Qilu Evening News Qilu one-point reporter Chen Xiaoli
In China, liuli has a history of 3,000 years, and its quality resembles beautiful jade. With the advancement of technology, modern glass art has continuously innovated and broken through on the basis of tradition, and gradually formed a new vocabulary system.
Recently, qilu evening news qilu one-point reporter interviewed Wang Ziyan, representative inheritor of traditional glass making skills of the intangible cultural heritage project in Tianqiao District and a doctoral student at the University of Edinburgh, to talk about the inheritance and thinking of glass arts and crafts for culture.
"Abandon the subject and follow the art" to learn the most basic arts and crafts
When he saw his works enter the national museum and the national art gallery, Wang Ziyan, as well as his relatives and friends around him, knew that his choice of "abandoning science and following the art" was correct. Love is the biggest driving force.
In 2009, Wang Ziyan entered Shandong Normal University to study digital media art. After graduating from university, I also worked in digital media. "It really made me learn to doubt life," Wang Ziyan joked, "the biggest feeling of studying and working in those years was that the field of high technology was not suitable for me." ”
Maybe only after doing something you don't like can you really understand what you like. Two years after graduating from university, Wang Ziyan re-entered the graduate school of Shandong Academy of Arts and Crafts, majoring in art and design, mainly studying arts and crafts.
As a post-90s generation, The growth of Wang Ziyan was also accompanied by the technologicalization of social life in the mainland. However, while technology has made our lives easier, it has inevitably brought some troubles. For example, the use of various communication tools has gradually swallowed up the boundaries of work and life.
"We can start working on work at any time, we are so caught up in work that a lot of times the line between leaving work and not leaving work is very blurred." Ojihiko does not adapt to or dislike such a life, "I feel that life is controlled by convenient technology, of course, the problem is not the technology itself, but the people who use it." ”
When choosing the direction of life again, Wang Ziyan had a clear idea, "Since I don't like the field of science and technology so much, it is better to learn something that is completely opposite to it, and choose the most basic thing to learn." ”
Wang Ziyan introduced that there are many things in the study of arts and crafts, there are practical directions, such as making lacquerware, pottery, glass, and research directions, such as the history of arts and crafts, Wang Ziyan chose the glass art production that he is most interested in.
Craftsmanship brings together all the elements that are the opposite of modern technology
In the flames with temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Celsius, the glass slowly deforms and emits a dazzling light. As the temperature drops, it cools down and settles into a unique shape, forming another breathtaking color. This process made Wang Ziyan feel the charm of glass art making.
"Glass is an art, and for most of us, we don't know much about it." Wang Ziyan said that glass art has not been a popular art classification in the mainland.
Love can withstand the long years. In Wang Ziyan's view, glass handicrafts bring together all the elements that are the opposite of modern technology. "The anxiety of those new technologies can be partially, even completely, let go when doing handicrafts, and is a possible way to resist." This is also the direction and content of Dr. Wang Ziyan's research project.
"Craftsmanship is the interaction of people with tools and materials, unlike computer software, we can only interact with tools." Wang Ziyan said that handicrafts can make people think more, and touching those natural materials with their hands will inevitably have more reverence for nature.
Natural materials themselves have their own limitations. Wang Ziyan further said: "In the specific production process, we know what is 'can be' and 'can't be done', how to make 'undoable' into 'can be', what efforts we need to make for this." This is an empowerment of raw materials to human beings and a symbol of human wisdom. ”
Many people do not know that as a traditional material, glass is currently the only transparent raw material that humans can make. "Glass can be both transparent and opaque, and glass has more and richer layers than other traditional craft materials." Prince Yan said.
Accidentally completed his most satisfactory work "Garden"
"Garden" is one of The Prince's most satisfactory works so far, and has also been exhibited in the National Museum, the National Art Museum, and the National Gallery of Bulgaria, and it is this work that has established Wang Ziyan's confidence in creation.
Wang Ziyan's "Garden"
And the release of this work, in The view of Wang Ziyan, somewhat coincidental ingredients, "the color of this work is actually not related to my original design idea", Wang Ziyan said, according to the original design idea, the materials wanted to use were just used up, leaving only blue and green materials.
After seeing these two colors, the white wall dewa in the Jiangnan garden, the color of the green green mountains, and the poetic classical aesthetic atmosphere of changing scenery entered Wang Ziyan's mind.
"Just give it a try with the materials you have." Artistic achievement can come from focused thinking, but also from clever hands. When the work came out, Wang Ziyan's heart was filled with joy, and a touching work of art was born. Subsequently, "The Garden" has entered a number of museums and art galleries, so that more people can feel the charm of glass.
The work "Bright Moon Night" is full of the concept of modern life, and at the same time conveys the artistic conception of ancient poetry.
Ojihiko's Work "Tomorrow Night"
Talking about the original intention of creating the work, Wang Ziyan said: "In contemporary society, our lives will inevitably have a state of loneliness and alienation, and the moon in the upper right corner is our self-condition. But we are still precious, clear, and will have our own light. ”
Unlike "Garden", "Bright Moon Night" is a design work that Wang Ziyan hopes to mass-produce and share with more people who have the same feelings.
Another work, "Impression Square", was exhibited in the 2nd National Arts and Crafts Exhibition and the Invitation Exhibition of the 2nd National Museum of Arts and Crafts of China in 2021.
Wang Ziyan's "Impression Square"
"Even today, when we advocate minimalist style, we should still not be afraid to pursue complexity and multi-layered. This is the aesthetic pursuit formed by Chinese culture for thousands of years, based on our rich land and strong and profound culture, and using contemporary art to pursue the fundamentals of its own culture, which is what I hope to achieve in my works. Prince Yan introduced.
Glass handicraft is the inheritance of traditional culture and the art of the future
In China, Liuli has a history of 3,000 years and is superior because of its beauty and jade quality. With the advancement of technology, modern glass art has continuously innovated and broken through on the basis of tradition, gradually forming a new vocabulary system, showing a diversified trend full of the atmosphere of the times.
"Craftsmanship may be one of the solutions to the problems that people encounter in modern society, such as excessive busyness, the disappearance of the boundaries between life and work, and the homogenization of life." Wang Ziyan said that it implies many characteristics that cannot be mechanized and homogenized, and some unique things that belong to human nature.
Because of this, Wang Ziyan believes that glass handicraft not only represents traditional Chinese culture, but also a future-oriented art.
Wang Ziyan's "River Mountain"
In Wang Ziyan's view, as a Chinese, he has an irrevocable identification with Chinese culture. "Especially after going abroad, I discovered how strong and profound my identification with Chinese culture is. This identity and cultural identity may suddenly jump out at any moment or in any scene and flash through the brain. ”
And this sense of cultural belonging is also deeply rooted in Wang Ziyan's creation. "As contemporary young people, we must project the contemporary way of life and the contemporary thinking formed by it into our works." Wang Ziyan said that this projection should carry a cultural background that he recognizes, and this cultural background has been deeply imprinted into his way of thinking.
Wang Ziyan said that a work of art with the genes of traditional Chinese culture expressed in contemporary language will certainly help spread traditional Chinese culture and ideas.
"If we only reproduce the ancient classics, in fact, we have lost direct connection with our lives, and such a production is probably a wood without a source of water, and it cannot establish contact with the people in our contemporary life, and if we cannot appreciate and use them ourselves, then let alone cultural transmission?" 」 Prince Yan said.
"Many times, arts and crafts represent the state of life of our country and are a manifestation of our lives. They are like an advertisement for our way of life, and people in other countries can learn about our culture through arts and crafts. ”