Li Keyan (1907-1989)
Text | Wu Xujing
Mr. Li Keyan's artistic achievements may come from a million reasons, but I think the most important thing is his own maverick thinking and physical practice. There are three sentences of his that have influenced me deeply. In the 1940s, Mr. Kozan proposed "use the greatest skill to fight in, with the greatest courage to play out", I summarized this sentence as "the context".
Li Keyan Autumn Fun Figure 48cm×67cm
"Punch in" is where it comes from. Mr. Li Keyan continued to go deep into traditional calligraphy and painting, learning Shi Tao's Eight Greats in his early years, and later learning his pen method from Qi Baishi, and then learning the ink accumulation method from Huang Binhong, and later chasing after the Tang and Song dynasties. The principle of "drilling in" is like drilling a well, the deeper it is drilled, the easier it is to find oil. "Playing out" is where to go.
Li Keyan Pine Shade Grazing Figure 69cm× 45.5cm
The tradition of Chinese painting has always paid attention to the inheritance of master and apprentice, Chen Chen Xiangyin, but Qi Baishi said: Those who learn from me are born, and those who are like me die. Li Keyan studied from Qi Baishi for ten years, but it is almost impossible to see him copy Qi Baishi's works, what he learned is the root of Qi Baishi, the soul in Qi Baishi's pen and ink, which is Mr. Li Keyan's rare courage in painting.
Li Ke Dye Fish Rice Town 64cm× 44cm
"Playing out" is more embodied in breaking the tradition and breaking yourself. When the tradition is mastered to a certain extent, how to break through itself has become the biggest problem. Just like Qi Baishi's phrase "even if you starve to death in Jinghua" will also decay and change the law, Mr. Li Keyan also dares to reshape himself.
Li Keyan Shi Tao Poetic 60cm×31cm
He traveled three times in his life to sketch outdoors, borrowing some elements of Western painting such as backlight, light and shadow to strengthen the expressiveness of traditional Chinese painting, dealing with the relationship with creation in sketching, and then boldly transforming to achieve his own unique style. Having the courage to play out is a prerequisite for becoming a master.
In 1959, he sketched with students at the Summer Palace
"The courage of the precious, the soul of the one who wants" is the self-encouragement seal of Mr. Ke Dye. Courage is to have the courage to blaze new trails, that is, to have the courage and courage to sacrifice oneself and forget death in art. The soul is the spirit, the realm. With my courage, I will work hard to create the spirit of the times and my own unique artistic spirit. That's what this phrase means. In this way, it is enough to shake the mountains and the sea, and awaken the sense of change of several generations of modern Chinese artists. Mr. Li Keyan has never pursued difficult theories, and his own painting context is also very clear, but all of his words are practical and all said in the lifeline.
In 1962, he took students to sketch in Guilin
He also has a party seal that is "three thousand waste paintings". According to his wife, Mr. Zou Peizhu, in his later years, his family often did not have to buy hand paper, because Mr. Kejian's waste paintings piled up into mountains. Mr. Kan said that he was a bitter school, a white-haired schoolboy, and there was not much great reason for painting, that is, a lot of practice, an epiphany, and a thousand worries.
Li Kejian Cattle Herding Figure 63cm×40cm
He likes to paint cattle precisely because he advocates the cultivation spirit of cattle and the hard-working tenacity of cattle. Just like Pu Songling's self-encouragement, "Those who have lofty ideals can accomplish things, break the cauldron and sink the boat, and the hundred and two Qin Passes will eventually return to Chu; the bitter hearted people will not bear the burden, the salary will taste the guts, and the three thousand Yue Jia can swallow Wu." This is the most obvious truth, but it is also the most inspiring.
Li Ke Dye Emei Autumn Color 51.2cm×45cm
These three sentences represent three different aspects of the artistic road, and are also the artistic growth process and mental process of Mr. Kejian. As a person who also has a background in Western painting, among the many masters, I am the closest to Mr. Li Keyan. How he cut from Western painting to Chinese painting and cut into tradition has a very great inspiration for me, and these three sentences have long been imprinted into my bone marrow, because I also advocate hard learning. Mr. Kejian's artistic thinking and artistic practice will always guide us to explore the mysteries of Chinese painting art.
Li Keyan Shi Tao's Manjiang Yiyan 68cm×45cm
Li Kejian Xiangjiang Pavilion 69cm×46cm
Li Keyan Cunkou Avenue 35cm × 44cm
Li Ke Dye Xiangxue 57cm×45cm
Chongqing Mountain City in the Sunset Photo 45.4cm×53cm
Li Keyan Wanxian ShanshuiCheng 52.5cm×39.5cm
Li Keyan Emei Mountain Qingyin Pavilion 58cm× 44.5cm
Li Keyan Lotus Pond Summer Map 88.5cm×52.3cm
Li Keyan Overheard crickets chirping 68.5cm×45.5cm
Li Keyan Spring Rain Jiangnan Map
Li Keyan Bridge Pavilion Tingquan Figure 68cm× 46cm
Li Keyan Summer Palace 44cm×55cm
Li Kejian Tiger Creek Three Smiles 59cm×48cm
Li Keyan Xunchun Figure 68cm× 42cm
Li Keyan Lotus 67cm×46cm
Li Keyan 33.5cm×34.5cm
Li Ke dye Ox-figure 70cm× 46cm
Li Keyan Shepherd Boy 49cm×57cm