我和油画的缘分，始于一个特殊的年代。
　　
　　1967年的一天，我从学校里放学回家，路过父亲所在部队的大门口时，看见一些战士正在那大门的里边不远的地方垒一堵高墙。高墙当仁不让地占据着路的中央部位，处于最显眼的地方。大约半个月后，一位当时在驻地部队中被公认的“大画家”来了，他在那面墙上，用一些特殊的颜料画了一幅****的巨幅画像。在那个年代，这是一件必须做的事情——称为“献忠心”。后来我发现，几乎每个单位的大门里边都迎面矗立着这么一面高墙，上面画的是同一个人，高大、魁伟、容光焕发、神采奕奕。

　　对画上的人物，每个中国人都一样熟悉，让我感到惊奇的，是那种颜料所形成的效果，如此神奇，如此动人，简直美轮美奂！对于一个12岁的孩子来说，看到如此逼真的画面，真不知是因为颜料的功能还是因为画家的技能。这个看似很普通的作品，对我的影响当时是如此巨大，以至于后来每天放学后，我都要在那面高墙前面久久驻足，不肯离开。就是那时，我听周围的人说，这种画叫油画，不仅好看，而且不怕雨淋，不怕风吹，不怕太阳晒。欣赏着那位大画家用神奇的颜料做出来的神奇的画，我心驰神往，倾心仰慕，有意为之。

　　那以后，我就开始计划我自己的“油画”了。父亲得知我有心学习油画，非常支持。无奈当时社会处于动荡之中，没有学习的条件，再说，山东临沂是个小城，那里找不到我该用的书籍和颜料。为了满足我的要求，父亲特意去了一趟省城，给我买了一些颜料，对于现在的人来说，当时油画颜料的种类真是少得可怜，而对于当时的我，已经是相当奢侈了。看着一堆五光十色的颜料，我感到一种温暖，一种幸福，想一想我即将要用这些颜料创造人物，这比亲眼见到毛主席还要幸福——当时谁如果能见到他，被认为是平生最大的荣耀！

　　我的第一张油画，是画在自家白墙上的。当时，父母上班去了，我迫不及待地开始我的创作。我必须这样“先斩后奏”，如果事前告诉父母，他们也许不会同意，至少母亲不会允许我在墙上胡涂乱抹。我学着那位画家叔叔的样子，先在画报上的毛主席像上打了许多小格子，然后在墙壁上按一定比例画上同样多的格子，放大后，我开始起轮廓，然后上色……。当时我以为，这种画只能画在墙上，不知道还有画布，因为那位画家叔叔也是画在墙壁上的。

　　我的第一张油画的“诞生”，引来了很多参观者，他们都是我们的邻居。我猜想，一定是我父亲告诉那些人了，说他的儿子如何了不起，能在墙上画伟人像了。在那个年代，大多数青少年都在外边冲冲杀杀“闹革命”，如果谁家孩子学会一门艺术，是很难得的！在那之前，我虽然没画过油画，但因为爱好美术，已经有了几年胡涂乱抹的经验。第一次画油画，色彩的运用水平可想而知，但我估计，模仿得也还可以，如果有重大瑕疵，当时就是严重的政治问题，我父母也不敢在外人面前炫耀。

　　后来，我就在自己家里那间不大的房子里开始了我的油画创作，到处画满了我的作品，父母就是我的“粉丝”。来自父母的赞许，极大地满足了我的成就感，也满足了我的虚荣心。那是一段充满暖色的岁月，油画让我远离外边的动荡，我因此逐渐接触到艺术的门槛，并且与油画一起长大。后来，我进了深山里的一家工厂，成为工人阶级中的一员。我的工作很枯燥，唯一让我感到安慰的是，工厂里也有一些宣传活动，比如画毛主席像，比如画宣传画。每当我和颜料亲密接触的时候，我的内心就会平静，甚至感到很过瘾。

　　16岁那年，一次偶然的机会，我考上了山东艺术学校，成为一名准文艺工作者。在我的课程中，就有我向往的油画课。这是我梦寐以求的，因为色彩总能让我产生激动。虽然油画课的课时不很多，但已足够让我高兴了。在后来的日子里，我不止一次地回想过：一个人如果能将自己的职业和兴趣结合一致，是非常幸福的；进入山东艺术学校并从此靠近了油画，是生活给予我的又一次美好机遇。再后来，我又考入中央美术学院，成为一名油画专业的学生。毕业后，留校任教，由学生变成了教师。在那段日子里，我虽然也画过一些作品，但还是一位美术教育工作者，所有创作都是业余的。直到2004年，我调入北京画院，才算成为一名专业的油画工作者。

　　许多艺术评论家和油画爱好者，一直关注我的作品，写了不少文章，让我从中得到很多教益，我心存感激。对于一个画家来说，我的作品，其实就是我要说的话。我有心创造一个模糊的情感世界，一种用油画语言建立起来的场景。这种语言已经被历史长河中无数艺术大家所证明：那是一种有别于其他文艺门类的艺术语言，按照这种独特的、不可替代的形象逻辑，油画拥有一个极大的表现空间，并且因此而具有非凡的艺术魅力。我希望，我所表达的情感，你我都曾经有过。我要借助油画中的人物和环境表达一种情感——或是在兴高采烈中隐含着一点忧伤，或是在平静的气氛中潜藏着一丝思念，或是在一块感情奔放的红色里流露出某种程度的不安，或是在灿烂的阳光下压抑着的一份凄凉……。我渴望以最简单的色彩和最朴素的语言，精确地表达这些感受和感情。我希望每一位关心我作品的朋友都能以自己的经历为背景，比较容易地走进我所创造的世界，并且因为我的作品而遥感共鸣。我坚信，美好的事物是需要共享的，也是可以共享的。作为人，大家都是社会的一员，虽然以独特的个体而存在，但在人性和审美上是相近的、可以共通的。如果您感受到我在作品中所传达的向往、赞美和忧虑，您就是我的知音。

　　每个人都在变化，我如此，我的画也如此。不知道您是否在我的作品中感受到我的风格的渐变。我总是尝试着去吸收一切对完善画面有用的艺术营养，这些营养可能来自其他艺术门类，也可能来自浩瀚的中国传统文化的海洋，更多的则来自生活的启发、变化与冲突。这些营养对我的作品中那些不断出现的新模样，起着相当重要的作用。我希望，我的作品的变化是自然的——就像我的年龄增长那么自然。年龄，或者说时间，给予我经验、领悟和感动，我的人生和我的油画，都得益于此。

　　从一个毛孩子大胆地把颜料投放在白墙上开始，我就和油画结下不解之缘。算起来，迄今为止，我的“油画生涯”已经40年了！逝者如斯，不舍昼夜，如白驹过隙，真是太快了！在我对油画这门艺术刚刚有所感悟的时候，却不知如何说起—语言和色彩确实不是同一个东西。我想，对于我—一个热爱油画，一辈子从事油画创作的人来说，最朴实、最可靠、最真诚的表达只能是：不断学习，好好画画。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　王沂东　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2006年12月　　
文章来源：《中国当代油画名家画集---王沂东》
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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Postscript
　　In a special age, I started my relation with the oil painting, it must be my luck.
　　A day in 1967, on the way from school to home, when passing by the gate of my father's barback, I noticed that some soldiers were building a high wall inside the gate. The wall standed in the middle most obviously, as if it should be. Around a half month later, a "great painter" putatively then in the local barbacks finally came. He painted on the wall a huge portrait of Mao Zedong with some special paints. At that time, this was a must and called "Loyalty Devotion". Later on, I found that inside almost every gate of public units had such a high wall with the same portrait, he was lofty, burly and his face glowing.
　　Every Chinese was familiar with the portrait. What made me very surprise was the effect made by the paints, so miraculous, affecting and perfect. As a child of 12 then, watching such a vivid picture, I didn't known such an effect whether made by the function of paints or by the skill of painter. That ordinary work influenced me so much that I always stood and gazed at the high wall every day after school, and couldn't move my step. It was in those days, I heard that this kind of picture called oil painting, which is not only beautiful, but also waterproof, wind- resistant and anti-sunburn. When enjoying the wonderful painting by that great painter with the wonderful paints, I was charmed, fascinated and hoped to picture like that.
　　Since then, I planned to make my own "oil painting". My father knew my desire and became my big supporter. However, it was a great pity that the Chinese society was in chaos then and offered no conditions needed for my learning. Furthermore, the Linyi city I lived was a small town, I couldn't find the books and paints needed. Specially for satisfying my desire, father went to the provincial capital city and bought me some paints, which seemed a big luxury for me, though in fact a pity because the kinds of paints were very few in the eyes of today. I felt very warm, very happy, watching the paints which could help me create the figures, even happier than that I could see Chairman Mao with my own eyes-at that time, the greatest honour in one's life was to see Chairman Mao with his own eyes.
　　My first oil painting was on the wall of our house. That day, my parents went to work. I was too impatient to wait, and quickly started my creation. I must act first and report afterward. If I asked my parents beforehand, they, at least my mother, could not allowed my action of polluting everywhere. I imitated that Uncle Great Painter and made many small grids on a paper portrait of Chairman Mao, and then did the same on the walls with the magnified grids. Then, I drew the portrait for larger, then, painted it......At that time, I thought that such pictures should be only drawn on the wall, simply because that Uncle Great Painter did so and I didn't known the existence of canvas. My first oil painting brought many visitors, all my neighbors. I guessed that they learned from my father, he told them how excellent his son was, the boy could draw a portrait of the great leader on the wall. During those special years, most of the young people run everywhere "to make revolution", it was rare for a child to learn a kind of art! Before my first painting, I did not draw any oil painting, but I had experiences of drawing and polluting everywhere for years. We can imagine how poor my first oil painting and its colour effect were. But, I estimate that the painting was not too bad, because during those years, if the painting had some big mistake, my parents would not dare to show it to the people, because it would cause very serious political troubles.
　　Afterwards, I started my oil painting creation in my small room, full of my works, and my parents were my "fans". Their praises for my works gave me great satisfactions, even encouraged in some degree my vanity. That was a spring time for me. The painting kept me away from the social turbulence outside, and helped me gradually touch the art, and I grew up with it. Later, I found a job in a factory located in the remote mountains and became a member of the working class. My job was dull, however, the only thing that conciliated me was some propaganda activities in the factory, such as drawing the pictures of Chairman Mao and the picture posters. I calmed down and even enjoyed myself to the full as long as I got contact with the paints.
　　At the age of my 16, by chance, I entered the Shandong School of Art and became a so-called art worker. Among the curricula of the School, the oil painting class was my favorite, for which I dreamt day and night before, because colour always brought my excitement. The oil painting class were few, yet made me glad. During the years later, I thought it many times that if someone's occupation satisfies his interesting, he must feel very happy. Studying in the Shandong School of Art and closing to the oil painting art meant the life gave me a fine chance again. Thereafter, I passed the entrance examination of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and became a student specializing in the oil painting. When graduated from the academy, I became a teacher in the Academy. During those years, I did some oil paintings, but mainly I was a teacher of fine art, all my creations were extracurricular. It was in the year of 2004, I began my new job in the Beijing Art Academy and since then became a real professional oil painter.
　　Many art critics and oil painting fans have been paying their attention to my works all the time, and they wrote many articles to comment on my works. All of these are helpful and beneficial to me, I really appreciate their help and comments. As a painter, what I want to say are all in my works. I want to create, on purpose, a misty, indistinct world of feelings, a picture space made in the language of oil painting. This kind of language, which has been testified by numerous great artists in the long history, is different from those in the other art subjects and has its own unique, irreplaceable visual logic. Therefore, the oil painting art owns the extremely large space for expression, and has an extraordinary artistic charm.
　　I hope that both you and I shared the feelings I expressed. By means of the figures and the surroundings in my oil paintings, I try to express the feelings, which may be somewhat sorrowful implied in the raptures, or somewhat a sense of yearning hidden in the calm atmosphere, or some uneasy sense shown unawarely from the red colour overflowing with enthusiasm, or, some saddish feelings depressed under the bright sunshine...... I desire to express exactly my sensations and emotions by the simplest colours and the plainest language. What I hope is that: each of my friends who are concerned about my works, according to his/her own experiences, can easily step into the world I create, and shares my works with the sympathetic responses. The beautiful things I believe need to be and can be shared together. As human beings, all of us are the members of the human society. Each of us exists individually, but, in nature and aesthetics, we are close to each other and can communicate in common. You are my bosom friend, if you can sense the longing, admiration and anxiety in my paintings.
　　Everyone is changing, so am I, so are my paintings. I don't know whether you can feel some gradual changes in my style. To perfect pictures of my paintings, I always try to absorb every artistic nourishing elements, which may be coming from other kinds of art, or from the vast oceans of Chinese traditional culture, but, more from the inspiration, changes and conflicts of our real life .These artistic nourishing elements are quite important for the continual appearance of new pictures of my paintings. The changes in my works, I hope, are natural-just like my age growing in a natural way. The age, or the time, gives me experiences, apperception and sensation, all are beneficial to my life and my paintings. The indissoluble bond has linked me and oil painting art started from my childhood when the child boldly painted on the wall. Since then, forty years passed, my life in oil painting ! Time flies fast, quickly passed day and night. It flies too fast! When I just begin to comprehend the oil painting art, I am lost, I don't know where I should start to say about it-indeed, language and colour are not the same thing. I think, for me, a lover for the oil painting and a human being devoted to the oil painting all his life, that the simplest, most reliable and sincere expression is to study, study, try to do a good job in painting art.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Wang Yidong
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　December 2006

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Translated by Wang Xinhua)