"Lingnan Art Master Studio"
Media series coverage
Text, picture, video / Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Zhu Shaojie Literature and art intern Yang Rui
Feng Shaoxie, born in 1964 in Puning, Guangdong, is currently the vice president of the Guangdong Academy of Painting. He is a first-class artist and a member of the presidium of the Guangdong Artists Association.
Feng Shaoxie in the studio
【Enter the studio】
Drawing starts with getting yourself excited
Feng Shaoxie, vice president of the Guangdong Academy of Painting, said that he was an otaku with only three hobbies: painting, watching the news and drinking tea. This can all be achieved in the studio.
"Every day when I finish my work, I have to go back to the studio, sit down, drink tea, and feel very down-to-earth." For decades, Feng Shaoxie had developed such a habit. The small studio that the Yangcheng Evening News reporter walked into with him is located in Liede, Guangzhou.
Feng Shaoxie said that he set up different types of creations in different studios. "Guangzhou is more convenient for transportation, so I do small creations or rest places. I worked in Foshan in my early years, so there was a bigger, more rudimentary one over there for big paintings. ”
Maritime Silk Series "Red Head Boat" (oil painting)
Feng Shaoxie said that the Foshan studio was hidden in an old-style residential building, and he was accustomed to the light there, which even became a necessary creative atmosphere for his paintings.
"Maybe because no one can find me there, painting is not easily affected." Talking about the relationship between the painter and the studio, the "otaku" emphasizes that the painter's time is precious, and the unnecessary social interaction can be avoided, and the avoidance can be avoided.
"When I paint some large-scale themes, I really can't stop, and I have to stay up until two or three o'clock in the middle of the night, almost every day."
It can be seen that Feng Shaoxie is an "impulsive" artist. Problems and emotions are always in his mind, and they will be inspired by a certain detail or moment of daily life.
At the beginning of 2021, when Feng Shaoxie was listening to the news while driving, a car next to him drove by and was playing the song "The Great Wall Never Falls", which immediately reminded him of the international news events that were happening. Back at his studio in Foshan, Feng Shaoxie set out to create "China, Rise!" A painting is a week.
"Some people like sports, but I don't like it. Everyone has their own way of maintaining health, and I think quiet is the best. Painting is the same, you can't use the same pattern to apply to the heads of different individuals. ”
Feng Shaoxie said, "I have noticed that there are now some oil painters who seem to have fallen into dogmatism and only focus on imitating the methods taught by their teachers. But if you only imitate a certain technique, how can you make the work exciting? ”
In Feng Shaoxie's view, painting must first excite itself, and then it is possible to impress the audience. A few years ago, in the process of creating the "Maritime Silk Road" series, Feng Shaoxie shut himself in his studio, closed the door and created endlessly.
China, Rise! After the completion of the book, Feng Shaoxi, who had not left the house for more than ten days, took a selfie full of cheeks and beards, and recorded his full dedication in this way.
Watching the news is a hobby and a source of inspiration
"I emphasize the epochality of art, and large-scale theme creation has always been my main direction, and I have always hoped that I can walk in front." Watching the news is Feng Shaoxie's hobby and his inspiration for many years.
In 2003, Feng Shaoxie's first solo exhibition was held at the National Art Museum of China, a series entitled "Concern for the Chinese Cultural Market", which focused on a number of his works on the theme of what he saw and heard in the work of civil servants. Since then, he has returned to the field of literature and art that he loved since childhood, and opened an artistic path with the creation of a series of themes as the main focus.
"Member of the Communist Party of China - Zhong Nanshan" (oil painting)
The huge oil painting "Member of the Communist Party of China - Zhong Nanshan" is a re-creation inspired by Feng Shaoxie's news screen, and his small portrait with the same title was given to Zhong Nanshan himself.
Academician Zhong Nanshan said: "I have paid attention to this work a long time ago. He also said that when he saw this painting, his thoughts also returned to the anti-epidemic scene in Wuhan, when the epidemic was very severe, and his mood was also very anxious, "This painting painted me more haggard, but it truthfully reflected the situation at that time." ”
In recent years, this painting has appeared in important domestic exhibitions many times: "The Great Journey, the Picture Scroll of the Times - Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" held by the National Art Museum of China, "Beauty in Science and Technology - Exhibition of Fine Arts works on the theme of science and technology in the collection of the National Art Museum of China", "Beauty in Cultivation - New Year Exhibition of the National Art Museum of China", etc., "Centennial Fanghua - Exhibition of Centennial Party History in Fine Arts Classics" held by the Propaganda Department of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee of the Communist Party of China... None of them were absent.
A few days ago, after the work was permanently collected by the National Art Museum of China, Feng Shaoxie accepted the invitation to create a work of the same title again, which was permanently collected by the National Museum of China. In fact, it also had a relationship with the National Museum of China before:
In 2020, in the "Unity of Purpose - Anti-epidemic Theme Art Works Exhibition" held by the National Museum, "Zhong Nanshan, a member of the Communist Party of China - Zhong Nanshan" was displayed in the most conspicuous position at the entrance of the exhibition hall.
Tell the Chinese story well with oil painting
For a long time, Feng Shaoxie has been committed to creating works that express the theme of geopolitical conflict, but artistic expression often requires an image entry point. In the work "China, Rise! In ", he chose to use the lion as the main body, depicting a lion representing the Chinese nation staring at the ever-changing sea.
He believes that the Chinese nation has endured all the hardships, and the sleeping lion that was once covered with scars has long since awakened and stands majestically in the east of the world. Although the history of a hundred years of humiliation is far away, the memories left behind have stung the hearts of countless Chinese, and the alarm bells have been ringing for a long time.
Centennial Guangzhou Series" 1941 Guangzhou Town Record Dock (oil painting)
"To tell the story of China and Guangdong well, the artist has an unshirkable responsibility. Painting is an art that transcends language, and oil painting has a natural advantage in this regard. Feng Shaoxi has repeatedly toured the world with his different series of works.
From 2009 to 2011, the "Centennial Guangzhou" series has held exhibitions in London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington and other places, and from 2015 to 2018, the "Maritime Silk Road" series has toured Bangkok, Malacca, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Macau, New York, Beijing, Moscow and other places.
Every time Feng Shaoxie travels to a place, he can feel the enthusiasm of the local audience. But after finishing his work and activities, he returned to the quiet side, in addition to visiting local art galleries and museums, he "stayed" in the hotel room, watching the news and drinking tea. "I don't like to hang around, I don't like it."
【Art Talk】
That tear is the soul of the oil painting "Zhong Nanshan"
1
Yangcheng Evening News: When artists create current themes, how do they face massive information and complex emotions?
Feng Shaoxie: Remember the Spring Festival of 2020, the outbreak of the new crown epidemic caught people off guard. At that time, I stayed in the studio all day, and like everyone else, I was always paying attention to the progress of the fight against the epidemic.
In mid-February, Academician Zhong Nanshan, who appeared at the press conference, made me burst into a thought: to paint an oil portrait of Academician Zhong that represents this moment.
This idea of creation allowed me to release the emotions that I had brewed and accumulated during that time. I was very excited, said just do it, and immediately picked up the cigarette box at hand to draft, and then contacted the art supply store to find a better canvas.
After a sleepless night of conceiving, I started to brush on the canvas of 180cm × 230cm the next day, and for half a month, I ate and lived in the studio to complete this work.
"1930 Xiguan Residence, Guangzhou" (oil painting)
Yangcheng Evening News: There must be many creations of the same topic for major events and major characters like this.
Feng Shaoxie: Yes. During the epidemic, many works of art with corresponding themes have indeed emerged, including a large number of works painting Zhong Nanshan. Professional painters are painting, amateur painters are also painting. Everyone wants to show this spirit of daring to take responsibility and fulfilling one's duties on Academician Zhong Nanshan, which shows that this is a consensus and a call. However, objectively speaking, the level of creation is also uneven, and it has also caused some controversy, so I will paint Zhong Nanshan again, and the pressure is not generally large.
In many cases, writers and artists cannot come to the scene in person. But in this era of information development, we can rely on news to create, but we must have our own uniqueness.
So I chose the news picture of Zhong Nanshan taken by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei as a reference, but put on a mask and a coat for the characters. My idea is that this avoids both getting caught up in copying photos and showing the specific news event in which the character is in.
2
Yangcheng Evening News: In so many creations of the same topic, why has your work received so much attention?
Feng Shaoxie: Probably because I focused on Mr. Zhong Nanshan's feelings of worrying about the country and the people and his complicated inner world. In the news clip, I noticed in particular the moment when his eyes were moist when he was interviewed. At that moment, he must have thought a lot, but there were many emotions that were inconvenient to express directly.
Even if we are engaged in the creation of themes, we cannot lay out the direct narrative, but must express and capture the complexity and uniqueness of the characters in order to impress people.
Frankly, the tears were added later. At the beginning, I thought that it was said that Communists shed blood and did not shed tears, so at this critical juncture, is it good to have tears? So I tried to wipe it off, but finally added it. I myself shed tears because of this, and I hope that the work will resonate with everyone.
Now it seems that it is right to keep the tears. The tears that the boy did not flick can be said to be the soul of this painting. In the past, many of Zhong Nanshan's works were painted extremely similarly, but if there is no unique way to express the thoughts and souls of the characters, but only paints like them, what is the use?
Maritime Silk Road Series: Vung Tau Shipwreck, Vietnam in 1690 (oil on canvas)
Yangcheng Evening News: What are your thoughts on theme creation?
Feng Shaoxie: Large-scale theme creation has always been my main direction, and I have always hoped that I can be at the forefront. In my mind, art is not just a wind and snow moon, not just a small emotion of an individual.
Those things are promising and useful as ornamentation, as a daily joie de vivre. As a cultural person, we still have to look at the present from the height of history, culture, and home and country feelings, and create some good works to reflect the responsibility and responsibility for society and the nation.
Therefore, from "Pay attention to the Chinese cultural market" in 2003, to "Pigeons in the Middle East" in 2006, "One Hundred Years of Guangzhou" in 2009, and "Maritime Silk Road" in 2015, I have always hoped to adhere to the exploration of this aspect, and maintain a freshness and advantage.
A painter who is truly capable should paint more works that can be left for history.
(For more news, please pay attention to Yangcheng Pie pai.ycwb.com)
April 17, 2022 Yangcheng Evening News A7 edition
Chief planner: Du Chuangui Lin Haili
Overall Coordinator: Sun Aiqun Chen Qiaosheng
Executive Coordinator: Deng Qiong, Wu Xiaopan, Zhu Shaojie
Organizer: Yangcheng Evening News Group
Cooperation unit: Guangdong Artists Association Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts Guangdong Academy of Painting Guangdong Museum of Art Guangzhou Sculpture Institute
Source | Yangcheng Evening News Yangcheng Pie
Editor-in-charge | Deng Qiong
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