong Ming became known in China for his portrait of French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. But 25 years later, he confesses that he was too young to understand Sartre and his philosophy at the time he painted the portrait.

"Like many young people, it was just a sudden drive to approach philosophy," says the 55-year-old Beijing native in his studio on Huanghua Road in Shanghai's southwest.

His 30-square-meter studio has good views overlooking the surrounding houses.

A graduate of China's Central Academy of Arts and Crafts in Beijing, Zhong furthered his studies in Britain before he switched to movie directing.

Last month, Zhong had a solo exhibition of various European landscapes in the Shanghai Art Museum. With the image of his portrait of Sartre lingering in the mind, Zhong's latest subject matter is lighter and therefore something of a surprise. Bright huge color patches outline some European street and countryside scenes.

"It looks like I am dealing with something light," he explains. "But in fact, it is not."

For example, his painting of the Cafe de Flora in Paris was done because it was frequented by Sartre. Without Zhong's explanation, many would see it as just another ordinary European cafe bar.

"That's my current attitude towards art," he says. "It is quite personal and private. Sometimes my philosophy is hidden far below the surface."

What about Sartre?

"Now I have a thorough understanding of him," he says. "It could be summarized into one of Sartre's short sentence - 'Other people  are hell'."

Zhong Ming

Born in 1950 in Beijing
Graduated from Central Academy of Arts and Crafts in Beijing in 1979
Went to study in Britain in 1983
Returned to China to work with Shanghai TV in 1996