The artistic miracle of Chen Chunmu in Malaga

Chen Chunmu was born in a small mountain village in Quanzhou in southern China, 2,000 kilometres from the capital, Beijing. Coming from a modest farming family, this distance nearly jeopardised his education as his university application took five weeks to arrive, getting to his house just one day before the enrollment deadline. It was nothing short of “a miracle,” recalls Javier Romero, a businessman and patron of the arts in Malaga.

This difficult start laid the groundwork for Chen Chunmu’s fascination with Malaga as the city represented a vital gateway to Europe, offering artistic inspiration and opportunities that starkly contrast with his earlier life in a remote village. A year ago, he spent two months in Malaga as part of a new art residency programme established by the Fundación Mecenas, created by Romero and his wife Wenting Wu, at the Casa natal Picasso (Picasso birthplace museum).

Chen Chunmu is currently exhibiting the work created during his residency at the Casa Natal de Picasso, Centre Pompidou and the Museo Ruso. Titled Hidden Jungle, the exhibition includes 32 pieces in various formats, along with an installation, all produced quickly as he immersed himself in the local culture.

“The sun and the sea provide a lot of inspiration,” he explains. He enjoyed Malaga’s relaxed atmosphere and vibrant outdoor culture. “It’s a very different culture,” he said.

Chen appreciates that he has never felt like an outsider in Malaga; instead h has always been warmly welcomed. "People are very friendly and make newcomers feel at ease," he says. He fondly recalls a tripo to Granada with his new Spanish friends which was just one of many adventures. He also visited the Museo del Prado and the Reina Sofía in Madrid, spent time in Barcelona and stopped in France before returning to Bejing. Despite his busy schedule, he found time to wander through olive groves and watch seseagulls fluttering along the beach in the early morning. "They coexist harmoniously without any problem," he said.

All of these experiences have transformed Chunmu’s painting. The artist truly lives up to his name which means ‘trees in spring’ in Chinese, as he stays focused on landscapes and forests.

Influenced by Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism, his work is characterised by a quest for spiritual essence through representations of nature, often imbued with a sense of mystery and surrealism. However, in Malaga, his colour palette has broadened “with the sun and the warmth of the people”.

He has also begun to explore related themes, such as the beach.

Chunmu has embraced experimentation, inspired by the example of “the master, Picasso.”

“His work is very free and it inspires me to let go of everything and have more creedom to create,” he explained. He hopes to continue along this path,It’s not been long, I’d like to have more time here”, he said with a big smile.

Chen Chunmu was selected for this scholarship from among more than 150 applicants in China. He participated in a competition celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Spain and China, as well as the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death.

Around 1.7 million people accessed information about the contest which emphasised the relationship between Malaga and the legacy of Picasso. The Fundación Mecenas de la Casa Natal Picasso aims to use this exposure to promote Malaga as a place not just for visiting museums and immersing oneself in the history of art, but also for artists to create and develop their work. Javier Romero explains that the next artist to come will be from America.

The challenge is to fill a gap that currently exists in the city and to “attract young artists from around the world” so that they can interact with local talent and subsequently promote Malaga as a creative hub in their home countries. The aim is to establish an artistic “ecosystem” similar to those found in New York, London and Paris, while also fostering cultural ties at both community and institutional levels.

This initiative is another step in the extensive international career of Malaga native Javier Romero, who, after building a successful career in Shanghai, has forged connections between countries in the business sector. The Chinalink ESG fund, of which Romero is president, is the second largest shareholder of Hygreen Energy, the Chinese company that is going to promote several major industrial investments in Andalusia with the idea of creating a green hydrogen hub.

Hidden Jungle occupies the gallery on the third floor of the Casa Natal de Picasso, featuring botanical motifs and evocative landscapes. However, the largest works are dispayed on the walls of the Pompidou and the Museo Ruso, where he has also created an installation with lights and a mesh fabric that references natural themes. This exhibition opening oincides with what would have been Picasso's 143 birthday. "It's a dream come true," said Chen Chunmu.