Born in 1957 in Guangzhou, China, he once served as a professor in the Oil Painting Department at Hubei Academy of Fine Arts. Disinclined towards institutional constraints, he resigned in 2005 and retreated to seclusion in Wuhan, dedicating himself to artistic endeavors. His father, Cen Jia Wu, stood as a luminary in anthropology, ethnology, and art history in Chinese academia. Persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, he tragically ended his life by jumping from a building, leaving an everlasting trauma in Cen’s heart. Deeply influenced by the profound legacy of his father, Cen maintains a modest lifestyle, avoids socializing with the local art scene, and immerses himself wholy in the pursuit of artistic truth. His signature approach consists of a simple style, sophisticated brushwork, rigorous composition, layered and solid coloring. Through the prism of unadorned expression, he imparts profound allegory, creating enduring works that withstand the crucible of time, inviting contemplation and stirring the intellect. Each stroke becomes a vessel of emotion, and each painting contains deeper meaning beneath its surface qualities. From the corpus of his artistic repertoire emerges an ambiance of serenity and freshness, affording those entrenched in the cacophony of contemporary existence a respite to reacquaint themselves with the sublime aesthetics of tranquility—a poignant return to the fundamental purity intrinsic to the human condition.

Self-portrait

When in the night loneliness passes over me, I gaze upward toward the wide firmament, studded with twinkling stars. They seem to encourage me in ceaseless dance, “Do not be sad,” they say, “for we are always with you.” And behind their distant solitude lies this warmth, a warmth which reminds me of many animals and people I have known, whose kind and tender disposition invokes these glittering stars, and who have always comforted me and encouraged me to face the struggles of life with firmness and composure. This unity, this solidarity which connects all of nature’s beings, is a blessing from the creator–and in return, I have dedicated my life to showing my gratitude through painting, and have approached each work as an homage to the eternal.