毛栗子是改革开放后成立的“星星画会”的发起人之一，由于参加了第一二届星星美展与星星十年展而于国际艺坛曝光，之后又到法国巴黎美术学院任客座教授，此后定居巴黎。近年来毛栗子游走于欧洲与中国，在北京的798也设立了他的工作空间。对中西文化的理解与感受，建立在一个更加具体的生活经验的基础上。早期毛栗子的作品曾经达到超级写实主义的高度，他所描绘的北京的胡同大院的木门，达到令人惊叹的乱真程度，一个地下的烟头，一个墙上的划痕，都能使我们的眼光久久留驻和品味。而他近期的作品，却转向另一个极端，将抽象与实物结合起来，笔刷与其刷出的色痕，同样是高度真实的现实，就笔触与色痕来说，我们可以理解成抽象的绘画轨迹，但就墙上与布上的颜料来说，这却是现实中的真实物象，但又是一种具有符号意义的象征。毛栗子的作品游走于超级写实与超现实的虚幻之间，看似随意，而实则精心安排，大面积的空白给作品的构图留出了充分呼吸的舒畅，而中国传统文化的虚实相生、动静结合也因此展现出一种前所未有的新意与禅机。

殷双喜(中央美术学院教授、艺术评论家与策展人)

【摘自承启：新东方精神】

　　Mao Lizi is a founding member of "The Stars Group", which was established soon after China opened its doors after the Cultural Revolution. He became known internationally after taking part in the first two "Stars" exhibitions, as well as "The Stars: 10 Years" show. Later he was appointed a visiting professor at the ?cole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, which has become his permanent home ever since. In recent years Mao divides his time between Europe and China, and owns an office in the '798' arts district in Beijing. His understanding and feelings about Chinese and Western culture is based on his real life experiences. Mao's early works are characterised by a hyperrealist style. His rendition of a wooden door from a Beijing courtyard house is stunningly lifelike, arresting the eye with details like a cigarette butt on the floor and a crack on the wall. His recent endeavours, however, show a different approach to art making through combining abstract elements with real objects. The paint brush and the paint marks it made are both very "real" - we can look at the brushstrokes and paint marks as "traces" left by abstraction, but the paint on the wall and cloth are nonetheless real objects from life, albeit highly symbolic in significance. Mao moves freely between hyperrealism and surrealism. Beneath the casual appeal of his art lies much thought and care in the planning of the works. The vast expanses of blank white gave the compositions ample breathing space. At the same time, adopting the contrasting elements of the virtual and the real, the active and the passive found in Chinese traditional culture infuses his works with a new, interesting flavour and exciting possibilities.

Yin Shuangxi

(Professor at Central Academy of Fine Arts, Art Critic and Curator)

Selected from【The New Spirit of the East: Bridging】