My Father’s Stage II reflects the profound influence of Wang Zhaoju’s father, who devoted his life to rural opera. Whenever the village staged performances, his father worked tirelessly behind the scenes. In Wang’s memory, he never once sat down to watch an entire opera, leading Wang to assume for years that his father did not truly understand the art form.

One day, Wang asked his father’s opinion on the renowned Yuju performer Liu Zhong He, known as the “Red-Faced King.” His father replied simply, “He sings well.” When pressed to explain why, he answered, “He sings very effortlessly.” In their hometown dialect, “effortlessly” meant with  mastery and ease. In that moment, Wang realized his father understood opera deeply: the highest realm of art lies precisely in its unforced grace and natural fluency.

In this work, Wang brings together three generations: his father, the artist himself (standing behind), and his son (wearing a dark blue patterned hat). The composition symbolizes a legacy bound by devotion to the stage and expresses hope that the dramatic traditions of their native soil will continue to flourish through future generations. Though he cannot grant his father immortality, Wang offers this painting as his most profound tribute and enduring remembrance.