他的早期作品著重表現都市青年的生存心態，不乏"文氣"與"童心"，在形象上有少男少女的青春繾綣與天真無邪，在筆墨上可以看出對中國傳統繪畫的結構佈局和水墨韻味的文脈繼承。
雷子人就讀研究生期間的作品具有多種審美趣味，顯示出他正進入一個活躍的探索期，有許多新的想像與急切的試驗。他沒有單純在中國畫的內部解決風格與筆墨問題，而是著眼于中外藝術的比較研究，並且在中國畫的傳統基礎上加以融合，直面作品與作者的關聯意義。近期他的作品在視覺圖式的基礎上著重探討筆墨結構中的文化情態，以往那種在畫面上隨意遊走的速寫式生活切片，轉化為近景中的人物形象的平面結構與色彩關係的研究，超現實的夢幻場景增強了中國畫傳統中的主觀表現意味。
在雷子人的作品中，對生命的敏感，是與中國畫材料對情緒、感受反應的敏感相聯繫的，他試圖用中國畫的傳統審美觀念，溶入當代生活去尋求對現代人心境的理解。這種生存與發展的渴望--對美好事物的嚮往，往往給予我在觀畫時瞬間的感動，我説不清楚這種感動是源於對往昔時光的眷戀或是對未來歲月的某種企盼。雷子人不憚其煩地描繪青春的恍惚與愛的執著，我在他的畫中感受到生命的短暫，在山林的陽光清流中，想像都市街道上那些往來如潮的人們將以怎樣的心境融入生活。
摘自 殷雙喜《雷子人“入境”展序》
在他步人獨立創作的初期，記錄如夢如幻的童年和青春，用城市化的環境因素的植人，以及概括化、簡潔化的景物交代，傳達出一種對時間流逝和幻覺生成的留戀，是他作品中突出的特點，我們不妨説他這是在畫時間。到了他進三年攻讀碩士研究生期間的作品，有一個新的變化值得注意，那就是對具體景物的留念已經越來越淡化，而對畫中人物的形體本身卻越來越關注，而且人物形象在畫中比例越來越大，我們也不妨説他這是在畫空間。
雷子人並沒有把自己認定為水墨實驗畫家，但從他對人物形體的空間結構和造型表達的結果看，卻在畫面的內容與形式的結合上達到了很好的效果，既有筆墨趣味，又有形體的質感。
從意識到傳統筆墨表達方式面對現實生活的荒誕和失落，到自覺地以自己的方式探索中國水墨語言的表現力，脫落掉越來越多的情節和夢幻，愈發給人物對象本身以格外的關注，雷子人看似失去了許多現實的真實，其實卻得到了更深一層的真實，一種繪畫本身能否在當代生活中安生立命的真實。如果在隨後的探索中能夠在條件允許的情況下，逐步擴大這種真實的存在空間，使繪畫本身重返豐富多采的生活本身，那將是中國畫或稱水墨畫的再發展之日。
摘自 高嶺《從畫時間到畫空間--關於雷子人的畫》
雷子人當然已遠離現代主義，他更接近的是後現代主義，這並不是説他採用了什麼後現代主義藝術的樣式，而是一種非現代主義或非形式主義的經驗。這麼説好像用了一個很大的題目，實際上還是很簡單，也就是説，他是從自己的經驗出發，一步步地回歸自我，這個自我是大自我，即原始的生命。這個過程並不簡單，他不是像米羅或亨利•摩爾那樣直接搬用原始的樣式，或用水墨來抄襲古代文化的符號，在他的畫中看不到一點符號的痕跡，同時也看不到做作的痕跡，一切都非常自然。
事實上，性愛並不是雷子人的真正主題，他是通過性愛把人還原到本能的、原始的生命，當我們感受到其形式的表現力時，他實際上也還原了自己的生命。他的形式來自於他的生命體驗，這不是對現實生命的直接體驗，而是對生命本能的體驗，所謂原始狀態，就是指他的藝術産生在這種還原的過程中。他的作品調動起我們的生命衝動，我們才會被他的形式所感動，他所具有的，正是我們缺失的。
摘自 易英《原 始 狀 態--談雷子人的畫》
從雷子人近期畫的一些近似于都市寓言式的作品（如《瑤池》、《折翅》、《墮六塵》、《落霞》、《聖水》等）中，我們不難看到他對都市人的生存狀態所作出一種理解和思考。在當代水墨畫中，能夠像雷子人這樣讓自己的作品更貼近當代人的生活的例子實在是太少了。
我們當然也可以從其他角度切入來討論雷子人的作品。他的不拘一格，使他在藝術上表現出多方面的才能，如在油畫、陶藝、人體、風景等不同領域，他都有所涉獵，從古典到現代，他都有所借鑒。雖然還不是一種很成熟的狀態（也許這並非壞事），但卻處處能讓我感到一種源自心靈的勃發生機。唯一的擔心是，在走向自由、走向熟練的過程中，還能否保持這種生澀的感覺而不使油滑。"畫到生時是熟時"，鄭板橋的見地很高，但他自己也沒有完全做到。但願雷子人能做得好些。
摘自 賈方舟，《藝術與人--我看雷子人的畫》
我的感覺讓我喜歡雷子人的作品，“感傷”亦好，“情色”亦好，我喜歡！憑著直覺，我不滿意雷子人受夏加爾等人的影響太深，但是，他用中國水墨自在的、甚至是憊懶的筆法，漫不經心地畫出各色的女人男人，讓人感覺曲折曖昧難言，它與現實生活的艱難形成鮮明的對比，讓我的內心與作品同時飛揚在超越現實的時空之中。他有時也是焦慮的痛苦的，但是他從不把它直接示意，而是轉換成一種感傷和情色的詩情。這種“節制”成為雷子人作品的意味重要延續之一，所以當我懷著觀看世俗畫的經驗，希望得到感官的愉悅時，“感官”不見了，節制使有教養的觀者的感官産生了位移。
摘自 杭間《自在的感傷》
子人不大計較別人説他平時遠離了藝術圈，子人用心體味的是俗中雅，是那些長年泡在藝術圈裏的人光靠想像力根本深入不下去的東西。近年來，子人作品之 屢出新意，與其無悔于入俗隨俗的心境是相關聯的。每每觀其新作，當眼前一亮時，我不免就會聯想到子人平靜、率意、逍遙的心境。唐孟浩然嘗道：“吾詩思在風雪中驢子背上。”我以為，子人作畫的情思大多就來自世俗深層某些元素的啟發，子人似乎很擅長開掘它，也樂於開掘。
雅士狂斟濁酒、亂拍青琴而後出樂府駢文，不能不説那是好詩好文。世俗男女今天遞給張三一個冷眼、明天背著李四嘲笑幾番，其言語、其目光、其姿態所成就的也都是好文章，瑣碎一些而已。很高興，子人有這類看法。以藝術的逍遙之心品世俗，以世俗的逍遙之眼做藝術，作為其朋友，細一想，不樂則更待何為？
摘自 王九樓《天道無親親者近——雷子人印象》
和新生代畫家不同，雷子人的作品更具有“文氣”與“童心”。他的作品，沒有重大題材繪畫中所常有的戲劇化衝突與亢奮，也沒有憤世妒俗與肆意變形。在形象上，有少男少女的青春繾綣與天真無邪；在筆墨上，可以看出對八大山人的結構佈局和對傅抱石《麗人行》一類作品水墨韻味的文脈繼承。
雷子人的近期作品具有不同的審美趣味，顯示出他正進入一個活躍的創作探索期，有許多新的想像與急切的試驗。其中最主要的，我認為是他的視野日漸開闊，不是在中國畫的內部解決風格上的筆墨趣味，而是著眼于中西兩種不同的藝術審美原則的比較研究，並試圖在中國畫的傳統基礎上加以融合。
摘自 殷雙喜《境由心生——雷子人的中國畫近作》
雷子人是一個安詳的夢幻詩人，室內景、人體素描、城市景色，實際上都統一在這種出自心靈的詩意之中。他總是在不停地過渡，從一個題材滑向另一個題材。他是在生活中遭遇到這些題材的，而不是刻意找尋的，每一個題材又都被他改造成喃喃自語般地低吟淺唱，現實的生活成了記憶的符號和生命的痕跡。他的形式和語言隨著題材的變換總是會越來越豐富和複雜，然而他又總是能以最單純的方式把題材表現出來。什麼時侯他走出了夢幻，在世俗中沉淪，那種詩意消失了，我們就會感受到他在技術上的熟練與精湛，其實那倒真的沒什麼意思了。
摘自 易英《夢與詩的情境——讀雷子人的畫》
雷子人的水墨作品題材單純而意境豐富，水墨語言的運用如同題材本身，反璞歸真，沒有過多的誇張和炫耀。人物的刻畫簡逸而細膩，雖有風花雪月的浪漫情懷，卻沒有世俗的圓熟與甜膩，這與他有意運用的樸拙的筆墨相應成趣。
他的人物畫，不僅有戴進、陳洪綬等中國傳統水墨人物畫宗師的遺風，也有西方現代主義鼻祖塞尚、馬蒂斯風格的影子。顯然，雷子人還在他所從事的插圖、設計、剪紙和制陶等藝術活動中得到了觸類旁通的啟發。結合現代形式和民間傳統藝術的水墨試驗是當代中國畫藝術家在革新水墨語言過程中所普遍採用的方式。作為中央美術學院培養的年輕一代藝術家，雷子人的繪畫語言延續並正在發展著與他有直接師承關係的學院水墨人物畫的革新傳統。而雷子人的獨特性在於他在結合其他藝術形式時所表現的一種超然、自然的態度。像他這一代年輕的藝術家對於中國和西方、傳統與現代、民間與經典的藝術形式的結合和取捨顯得更為輕鬆隨意，他們從一開始對於各種視覺經驗的接受就是開放式的，他們的水墨實驗無須特意強調某一種特別的模式，也不可能無視人類視覺文化中的任何一個部分。
摘自 邵亦楊《讀雷子人的近作》
他所涉獵的創作領域有水墨畫、油畫和陶藝，創作量更是驚人，十分勤奮。他的主要創作方向是水墨畫，其中又當以人物畫最為突出。可以説，他是純粹地在“玩藝術”，但又不是在玩筆墨遊戲，更不是什麼無關痛癢的“遁世者”。
他對圖式（寫形、造型、烘染、經營位置等）有著特殊的敏感和把握能力，他善於兼收並蓄，並儘量做到不露痕跡，使他的折中風格顯得與眾不同（需要突破的也正是這種折中風格）最重要的還是他對水墨畫變革所持的穩健態度和一貫執著的實踐。他的創作潛力比較大，更多的優秀成果將會不斷地涌現出來。
摘自 陳孝信 美術文獻《雷子人推介詞》
雷子人同學作為李老師的研究生，近兩年來創作了許多探索性作品，包括他的學術論文，都引起了大家的關注。（田黎明）
雷子人的作品很明顯受到西方優秀畫家如馬蒂斯、夏加爾的影響，也有一些畢加索的影響。再有是對中國水墨的感覺也不錯，他不是山水專業，但他也有幾幅山水作品，從山水的角度來説可能不是最好的，但是你能看出他對山水是有感覺的，而且對筆墨、對現代構圖的感覺很準。在藝術中最艱難、最重要的是感覺，不可説不可談，卻又要以它來評判。（邱振中）
摘自《美術研究》2003年第3期《多元開放 厚積薄發——中國畫係第三工作室教學研討會紀要 》
雷子人的畫包含了很多的東西，各種因素融化為一個具有個性的整體，從題材、表現性到畫面的處理，都和我們的日常經驗沒有隔膜，我們可以輕鬆地進入他設置的場景，與他一起觀看和欣賞……這是一種理想的結果，但是，也隱藏了危機，説明他操持的語言不夠“陌生化”，換種表達，是指他僅僅在運用各種現成的表現手法，沒有將它們鍛造成新的“語言”。譬如，我們既可以發現他擁有一些“傳統”功夫，又有一些“洋”的手段，這幾乎是上百年來力求“創新”的中國畫家的共同方式，其典範即是林風眠，無論是林的同代人，還是後來者，皆到此為止。
雷子人的畫中潛伏著某種才華，它隨意、率性、偶發、靈動，好好加以利用的話，會開出令人驚羨的碩果，但若不小心，也會因此變得輕飄和單薄。
摘自 李小山《要做就要做得更好》
雷子人所畫的人物，在畫面中看來仿佛是抽離了具體時間，空間和情境的活動片段的組合。時間和情節的概念在他的畫面中似乎不再重要，和中國繪畫的傳統一樣，畫家竭力想要表現的是一種寧靜、平和的心態。但是實際上，雷子人的人物素材大多是來自現實生活中具有某種具體性的場景，他的工作不過是挑選一些更為安靜的場景，打破具體性的編織，按照理想的方式將若干行為動作重新結合在一起，最後，出現在他畫面中的人物，往往是處在一種風花雪月的浪漫情懷之中，很明顯，在畫家選擇的素材和畫面的最後呈現之間，從創作開始就發生了一個微妙的質變。
在雷子人的畫面中，我們可以清晰地感覺到真正發生矛盾衝突的不是兩種局部性的語匯的衝突，而是由藝術語言所催化的生活信念和由社會現實所造就的現實體驗的衝突。作為一個對水墨語言有著良好悟性的畫家，雷子人試圖堅信他能像他所喜愛的那些大師們一樣以自己的方式來整合現實對於個人體驗的粉碎。但是現實生活的發展又使他無法逃避情緒的主宰，無論是從他對語言的使用看，還是從對內容的選擇看，他總是在竭力控制畫面中的情緒性表達，但又總是無法完全抑制住情緒的流露。如果從這個角度看，我們與其説雷子人是一個畫夢的畫家，倒不如説他是一個在半夢半醒之間表達的畫家；與許多和他語言形態相倣的畫家相比，他既沒有完全沉溺在虛幻的夢境中，也沒有被廉價的情緒化表達所吞沒。他的作品的意義恰恰就在於性情和情緒的衝突之間，在這種矛盾衝突的無意流露中我們能夠捕捉到在中國文化的轉型期裏人文價值內在變化的某些極具魅力的軌跡。
摘自 皮力《在平靜的背後》
雷子人的作畫方式有些類似夏加爾、雷東、布萊克等各位時常被稱作“心象主義”的大師。所謂“記錄”，常常僅僅是記錄了種種如同夢境的幻覺。但我從這些年中能夠清晰地感知，這就是我們的青春，我們在大學裏的日子，雷子人常常將它們與童年的追憶聯繫在一起。我不能想像“採蓮”以及“放風箏”等如煙往事在雷子人的心靈中究竟喚起了怎樣的一種美好感覺，使他會不厭其煩地在多種場合描繪它們。雷子人實際上是在畫時間。
摘自 伍勁《“雷子人作品展”前言》
子人喜歡用點，線，墨和淡色作為基本的語言符號。在材料的使用方面，諸如墨，水，和宣紙，他保持了傳統的純粹性。而傳統文人畫中所追求的筆墨變得相對次要。但子人的作品還是正在形成自己的一套語言格式，例如多使用一些清淡的長短不一的線條，顯得鬆散而隨意，透著濕潤的墨與色，畫面上隨處可見到未經修飾的筆觸，平添了恬淡而自我滿足的輕鬆感。他不追求語言的完美性，但卻逐步衍生出自己藝術語言的完整性，一種看似隨意的，輕鬆的，娛樂性的，表現性的視覺面貌出現。這樣的面貌給你以這一派純任天然的面貌，仿佛在戒除學院化的精英化的趣味和格調， 使之更加接近生活與感受的真實，有血有肉，有體溫的真實性與現實感，如同波德萊爾筆下的多羅泰。這樣的真實性不是依靠對現實生活場景的寫實性描繪，而是來源於與每一個當代中國都市人生活經歷相關的現實情景的敏銳與真切的把握與傳達，尤其是對感情生活的各個側面與細節很敏感的女性而言，子人的畫更有不可代替的表現力和感染力。
雖然子人的作品的靈感來源於今日中國的現實生活，但作品中浸透著西方晚期印象主義和超現實主義藝術的精神格調，也有象徵主義的某些微妙借用。所不同的是，子人使用的藝術語言卻是中國傳統的繪畫材料。
子人對於中國人物畫的發展和演變的研究是極其深入和縝密的。，從他那厚厚的碩士論文中也可以體現出他對中國水墨人物畫的梳理與思考。這與許多畫家的強調感性是不同的。從這個意義上講，子人的畫更多的是學者的畫，是更嚴格意義上的“文人畫”。
摘自 張朝暉《畫女人 讀生活——觀雷子人作品有感》
雷子人的畫總有清新、率性之感，畫中的人物就像鄰家的女孩、男孩，親切，感性，好做夢，體現了當下青年人在日常生活中所揮發、耗散的一種詩意。飄忽的夢境與幻覺，作為他童年記憶的延續，早已成為他一塵不染的精神家園。這個家園似乎可居可遊，他隨時可以遁入，也隨時可以逸出。雷子人自由出入于現實與超現實這兩個空間，對他而言，其中並無界限、阻隔。他骨子裏又是一個浪漫的唯美主義者，從現實生活到內心的往返過渡和穿梭，雷子人可以在畫中不動聲色地加以實現，由此，那些面目不清、神似而形不似的水墨人物形象漸漸沉潛下來，傳神地揭示出青年人尤其是青年女子心理層面上的隱秘。
雷子人試圖打造一種個人話語優先的語境。即便是表達的一種幻想、一種寓意，使用的仍是同樣的語匯，使用他最熟悉的女孩、男孩形象。這其實就是一種“入境”的努力，他對表達真實有所期許，並帶有一定的文化反省和社會批判的態度。他的人物具有莫名的孤獨感。即便畫面有兩人、多人也互不應對，狀態迷茫、疏離。表面情色的畫面，卻無激情燃燒。觀者在畫面上真正看見的是裸露的人性，以及人與人之間心理鴻溝。這些畫面人物並不真實，但卻真切地指向全球化社會條件下的每個個人。2005年《水性》系列、《新古意》系列和2006年《聖水》系列，則代表了雷子人試圖回到中國傳統人文精神上的一種努力。對他而言是“出境”。他以逃向精神家園的方式，完成對現代社會所有難題的一次逃避式的超越。古人的閒情逸致是這一觀念的最好注腳。雷子人進得去、出得來的活躍身段，使他成為一個頻頻跨界、觸犯保守規條的藝術家。這也令他獲得自我批判的勇氣。
摘自 顧振清《出境與入境》
雷子人無疑是當今年輕一代藝術家中的佼佼者。
他的大量作品突出地體現了一種感受力，即感悟生活的能力（所謂才氣，這才是最主要的一條），並充分地利用和調動了他自身的生活經驗，諸如“不落的童話”、“鄉村情結”、“都市體驗”、“戀母”、“情色”、“懷古之想”等等。創作時，既是憑著記憶率性隨意，興之所至，也在同時借助於想像力，作了一番移花接木般的精心“嫁接”，於是便産生了一幅幅流露著幾分親切，幾分陌生，幾分詭異，幾分詼諧，幾分荒誕，幾分神秘，幾分生動的畫面。 畫面中總是暗藏著一種不確定性因素，加之題材和表現角度不斷變更，奇思佳構猶如泉涌，故令人有目不暇接、難以捉摸之感。由此便可見，他首先是一位造“境”（創造“情景模式”）的高手。然而，造“境”的目的卻在於入“境”。入“境”的含義據雷子人的理解是在於“體驗生命狀態”。故而雷子人作品中那些感性而美麗（尤其是那些千姿百態、萬般嬌媚的女子）、傷懷而迷離的畫面，無不流露出一份真性情，並貼近我們的心靈。 故國神遊，常懷韆鞦之憂（“逝者如斯”）；男兒本色，盡現人文關注（現世情懷）。而且常常是詩情與禪意交融，童心與文心並具，既表現得直白而激情洋溢，又不時地體現出一種有節制的雍和之美。總之，深切的生命關注和一種積極入世的新文人氣質構成了他作品中顯目的亮點。
摘自 陳孝信《造“境”與入“境”》
子人繪畫所展示的那個情色世界十分類似于曹雪芹在《紅樓夢》中所塑造的大觀園，那裏姿態萬千的眾女子都是寶玉“意淫”的對象。“意淫”不同於“皮膚淫濫”和“好色不淫”。“濫淫”只有性的成分，“不淫”沒有性的成分，“意淫”則界于二者之間，它消減了生理上的直接性和強迫性，增加了想像上的豐富性和含蓄性，是人們對情色世界進行自由觀照的惟一方式。與火一般燒灼或泥一般渾濁的濫淫不同，意淫總是如水一般澄靜。子人的畫之所以能給人一種總體上的水的感覺，一個很重要的原因就在於他揭示了一個只可意淫的、水一般的情色世界。
隨著時間的流逝，《紅樓夢》中的大觀園開始頹敗，那個水一般的情色世界逐漸毀滅，無限美好的有情之天下終究是一個太虛幻境，人們最終必須面對那個現實世界註定是個無法澄清的染缸。這是《紅樓夢》讓人警醒、引人深思的地方。子人的畫中也體現了這種思考。畫家借畫面中出現的那些神態各異的小男人表達了這種思考，他們有的驚異，有的木然，他們在觀看著，思考著。這是一種複雜的、不確定的思考，也許沒有人能夠完全了解他們的思考內容。
只要體會到畫家的這種沉思，就不難感受到子人的畫面所隱約傳達的一種惆悵。這種惆悵源於美好世界終將何去何從的疑問。那種水一般的情色世界最終會像水一樣傷逝無痕嗎？對於在中國文化中熏陶起來的人們來説，答案似乎不幸地是肯定的。兩千多年前的夫子就有“逝者如斯”的感嘆，踞于水的境界的最高點的就是傷逝，這是在這種感嘆中成長起來的中國文人的一種獨特的情愫。
摘自 彭鋒《水的境界》
在中國當代水墨畫壇，雷子人脫穎而出，適逢其會。因為都市人業已適應並認同了虛擬之圖和變態之象；又因為整個中國當代繪畫正在走向平和與專業化。
雷子人水墨藝術的精神源頭有三：不求形似，聊寫逸氣的古文人創作心態；夏加爾、畢加索等西方現代畫家形式化幻象的余緒；中國浪漫文學傳統。
雷子人畫中的男女主題，非關情感與慾望，甚至逸出了審美。沒有感官的愉悅和性事的念想，相反，那些符號化的兩性形態，總是提示著生命的無狀和靈魂的困頓，愈是親密愈是疏離。在這一點上，雷子人觸及到了現代人的心靈現實。
從本科、碩士到博士，雷子人一直都在中央美院。處中國最大學院之門戶卻看不出正統氣息和譜係面目，與田黎明、劉慶和、武藝的成功途徑相倣，他也是以非美院的姿態投入探索性實踐而自具標格。雷子人的藝術，再一次讓我們對學院派和現代藝術教育重新加以考量。
“是國際化，還是民族化？抑或愈民族愈國際？我想，還是取諸造化，及于身心來得便當。”我在１９９４年的《中國畫》上發過這樣的議論。對於藝術來説，再高級的策略，再宏大的志向，都無法代替個體的性靈與作為。中國當代藝術是顧及“本土”還不夠，更要深入本心和本性，這才是正道。雷子人正在這條道上從容行走，可以漫步，可以遠征。
摘自 鐘儒乾《散議雷子人》
雷子人作品注重情感的抒發，注重對情調的捕捉。無論是風箏放飛的情節，還是樹下花前的情侶，都看出雷子人對時光易逝的感慨與濃郁的懷舊情緒。優秀的作品大都給人惘然若失進而意猶未盡的感受，其中的奧妙就在於作者的悲天憫人之情。雷子人努力挖掘的情感因素就體現了一種懷舊的情感。對愛情的表述是雷子人的又一個話題。相愛的人沉溺在半是睡眠半是陶醉的情感之中，是雷子人對愛的題材的基本表述，完成著作者對愛的理解。纏綿繾綣與似水年華，是雷子人咏嘆的主題。
摘自 郭曉川《今日中國美術》展覽卷撰評
雷子人對水墨語言的感悟體現在背離與消解筆墨精熟狀態後舒緩從容的意致中。這是一種工寫結合的手法：一氣呵成的灑脫被置換成斷斷續續的隨意用筆，人物的描寫運用了自由的暈染，背景的鋪陳則以寫意的方式出之。透視關係既不符合西方強調中心結構的焦點法則，也不符合傳統中國畫的散點“三遠”法。形像是散置的，隨著意境、氣氛的變化而變化著，或者説，變化著的自由的人物組合、空間透視營造了不同的意境和情感氛圍，因而産生了一種散漫的氣息，這種散漫無疑是畫家某種失落情緒的釋放。他試圖遠離現實生活的喧囂，尋找一片平和寧靜的生存空間。畫家審美記憶中美妙的生活片段被精心地編織在一起，具體的時空轉換成一種似真似幻的理想化境地，仿佛真實的人物處於虛幻的夢境之中，這種荒誕意味使人感到畫家內心的虛無與茫然，流露出畫家對生存狀態的關注和對個人體驗的深入洞察，暗示了當代人感性生活和感受方式的深刻變化。
摘自 韓朝《今日中國美術》首卷撰評
His early works focus on the existing mentality of urban youth, with quite some “gentleness” and “innocence”. The imageries express the tender attachment and pure innocence of youth. His master of brush and ink indicates a continuation of the composition and ink manner of traditional Chinese painting.
The multiple aesthetics in Lei Ziren’s works during his postgraduate program suggests he entered into an active exploring period with many new imaginations and urgent experiments. Instead of dealing the style and ink problem within Chinese painting, he chose to focus on the comparative research of Chinese and foreign art, fuse then on base of the Chinese painting tradition, and face directly to the issues of association between artwork and artist. His recent works explore the cultural conditions in brush and ink composition from visual pattern perspectives. The earlier sketch-like life segments transform into a research of figures’ graphic composition and color relationship in close and medium shot, and by the setting of surreal scenery, he enhances the subjective expression in Chinese painting tradition.
His tenderness to life is closely related to his sensitivity to the material and emotions in Chinese paintings. He tries to fuse the traditional aesthetics in Chinese painting into his understanding on the contemporary frame of mind. His aspirations to surviving and development, as well as his longing to beauties always bear me momentary movement in front of his paintings. It is hard to explain whether the movement origines from the missing of past time, or the expectation to future life. He patiently portrays the trance of youth and the insistence of love. In his paintings, I feel the life’s transitoriness from the bright sunshine and clear water in mountain forest, imagine the tide-like people coming and go on streets, and the mentality they fuse themselves into life.
Yin Shuangxi, Forword for Lei Ziren’s “Into Context” …In his early works, he recorded the dreamlike childhood and youth, and communicated his reluctance to the lapse of time and illusion by introducing urban elements and presenting landscape in a brief way. We might claim he was painting time at this period. Then he spent three years on the master program, when a noticeable change happened in his works. Less attention is paid the landscape details, but more focused to the figures themselves occupying much bigger proportions than before. We may say he is painting space.…
…Lei Ziren never considers himself an ink painter, but the figures’ spatial composition and shaping does reach a perfect balance of content and form, as well as ink taste and sense of physical reality.
…Lei Ziren moves from consciously expressing the reality ridiculous and lose with traditional ink painting, to consciously explore the expression of Chinese ink painting in his own way, continuously cast off circumstances and illusion, while gives special attention to the figures. It seems a lost of true-life, but in fact reach the true-life in a deeper sense, which almost determines the surviving of a painting class in contemporary life. With the condition permitted, if he could further expand the space of this true-life in later explores, to return his painting to the luxuriant life itself, it will be the renovation time for Chinese (ink) painting.
Gao Ling, From Painting Time to Painting Space—on Lei Ziren’s painting Lei Ziren is obviously away from Modernism to be closer to Postmodernism. It does not suggest he uses any postmodern format, instead, he express some experience of non-modernism or non formalism. It seems a big topic, but a simple issue in fact. On base of his own experience, he returns to himself step by step. The self he is returning is a self in broad sense, the original life. The process is no simple at all. Unlike He does not appropriate aboriginal form as Joan Miro and Henry Moore, nor copy ancient cultural icons into ink painting. From his painting, one can hardly identify any traces of symbol or pretending. All is natural.
In fact, sex is not the real subject in his works. By sex he returns to the original life, the natural life. At the time we experience the expressive force from his manner, he also restores his own life. The manner origins from his life experience—not the direct experience of reality, but of the nature of life, or in another word, the “original state of life”. In process of returning to original life, his art engenders, motivates our life impulsion, and moves us. He owns what we lack.
Yi Ying, Original State—on Lei Ziren’s Paintings Lei Ziren’s recent works include some fable-like paintings, e.g.
We can discuss his works from other perspectives, of course. For example, he never sticks to particular pattern, but shows his talents in multiple fields, e.g. oil painting, ceramics, figures, landscape, etc. and refers various styles from Classical works to Modern ones. It indicates his juvenility more or less—although it is not a bad thing, but shows a vitality from his heart. The only uncertainty I feel in his process to be more free and skilled, is whether he maintain this awkward sense rather then becoming slippery. As Zheng Panqiao’s claimed, “one can only be skilled when he paints awkwardly”, but even Zheng himself failed to realise it. Wish Lei Ziren could do better than him.
Jia Fangzhou, Art and People—Lei Ziren’s Painting in my view
Ziren seldom cares to be said away from the art circle. He appreciates the elegance in earthliness, while those immerse in the art circle can hardly comprehend it depending their imagination. In recent years, the frequent fresh looking appeared in Ziren’s works surely relates to his tendency to accept and adapt to the world. His works always surprise me. I cannot help associate it with his quiet, willful and carefree lifestyle. Meng Haoran (poet in Tang Dynasty) said “The inspiration of my poem rest on the donkeyback in wind and snow.” I believe, the emotions of Ziren’s painting mostly origin from somewhere deep in the conventions. Ziren seems quite talented and delighted in exploring these hidden inspirations.
Ancient intellectuals intonated folk style proses after bacchanal and elegant music. The prose they chanted are undisputable nice verses. People in nowadays may give someone a cold shoulder, or sneer at another behind his back. Their words, sights and poses might be trivial, but can achieve nice works as well. It is nice to find Ziren shares the common idea. He appreciates the conventions with a carefree aesthetic attitude, and creates art with a carefree conventional sight. As his friend, what else can I do other than happy for him?
Wang Jiulou, The Tao of heaven plays no favoritism but only sides with the good man–Impression of Lei Ziren
Being different from New Generation artists, Lei Ziren presents more “gentleness” and “innocence” in his works. His works show us no dramatic conflicts and excitement usually seen in the works of important subjects, nor cynicism and reckless deformation. The imageries of boys and girls express a tender attachment and pure innocence of youth. His dealing of brush and ink indicates a contextual succeeding of BA Da SHAN REN’s composition and Fu Baoshi’s ink taste in
The different aesthetics in his recent works suggest he is entering into an active experiment stage, with so many new ideas to be tested urgently. The most importantly, his vision appears increasingly broadened, no longer limit the problem solving of the brush and ink style within the field of Chinese paintings, but focuses the comparative research of Western and Chinese aesthetics, and tries to fuse them on base of Chinese painting traditions.
Yin Shuangxi, “Heart-Originated Circumstances”--on Lei Ziren’s Recent Chinese Paintings Lei Ziren is a quiet poet of illusion. Indoor scene, figure drawing, or city landscape—whatever his works subject on, they always integrate the poetry from his heart. He ceaselessly slides transforms from one subject to another, but never “search” subject by means—he encounters them in life, transfer subject into low-voice murmuring, and present reality as traces of memory and life. With the transition on subject, his visual form and language turns richer and more complicated, while always express the subject in the simplest way. If, one day in future, he walks out of illusion, sinks into common conventions with his poetry disappeared and his technique refined, his works would be no more interesting.
Yi Ying, Illusion and Its Context—Impression of Lei Ziren’s painting
Lei Ziren’s ink paintings express rich conception through simple subject and ink-dealing without the least exaggeration and showing off. His brief but subtle depiction of figures response to the intentionally awkward brushstroke, express a romantic emotions but without any vulgar dexterous and sweetness.
His figure paintings integrate not only the tradition of Chinese ink painting masters e.g. relique from Dai Jin and Chen Hongshou, but also that of Western Modernism founders, e.g. Cezanne and Matisse. Obviously his inspirations also come from his practices in analogical fields, e.g. illustration, design, paper-cut, ceramics, etc. The ink painting experiments of combining modern form and folk art custom has been a popular manner in contemporary renovation of ink painting language. As a member of the younger generation from Central Academy of Fine Arts, Lei Ziren inherits and develops the renovation tradition of academy figure painting system. The uniqueness of Lei Ziren rests with his dispatched attitude on combining other art forms. He represents a new generation who feel more relaxed and casual to combine and choose between Chinese and Western, tradition and modern, folk and classics. From the very beginning, they are open to various visual experiments, their ink painting experiments not necessarily emphasize any particular pattern, nor neglect any part of man’s visual culture.
Shao Yiyang, On Lei Ziren’s recent works
His art practices include ink painting, oil painting, and ceramics, all with a prolific achievement, but mostly focus in field of ink painting, esp. figure painting. He “plays art”, but does not play the skills of brush & ink, nor playing the role of superficial “recluse”.
He shows special sensitive and mastering of pattern (shaping、modelling, shading and dying, composition, etc.). By all-embracing while leaving no trace, he presents a unique eclectic style (which is also to be broken). The most importantly, he keeps a solid persistence in the practices of ink painting innovation. I believe, his great potentials in practice will assure him continuously working our perfect art in future.
Chen Xiaoxin, Recommendation of Lei Ziren, Art Documenta
As postgraduate of Prof. Li, Lei Ziren has created quite some experimental works in last two years including his dissertations, which attract a wide attention to him.
Tian Liming From Lei Ziren’s works, we can obviously identify the influence from great Western painters, e.g. Matisse, Marc Chagall, and Picasso. He has quite good sense of ink painting. Although not majoring in landscape painting, he also painted several ink landscapes, which cannot be the best works in the field, but give a definite sense to landscape, and more importantly present an accurate sense of brush and ink as well as modern composition. For art, sense is something the most difficult and significant, something inexpressible but decisive.
Qiu Zhenzhong, Multiple Open-up, Spur with Long Accumulation-- Synopsis of the third Studio teaching and learning reference, Art Research, No.3, 2003,
Lei Ziren’s painting include many elements, but all fuse into a characteristic whole. His dealing on subject, expression and painting has no alienation to our daily experience. We can easily walk into his scene, to watch and appreciate together with him…This is an ideal result, but also with potential crisis, that is, his language is not “estranged” enough. In another word, he uses just some ready expressions, rather than shaping them into new “language”. For example, we can find he masters some “traditional” skills, and also some foreign means—it is almost the common methodology for Chinese painters in last hundred years to seek “renovation”, including masters like Lin Fengmian and his generation and later generations, no further than that. Lei Ziren’s paintings hide some potential talent—casual, willful, occidental, flexible, etc. With a good use, it is possible for him to work out surprising and admirable result, but if treated carelessly, it is also possible to become light-minded and weak.
Li Xiaoshan, Do It better The figures in Lei Ziren’s paintings look like segments disengaged from particular time, space and context. The concept of time and circumstance seem no longer important here. As traditional Chinese painters, he tries to present a quiet and placid state in the works. But in fact, most of his figures sourced from particular scenes in reality. He just seek some comparatively peaceful ones and re-fabricate them together into ideal forms. Then the figures in his paintings mostly exist in romantic context. Obviously the painter makes a subtle but essential change between the original resources and final presentation.
In his paintings, we can clearly sense the real conflict originates not between local vocabularies from two different places, but between the life faith catalyzed by art language, and the reality experience dominated by social reality. As a painter talented of ink language, Lei Ziren tries to believe he can integrate the crushed personal experiences by his own method, just as did by the admirable masters. But the development of real life leaves him no space to escape the emotional domination. As indicated in both his language and subject, he always fight off the emotional expression, but can never completely control the emotion release. Based on this sense, I prefer to consider Lei Ziren a painter expressed between dreaming and awaken, rather than someone who paints illusion. Comparing to some painters with similar vocabularies, he neither indulge into unreal dreams, nor swallowed by cheap emotional expression. The significance of his works rests on the conflict between his disposition and emotion. During the unconscious release of this conflict, we capture some charming traces of the humanism value’s inner change in a transitional period of Chinese culture.
Pi Li, Behind the Quietness Lei Ziren paints quite similar to some “Impressionism” masters including Marc Chagall, Odilon Redon, William Blake, etc. He “documents” some dreamlike illusions. But the passed experience tells me, he is documenting our youth, our university life. Lei Ziren often associate them with childhood memories. I cannot imagine what nice feelings the bygones e.g. “Pick Lotus” and “Fly a Kite” arise in his heart, and push him paint them tirelessly them in different circumstances. He is in fact painting time.
Wu Jin, Forward for “Lei Ziren Exhibition” Lei Ziren is doubtlessly an outstanding one in the younger generation of artists.
His prolific works gives out a particular ability to experience and comprehend life (which is the most important element for “talent”), as well as a fully using and arising of his personal experience, e.g. “no-descending fairy tale”, “village complex”, “urban experience”, “Oedipus complex”, “Eroticism”, “Meditate on the past”, etc. He willfully deals his memory, even produces some fine “graft” by his imagination, thus the final imageries present a mixture of intimate, strange, funny, ridiculous, mystery, and vivid. His paintings always hide uncertain elements, plus the ever-changing subject and vision, and continuously springing ideas and design, viewers feel hardly follow up his imageries and ideas. This proves him a master of creating context.
Context is created to be entered. Lei Ziren understands “entering context” to be “experiencing life”. So both his sensible and beautiful imageries, esp. the sweet and charming girls, and his sad and misted pictures reveal his true emotions closely related to our heart. “Mentally re-visiting the homeland, always nourish a thousand-year misery” (Time goes on like river-flowing), “the true manhood, show completely humanism solicitude” (this-life consideration). His works often blend Poetry and Zenism, and childishness and literature accomplishment. His expression is frank, passionate, while communicates a graceful beauty. Anyhow, his deeply concerning to life integrates well with his neo-literator temperament—actively participating into social life, to jointly enlighten his works.
Chen Xiaoxin, Create Context and Enter Context
Lei Ziren presents his talent on contemporary Chinese paintings at a right time—urban people have already adapted and accepted the virtual and abnormal imageries, and Chinese contemporary paintings are generally moving towards a more peaceful and professional direction.
Lei Ziren’s ink paintings spiritually originate from three sources: the ancient art philosophy which focuses the releasing inner feeling rather than seeking physical similarity; the aftereffect of the Formalism illusion by Western modern painters e.g. Marc Chagall and Picasso; and the tradition of Chinese Romanticism literature.
The man & woman theme in his paintings is not necessarily related to emotion and desire, even exceed aesthetics realm. They present no sensory pleasure and wanting of sex, but on the contrary, these sexual signs always indicate imperceptible life and exhausted soul. The more intimate, the more alienated. On this point, Lei Ziren touches the spiritual reality of modern people.
Lei Ziren takes his BA, MA and PhD in Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). Although positioned in the top academy in China, he never shows up as a member from orthodox system. Similar to Tian Liming, Liu Qinghe and Wu Yi, he takes a non-CAFA pose to characterize his experimental practices. His art push us reexamine academy art and modern art education.
“Internationalization or nationalization? Or the more national, the more international? I prefer the idea of absorbing natural essence to benefit body and mind.” I made this argument in
Zhong Ruqian, Free Discussion on Lei Ziren Lei Ziren’s works stress emotional express and sentimental seize. Either imageries of sky-flying or couples among blossoms and trees communicate his sign on the time lapse as well as intense nostalgia. Great works always make one feel at lost while still want more because of artist’s deep sympathy to universe and mankind. The emotional element Lei Ziren explores embodies as nostalgia in his works. Love is another major issue for him. People in love always enmesh in a sleeping-like inebriety—it is his basic expression in his works, by that he accomplishes his understanding to love. Tender attachment and fleeting time turn to be his real theme.
Guo Xiaochuan, Exhibition Volume, Today’s Chinese Art Lei Ziren’s comprehension of ink painting reflects on his easiness after deviating and decomposing the adeptness of brush & ink skills. He integrates the fine-brush and freehand-brush skills in traditional Chinese painting: he displaces the smart brushwork without letup into broken strokes at random, uses free demitint for portraitures, and arranges free-brush background. His perspective fits neither Western system of focus perspective, nor the traditional Chinese system of scattered perspective with the “San Yuan” principle. His imageries are scattered to vary with context and emotion atmosphere, or in another word, the flexible configuration of characters and perspectives form a changing context and sentimental atmosphere. As a result, it gives out some loose breath which doubtlessly release the artist from sense of lost. He tries to apart from the uproaring reality to seek a peaceful living space. The sweet sections in his aesthetic memory are delicately fabricated together. The concrete time-space transits into an idealized condition between real and hallucinatory, as if real figures living in fantasyland. The sense of absurd communicates artist’s inner nihility and lost, reveals his attention to surviving condition as well as his insight to personal experience, and indicates the profound change in contemporary sentimental life and experience manner.
Han Chao, Volume 1, Today’s Chinese Art