On July 21st, I went to Weifang Round Hall Art Museum to see Mr. Wang Ke's painting exhibition "The Deepest Concern". The weather is hot, the guests gather at the scene, and the atmosphere is "hot".
There is a girl playing the guqin in the exhibition hall, and many people take photos and videos of her, but she is melodious.
Mr. Wang Ke was quite famous in Weifang many years ago, and when he is mentioned, some people will always say, "I know him, I like to draw old men playing chess". Today, he is the leading figure of modern ink painting, and the successful creation of major historical themes can shine in history. can return to his hometown, return to Weifang, the works on display, in addition to his grand masterpieces, the other half, is still his "old man", pine, plum, bamboo, chrysanthemum, bluestone, qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine and tea. Mr. Wang said that this is the peach blossom source in his heart.
What is different from the past is that in this exhibition, there are more old men playing the piano than playing chess in "Peach Blossom Spring", and all of them are recent works. Guqin, and Jing Qingyuan, ranked first in qin, chess, calligraphy and painting, is the instrument of the sage, but also the chant of the literati's heart, compared to the wisdom of the game of Go, it seems to be more able to express Mr. Wang's current state of mind.
In recent years, Mr. Wang Ke has two classic works that express "bosom friends", one is "Boya and Zhongzi Period", and the other is "Shuangbi on the Sea" (Wu Changshuo and Wang Yiting). From the serious attitude of the painting, it is not difficult to see the degree of Mr. Wang's heart, bosom friend and piano, which touched the heartstrings.
"Two Wonders at Sea"
"Boya and Zhongzi"
I was fascinated by his peach blossom paradise. At the beginning, I felt a sense of relaxation and breathing, which is rare in the work.
Entrance to the exhibition hall
The exhibition hall is elegantly furnished, with a cluster of green branches peeking through the small windows, a breeze blowing, and the leaves moving lightly. The wind seems to flow from the painting.
Inside the exhibition hall
Inside the exhibition hall
The painter Liu Min stared at the few landscape sketches in the exhibition hall for a long time, and whispered that such a blank space is really bold, and it has an ethereal feeling. In fact, there is not much white space in some pictures. Gao Shiya's collection of pictures, in the small bucket square, the gamer, the violin caress and the tea boy, the picture is very full, and there is even a long inscription, but it still makes the viewer feel that the breeze is slow and leisurely.
In particular, some sketches of flowers and birds, the composition is very traditional, and it is easy to fall into clichés, but because of his brushwork, the picture is ancient and smooth, and the breath is very free, and it seems that you can see the slightly raised corners of his mouth when painting. "The art of painting is the most difficult to cast", these works are well-deserved "masterpieces".
In fact, Mr. Wang Ke's sense of relaxation seems to be felt in all his paintings, including large-scale thematic works such as "Qin Shi Huang's Unification of China", "Hong Kong and the Xinhai Revolution", "The First Climax of the Workers' Movement", and "Wayaobao Conference". These well-tempered works, with many characters with different shapes and spirits, thick and dignified thick and light colors, and deep and sincere emotional expressions, but for the viewer, the picture is still "breathable", there is no sense of oppression and heaviness, only admiration and emotion.
Hong Kong and the Xinhai Revolution
As Mr. Yang Dawei, a member of the Art Theory Committee of the China Artists Association and a professor at Zhejiang University of Media and Communication, said at the academic seminar, "The biggest difference between a good painting and an ordinary painting is that it does not make you tired." Mr. Wang's paintings are exemplary in this regard. Placing mountains and rivers and many figures on a single plane, the composition is never cramped, and the ability to find and express space is the difficulty and innovation point of contemporary ink painting. The painter relaxes, so that the audience also relaxes, this is Wang Ke's ability to brush and ink, and more importantly, his talent."
"Workers' Movement + First Upsurge"
Relaxation is a popular word in recent years. Netizens' interpretation of the sense of relaxation is also quite interesting: you can listen to the wind, watch the clouds, and be a lazy bone; It can also be as cool as the wind, wild as a dog, not likable, but also free.
Teacher Wang Ke's sense of relaxation is surprising. In the eyes of his friends, he has a simple heart and a simpler appearance, self-discipline, tolerance, diligence, and kindness, and a good person is synonymous with him. In addition to painting, the ability in other areas is even more staggering. Professor Zhou Chizhou, chairman of the Weifang Oil Painting Society, who was a colleague of Weifang College, said that Wang Ke won the ranking in the dumpling making competition held by the school, and he could make more than 20 dumplings in one minute. When they were studying at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, they lived in the same room, and Wang Ke painted until one or two o'clock every night, but he would get up at five or six o'clock in the morning, and he would wake up to eat breakfast together. His small hair, the famous painter Shi Zhenhua said that Wang Ke can not only cook, but also sew clothes and knit sweaters!
In the circle of painters, there are not a few talented people, but there are not many "perfect people" (Professor Zhou's words) who are not strange, not lazy, not cool, not wild, gentle, courteous and thrifty, and have a sense of responsibility and are liked. On the opening day of the exhibition, the organizers were a little panicked, the hall was full of 200 chairs, and the back was also crowded with people who came to congratulate the exhibition. What's more, from a middle school teacher to a doctoral supervisor, over the years, he has to lead students, engage in creation, and complete national projects, which is still a major historical theme...... It's quite tiring to think about being a person and doing things at this point, and it seems that it is difficult for people to relax with their inner potential and external environment.
Some people say that East Asians, who have been tense all their lives, cannot imagine a real sense of relaxation. I am curious about the source of Mr. Wang Ke's sense of relaxation.
Watch his characters over and over again, revolutionary leaders, poverty alleviation models, disaster relief fighters, anti-epidemic doctors, as well as old couples in northern Shaanxi, Qinghai-Tibet pilgrims, and Gannan Mountain Liwa...... The people he captures and carefully shapes with his heart are the ones who make him feel moved and even moved.
Academician Zhong Nanshan
"Fire Warrior"
Suddenly, I found that these characters of different eras and identities also have some common qualities: pure, persistent, optimistic, and bright. Ideals and love have always been a kind of superpower, and this power either comes from the situation of the snow-capped mountains and plateaus, or from the baptism of faith and righteousness. Under its light, hardship and hardship are just a background board, which further reflects the clear eyes and clean hearts.
"Mountain Baby"
Magical Snow
Teacher Wang Ke said that a painter's artistic concepts and expression techniques should be consistent with his temperament and personality. It can also be said that a painter paints himself. Wang Ke's dedication and persistence in painting over the years stems from pure love; With a tolerant and optimistic temperament, he can always tap the flowers that bloom in the suffering and the positive energy full of vitality. Therefore, the revolutionary aspirants and "bosom friends" in his pen are calm and noble, which is a kind of praise for perseverance; His Shanliwa is pure and shy, the young firefighter smiles plainly and sincerely, and his Loess Plateau series is called "Happy Northern Shaanxi". We can easily find Mr. Wang Ke's smile and demeanor from these characters. Perhaps, because of such a trait, others see him painting and cooking very diligently and hard, but in fact he just enjoys it and never gets tired of it.
"Contextual Flow"
"The Deepest Concern"
I really like to watch Mr. Wang Ke's circle of friends, and I insist on treating people in the circle as friends. Almost every one of them has a small essay, "hold an art exhibition for yourself", praise friends and talk about yourself, simple and interesting. He painted his peach blossom garden, saying, "A few strokes are easy to paint, just to rest, just to be happy, maybe this is the meaning of painting."
Some people say that Wang Ke is too simple, and he is the painter who is most unlike a painter, and those who do great things are "unknown to everyone" in his pen. Mr. Wang replied: "Simplicity and kindness are my principles of life and my lifelong artistic pursuit, and I only hope that my paintings can convey a simple and true emotion." In fact, his simplicity is not a kind of self-determination. He also expresses himself, but instead of putting on a peacock's tail and swaggering around, he speaks through his works. His simplicity is a kind of "ease", knowing who he is, what he likes, and what he wants to do. His freedom generates an aura that infects the people around him.
Perhaps, the answer to relaxation lies here. A life full of relaxation should be to live in love and live as you like, just like Coats strokes the piano and plays music string songs, just to please yourself, regardless of small skills. The pianos on the picture are all stringless, and the title "But the fun in the piano, the sound of He Lao's strings" is the music of Tao Yuanming's outside the strings that does not flow in the world.
For Mr. Wang Ke, there is no need to dress up like a painter, and there is no need to put on a big pose, let alone go to Nanshan to plant chrysanthemums to be calm. "Simple and the world can not compete with it", accept yourself soaked in the world, simple thoughts, prosperous life, and a peach blossom source in your heart, which is enough.
(Text/Dou Jie, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Weifang Daily, Member of China Literature and Art Critics Association, Director of Shandong Literature and Art Critics Association, Chairman of Weifang Literature and Art Critics Association)
(Source: Weifang Literary and Art Critics Association)
Artist Profile
Wang Ke, a native of Weifang, Shandong. He is a professor and doctoral supervisor of the Academy of Fine Arts of Capital Normal University, a member of the 13th and 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a member of the China Artists Association, a member of the Chinese Painting Art Committee of the China Artists Association, and a member of the National Art Creation Committee of the China Artists Association.