Written by | Qiu Shuwan
Source | Interface art
Every hot-blooded boy has a dream of military service.
Baptized in the midst of war, infected from heroes, the river of time flows endlessly, and each generation of soldiers has its own responsibilities and glory. The military camp has also become a gathering place for many aspiring young people in the motherland and a "melting pot" for tempering their youth. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the theme of military camps has once again become an important creative direction for artists. And how to shape different generations of young officers and soldiers, closely integrate artistic creation with the style of the times, capture materials and find bright spots in the flying youth imprints of young officers and soldiers, and truly tell the story of young officers and soldiers. In this regard, Li Qingyi's oil painting "Bo" may bring us some useful inspiration.
The work "Bo" is currently being exhibited at the "Struggle" exhibition of the Shanghai Art Badai Art Museum
Compared with military themes such as heroic legends and war storms, the biggest advantage of barracks life is that it is closer to the real life of young officers and soldiers, more grounded, more contemporary and appealing. The post-80s painter Li Qingyi enlisted in the army when he was in college, and "Bo" depicts a moment when painters and comrades-in-arms play "riding horses and fighting" after training. At that time, the troops served by the painter were on a mission in Qamdo, Tibet, and the competitive games played by the soldiers in between the training at the shooting range left a deep impression on Li Qingyi. After retiring from the army, Li Qingyi returned to college and created the first military-themed work "Fight", which was used to commemorate the unforgettable moments of his military career.
This work depicts young officers and soldiers, this generation has a dare to love and hate, frank and romantic personality, while having a strong sense of self-assertion, innovation and personality stretching. How to tell the story of contemporary young officers and soldiers? How to display the posture and mental outlook of officers and soldiers? Li Qingyi has his own understanding and opinion, and for this reason Interface Art conducted an exclusive interview with the painter.
Interface Art: From a military identity to a professional artist, please introduce your own learning experience, why did you choose the road of art?
Li Qingyi: Speaking of his own artistic enlightenment, the earliest was in elementary school, following a classmate to draw villain paintings, his father was painting Chinese paintings, the painting of the downhill tiger is particularly stunning, now I want to come to the impression is very deep, he painted well, I will learn from him, the books and tables are small people, the painting is not good, but I was really happy in it, I can't help myself! Later went to junior high school, followed by the art teacher surnamed Liang officially began the road to professional sketching learning, at that time also did not understand why to draw these cubes of the sphere, is to feel that I can see the painting down to appear quite cattle, while learning to sketch, while still painting the villain painting, haha, the villain painting accompanied me through the primary school junior high school era, think that it should be the embryonic stage of art creation! At that time, there was no environment in this area at home, and I did not know where the masters of China and the West were sacred, but I knew that the paintings in the art books were very beautiful and beautiful, and to paint them, I painted a lot of black and white decorative paintings at that time, and I was satisfied with looking at these paintings, and it was this sense of self-intoxication of achievement that made me persist until today, painting is really happy!
Later with the art admitted to our local city's best high school Yanzhou a middle school, when the entrance to say a little shameful, professional results should be in the grade countdown, but the culture class is not bad, in the grade of the first and second, which can make my art professional teacher anxious, the culture class is so good, the professional is very poor, then the teacher let me have to work overtime to catch up, usually in school to paint, the weekend back home also to paint, The habit of painting at home continues to this day (I also painted a lot of landscapes and still lifes at home during the epidemic last year)! In high school, the teachers in the school took good care of me, especially Teacher Yu, who laid a solid foundation for me to draw! The school also often invites some professors from colleges and universities (Tianmei, CAFA, Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, Lumei, Qushida, Shanyi, etc.) to the school to attend classes, and that time really benefits a lot! In the fourth year of high school, I came to Songzhuang in Beijing, followed by the expressionist oil painter, my mentor Professor Li Lun studied painting, oil painting also began to contact in this period, Teacher Li often said, "What I teach you can not only cope with exams, but also help you go farther and farther on the road of art in the future"!
Some of the landscapes and still lifes copied during the 2020 epidemic
Now think about it, really so, those knowledge is still useful, in 2007 also finally as desired to be admitted to the East China Normal University Fine Arts Department, the university four years and had the honor of getting to know Tang Yaozhong, Liu Qiyi teacher, Wang Yuan teacher, Song Xiaofeng teacher, Wang Haidong teacher, Zhou Changjiang teacher and other famous teachers, my professional quality and vision has also been greatly improved and developed, this period of the attempt direction is still more, there are materials, there are planes, there are realistic, there are impressionists, there are abstract, At that time, I did not have too clear a direction for my own artistic creation, so I followed the teachers to contact different things.
Later joined the army, and then retired, came back to follow the mentor Professor Tang Yaozhong, studying for a master's degree in Western art oil painting, Tang teacher pragmatic professionalism let me benefit for life, take the idea of realistic figurative painting is more and more clear, this stage of creation is mainly based on figures, still life scenery as a supplement, the creative technique is based on oil painting direct painting method, in recent years, because of the hometown, the thought of relatives, also painted a series of family portraits and still life paintings, looking at these works, drifting outside me, There is also a little more comfort in my heart! Painting familiar life and people is the direction I want to create more and more, it is painting that gives me a window to express my mood, there is this industry, fortunately, happy! The road is long and the road is long, and I will seek it up and down!
The work "Homecoming"
Interface Art: What inspiration was the work based on? Can you share the story behind it and what techniques are used?
Li Qingyi: The work "Fight" was actually called "Fighting on Horseback" at the beginning, but later changed the name when exhibiting, and I felt that the word "Fight" could better reflect the fighting spirit of soldiers! The first draft of this work was conceived in 2013, and the official painting of the work was in 2014, and then it was continuously adjusted and revised until 2016. I returned from the army at the end of 2012, started graduate school in September 2013, and since I returned from the army, I have always been unforgettable about the bits and pieces of the army, and I often dream of returning to the army at night, and I always wake up with sadness and joy!
When I was in the army, I looked forward to being discharged from the army as soon as possible, returning to school to study, painting, and really coming back, everything in the barracks at that time was so unforgettable, the troop's wake-up number, the exercise number, the lights out number, the emergency assembly number, the intertwining of blood and sweat on the training ground, the common happiness and hardship among comrades-in-arms, even the northwest wind that penetrated the clothes in Hebei winter made people miss, and it was this kind of thought that made me have the impulse to create my army life! The direction of my creation is no longer those scenes of charging forward, or training hard, I mainly start from the game activities of the soldiers resting and gaping, reflecting the entertainment side of the soldiers!
"Bo" 128× 2016 160cm oil screen
In the troops, usually military training is the mainstay, training intervals, squad leaders, platoon leaders, company commanders always have endless competitive games, what "400 meters confrontation", "horseback fighting", "cockfighting", "overwhelming mountain", "la song", etc., these games not only test the physical strength of the soldiers, but also the test of the teamwork spirit between the soldiers, everyone is fighting wits and courage, playing is not fun! "Forever striving for the first" is a burning fire in everyone's heart, this kind of daring to fight, hard work, not afraid of losing, is not exactly what we soldiers should have a fighting spirit, this is also the spirit of struggle that our society has been advocating, this is the original intention of changing the name!
Detailed drawing of the work "Bo"
The protagonist of this work is four warriors riding "horses" to fight, the moment of "fighting", the picture in order to reflect the tension, I put the characters on both sides to the edge of the picture, and focused on depicting the expressions of the two people facing the audience and the arms that used their full strength, hoping to give people a sense of strength; the picture activity is happening in Hebei, the original behind is a one or two0 meters high target wall, considering the beauty and composition of the picture, and I hope to give the picture a regional background, I replaced the target wall with the scenery of Langla Mountain in Qamdo, Tibet. I did stay in Qamdo, Tibet for 7 months during the army, as a stability maintenance unit stationed in Tibet in the past, I think there is a background for stability maintenance, the picture can reflect a greater significance, in order to enrich the atmosphere of the picture training ground, I added two walkie-talkies and a military kettle, as well as small shell casings scattered on the ground; the picture is green tone, in order to maintain the balance of color in the picture, I arranged a red flag at the back of the picture, this red just echoes the red epaulettes of the soldiers! The basic use of this painting is direct painting method for creation, and later in the part of the picture, indirect painting method is used to cover dye to highlight the warm and warm picture atmosphere!
Detailed drawing of the work "Bo"
Interface Art: Has University Barracks Life Changed and Affected Itself? Can you share your personal insights?
Li Qingyi: Enlisting in the military was a dream I had when I was very young, there was a cousin in the family who was born in the military, every time he came to my house, he was wearing a heroic green military uniform, that kind of tall and mighty military temperament, which deeply affected me, my cousin was my idol, at that time, many of my photos were wearing green military uniforms, wearing large brim hats, and buying small plastic pistols, all of which were foreshadowing for me to join the army later!
To the fourth year of undergraduate, immediately graduated, just then I was fortunate to be guaranteed to be a master's student of the university, according to common sense, I should graduate normally, go with the flow to continue graduate school, then heaven gave me a chance to complete the dream, I did not hesitate, in fact, my parents did not particularly approve, but they have always been very democratic in my education, let me make my own decisions, on the road of dreams, I bravely won! And the school is also very humane, I went to the army for two years, the school reserved for me two years of research qualifications!
Before going to the army, I often heard people say that "I regret being a soldier for two years, and regretting not being a soldier for a lifetime", I have been a soldier, but I have never regretted it, and 2 years of military life is the precious wealth of my life! In the barracks, obeying orders and listening to commands is the natural duty of soldiers, orders are the goal, with orders, soldiers must fight hard and go all out to work toward the goal, no matter what difficulties and bumps there are, they must take down the "mountain", and this spirit makes me feel very deeply. Life will always encounter this kind of difficulties and problems, this kind of fighting spirit buried in my bones, let me know that I can face bravely, brave is not not afraid, but even if afraid, I have to face and go on, I think this is a spirit of struggle!
The work "Pointing the Country"
In addition, in the army also has a deeper understanding of a word, that is, "standard", the standard here refers to a high-quality requirement for doing things, a high standard, doing things not only to be completed, but also to be beautifully completed, such as the troops' tofu block quilt, such as the placement of all people's towels must be a line, the tilt of the toothbrush placement is also a line from an angle, this kind of training that seems to ordinary people to be a little paranoid, let me be very useful in social work! In the work of the unit, with the concept of this "standard" guidance, the work done is far higher than the general standard, which is supposed to be for themselves, for the people around them, they think that this is the unique temperament and habits of the soldiers, this is a gift left to me by the army, this is the good quality cultivated by the military camp, in terms of artistic creation, there will be this kind of standard awareness, this standard is not completely blunt and decent, but the high quality and high standards of doing things, In fact, military life has brought me not only these, but also many, how valuable such an experience is, grateful for the barracks, grateful for dreams!
Interface Art: Participating in this "Struggle" exhibition, how do you understand the youth style and the spiritual inheritance of struggle in the new era?
Li Qingyi: We were born in a great era, a great country, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is imminent, the country is strong, let us enjoy the comfort of the prosperous world! This ease is not a lazy stop, but gives us an environment of stable struggle! I was born in the late 80s of the last century, and now I am in my 30s, watching the country change several times for more than 30 years, becoming stronger and stronger, and feeling the beauty of the times! As young people in the new era, we should not only enjoy the prosperity of the present, but also ride the wind and waves, and we should be down-to-earth to contribute to the national rejuvenation! As a young artist, I feel honored to participate in this "Struggle" exhibition and be able to exhibit together with many previous predecessor works, as well as my responsibility and mission. The spirit of struggle will continue to be inherited, for their ideals, for the ideals of the society, dare to fight, struggle unceasingly, and strive for the society to cultivate more talents who understand beauty and create beauty!
Artist Introduction
Li Qingyi was born in 1987 in Yanzhou, Shandong. In 2006, he studied painting with the painter Professor Li Lun in Songzhuang, Beijing. In 2007, he was admitted to the Fine Arts Department of East China Normal University in Shanghai, where he studied under Professor Tang Yaozhong and Professor Liu Qiyi. From 2010 to 2012, he served in a unit of the Armed Police force, and graduated from East China Normal University in Shanghai with a master's degree in oil painting in 2016. Now working and living in Shanghai, committed to the integration of art education and art exploration, has always regarded "foreign teacher creation, the source of the heart" as the motto on the road of painting exploration, the creation of works mostly based on realist themes, the technique is mainly figurative realism; oil painting works have participated in domestic and foreign art exhibitions many times, and some works have been collected by individuals and institutions in Singapore and China.
Exhibition time: September 12, 2021 - March 31, 2022, 10:00-18:00 (closed on Mondays)
Venue: Shanghai Art PATH Art Museum
Exhibition Address: Shanghai Songjiang District Wangjiapu Road 885 Lane Yunbao Future City Art and Creative Park