Author: He Guangrui
In modern age, freehand flower-and-bird painting becomes dominant in Chinese painting. It is rational and inevitable. In general, all traditional Chinese art and literature knowledge are about the perfection and distillation of “human”, knowledge about “mind”. And the presentation of philosophy and mind usually can not be done without “imagery”. To communicate with “nature” and “source of mind” through “imagery” to reach harmonious unity of nature and human. Freehand-style flower-and-bird painting is more direct, sufficient and free in constructing the form with spirit and achieving the expression of spirit by changing imagery.
As his understanding and mastery of freehand-style painting got better off, he fell for painting lotus.
Lotus can be seen everywhere and everyone can paint it. But if all painters keep pursuing for the similarity in form, no one can do better than a camera. What makes difference is a heart which is soaked by cultural spirit and a pair of poetic eyes. Before “perceiving an object”, we must purify our heart first. Art exploration and life experience interact with each other. Wang Laiwen’s choice of painting lotus is to discover his own heart and mind rather than to add a new lotus painter.
Lotus is an important “imagery” in traditional culture.
For a freehand-style painter, what he paints is not the most important because whatever he paints, his ultimate pursuit is to paint “himself/ego”. Such “ego” is an aesthetic ideal in constant improvement and distillation, a “bamboo in one’s heart” which arouse his “keen interest of painting”. Sayings like “One’s painting is just like the painter.” “Study for ego” “lively art” all have profound meaning.
The real art, like real spiritual practice, is a process of making life change. Conversely, what keeps unchanged can never be real art.
Wang Laiwen is making changes all the time. I have known him for over ten years. His artwork features have had several big changes, from simple and cheering at the very beginning, to refined in some period, then to profound and wildly free at present.
When opening Wang’s great freehand-style painting of lotus series, the first impressive thing is its beautiful lines.
The change of ink colors is another “theme” of Wang Laiwen’s painting.
Wang Laiwen also keeps something “unchanged”. His faith, devotion and modesty for art is quite outstanding among the artists I acquainted.
He told me that freehand painting was by no means painting “at will”. “Painting needs passion. But the growth of a painter requires more rationality. A painter should careful and calmly think over what problems to solve, which aspect to be enriched and what content to enrich it at every stage .”
Undoubtedly, Wang Laiwen is a scholarly painter. His open views, excellent mastery of philosophy, profound thinking, wide involvement in various art fields and his abundant social experience can support him to go further in the path of painting exploration.
In this age of rapid change and overflowed information, Wang Laiwen still keeps a peaceful mind as always and devotes himself to conversation with brush, ink and paper day after day. Because he knows very well that he cannot bypass constant practice with brush and ink and knowledge accumulation; except for this, there is no other way to draw a good Chinese painting.
2012
Change is achieved because of keeping something unchanged.
2012
Purify Your Heart Before Perceiving An Object.
–– Exploration into Wang Laiwen’s Freehand-Style Flower-and-Bird Painting Art
Author: He Guangrui
In modern age, freehand flower-and-bird painting becomes dominant form of Chinese painting. It is rational and inevitable. In general, all traditional Chinese art and literature knowledge are about the perfection and distillation of “human”, knowledge about “mind”. And the presentation of philosophy and mind usually can not be done without “imagery”. To communicate with “nature” and “source of mind” through “imagery” to reach harmonious unity of nature and human. Freehand-style flower-and-bird painting is more direct, sufficient and free in constructing the form with spirit and achieving the expression of spirit by changing imagery.
As his understanding and mastery of freehand-style painting got better off, he fell for painting lotus. Lotus can be seen everywhere and everyone can paint it. But if all painters keep pursuing for the similarity in form, no one can do better than a camera. What makes difference is a heart which is soaked by cultural spirit and a pair of poetic eyes. Before “perceiving an object”, we must purify our heart first. Art exploration and life experience interact with each other. Wang Laiwen’s choice of painting lotus is to discover his own heart and mind rather than to add a new lotus painter. Lotus is an important “imagery” in traditional culture.
For a freehand-style painter, what he paints is not the most important because whatever he paints, his ultimate pursuit is to paint “himself/ego”. Such “ego” is an aesthetic ideal in constant improvement and distillation, a “bamboo in one’s heart” which arouse his “keen interest of painting”. Sayings like “One’s painting is just like the painter.” “Study for ego” “lively art” all have profound meaning.
The real art, like real spiritual practice, is a process of making life change. Conversely, what keeps unchanged can never be real art. Wang Laiwen is making changes all the time. I have known him for over ten years. His artwork features have had several big changes, from simple and cheering at the very beginning, to refined in some period, then to profound and wildly free at present. When opening Wang’s great freehand-style painting of lotus series, the first impressive thing is its beautiful lines. The change of ink colors is another “theme” of Wang Laiwen’s painting. Wang Laiwen also keeps something “unchanged”. His faith, devotion and modesty for art is quite outstanding among the artists I acquainted.
Wang told me freehand painting was by no means painting “at will”. “Painting needs passion. But the growth of a painter requires more rationality. A painter should careful and calmly think over what problems to solve, which aspect to be enriched and what content to enrich it at every stage .” Undoubtedly, Wang Laiwen is a scholarly painter. His open views, excellent mastery of philosophy, profound thinking, wide involvement in various art fields and his abundant social experience can support him to go further in the path of painting exploration.
In this age of rapid change and overflowed information, Wang Laiwen still keeps a peaceful mind as always and devotes himself to conversation with brush, ink and paper day after day. Because he knows very well that he cannot bypass constant practice with brush and ink and knowledge accumulation; except for this, there is no other way to draw a good Chinese painting.
Change is achieved because of keeping something unchanged.
2012