在对中国现当代美术有兴趣的人们心目里,水天中是一位有成就的美术史论家,他的文章在学术上清晰而严谨,但不乏风趣和情味。一贯重视历史事件、社会环境与美术作品的关系,是水天中美术史和美术批评文章的特点。有时,人们并不完全出于专业理论的需要读他的文章,而是由于他的文字有其特殊的韵味: In the eyes of those who are interested in Chinese modern and contemporary art, Shuitian is an accomplished art historian whose articles are clear and rigorous in academic terms, but there is no lack of humor and lust in his works. It has always attached importance to the relationship between historical events, social environment and fine art works, and is a feature of the art history and art criticism in Shuitianzhong. Sometimes people do not read his essay exactly for the sake of professional theory, but because of the special flavor of his writing: