内容提要
H：黄渊青
Y：杨棵
从理工科生到艺术系教师
Y：让我们来回顾一下，你有五次转折，我想知道为什么。第一次是你从一名理工科的本科生直接留校成为艺术教研室的教师。
H：那是1985年，我大学毕业，所学的专业是无线电微波技术，跟艺术毫无关系。留校直接成为艺术老师，这在今天是无法想像的。但我从小写书法，在大学里也一直写书法、画画，还有一间画室呢。我记得我们全班同学各自做实验，电路接通时，他们很兴奋，我没什么感觉，所以我知道自己不是做这个事情的人。
Y：这有点奇怪，你从小写书法、画画，同时又具备相当理性的科学头脑，你还可能成为工程师呢。你为什么没有直接上美术学校？
H：我不是读书天才，但还可以。我经过了一种理性的、有逻辑的思维训练，这挺好的，理工科教育对我的意义远远超过之后我在美术学院受到的教育。考美术学校要求素描画成那种样子，我没想过通过画这种素描进入美术学院。不过我也没有想过去做工程师。
Y：那时你在大学当老师，过得怎么样？
H：空闲又清贫。我用很多钱去买书，那时书很便宜，2、3块钱一本，一买一袋，花掉工资的一大半。我每天写书法、画画、读书，七、八个小时，很用功。
Y：你成为画家是必然的？
H：对，我做其它事情都稀里糊涂，也没什么能力。只有在画布前，我才觉得心定。
从传统书法到现代书法
Y：后来你逐渐转向现代书法，这是你的第二次转折，离开从小熟习的传统书法。
H：那是1985年到1990年的事情，我做了五年现代书法。我越来越感到要反对当时传统书法里某种既定的“规则”。
Y：你用了“反对”这个词，你要反对什么呢？
H：我认为传统有很多脉络。某些脉络更具有人性，却被忽视了。我从写书法开始，就喜欢那些非正统的书法家。我喜欢唐代的张旭，喜欢宋代的黄庭坚，喜欢元代的杨维桢而不是赵子昂，明代的徐渭而不是董其昌，还有傅山。近代的徐生翁，沈曾植……我一直对规范的东西没有太大兴趣。我喜欢的是人性的艺术，而不是人格的艺术。中国传统艺术的主流是后者。当时，现代书法很明显是反抗传统书法的。
Y：现代书法完全是传统书法规则之外的吗？
H：是的。现代书法在理念、运笔、字形、结构等方面跟传统书法有很大不同，其实已经与抽象绘画非常接近。我还受到了美国抽象表现主义绘画的启发，他们的作品与书法有很大关系。象波洛克、德·库宁、马塞威尔这样的西方艺术家，他们所表现的东西与书法相契合。
Y：能说得更明确点吗？
H：他们通过作品把生命的状态完全投注进去，有可能把个人的见解表达出来并不断地深化。对当时的我来说，打开了一扇门。有了无限的可能性。
Y：1985年你开始做现代书法，正好是“85新潮”的时候。
H：不错，我去看过一些在上海的展览，定《美术报》、《江苏画刊》，还看过不少介绍。有印象的作品不多。我主要还是做现代书法。
Y：你们办现代书法展的时候，那些做传统书法的老先生来看了吗？
H：他们不来，他们不要看，肯定觉得这帮人在瞎搞。
Y：哪些人来看你们的展览呢？
H：最多的是画画的人，还有外国人。有父母带着小孩来看展览的，看了吓死了，他们想这下把他们的小孩教坏了。
从现代书法到绘画
Y：后来你又“离开”现代书法，开始画画了。
H：其实我从高中起就开始画画了，我大学毕业后还去读了两年油画专业，画了一段时间的写实作品，这与写书法是同时进行的，但我没有画过中国画。我感到我有很多东西无法在书法里体现。
Y：绘画对你的吸引力在哪里？
H：绘画对我来说是一种更加丰富更加有力量的表达方式。书法是我走到绘画的契机，是我认识艺术的重要途径。我希望画出从我个人理解的作品，并有可能持续探讨绘画的本质。最主要的是绘画能最大限度的说出我的话。
Y：你专心投入到绘画中，大概是什么时候？
H：我第一张抽象画是在1990年画的，1992年我几乎投入全力去画画了。
Y：那书法还写吗？
H：也写的，但没以前多。我现在的书法倒是更为传统了，尤其是画了这些年的画，回过头来去看传统，有些理解又不一样了。
Y：如何不同呢？
H：我本来偏爱具有个性的传统作品，但现在有所变化。比如本来我不喜欢董其昌的书画，现在又觉得好了。
Y：好在哪里？
H：它有古代艺术真正的雅致和恬淡，这种气息在宋瓷和明代家具里最明显。相对于他的书法，我比较喜欢他的画。
Y：这种体会是不是跟年龄有关呢？
H：可能吧，但我觉得跟经历，还有眼界更有关。
Y：据我所知，你画画的时候，你周围很多朋友都去下海经商了。
H：是的，我的大学同事，还有其它朋友。他们赚了很多钱，我也试过赚钱，但做这件事没劲。所以我就是画画的人。
Y：当时的生活怎样呢？
H：很平静，但比较穷困。
Y：有可以交流的人吗？
H：我基本处于孤独的状态。我有个写书法的朋友，叫乐心龙，我们经常在一起交流，不过他后来出车祸去世了，我很难过。1996年，我参加“20+1”展览的时候，才遇到其它上海的抽象画家，周长江、秦一峰、陈心懋，他们的风格已经基本形成了。但在这之前，大家相互之间几乎是不联系的，所以各自都具有不同的面貌，这倒是上海的风格。
创办比翼，又离开
Y：1999年，你与乐大豆创办了非赢利性的艺术机构比翼艺术中心（BIZART），比翼做的是非架上的当代艺术，而你是个画家。
H：我对各种艺术都有兴趣，我做比翼是因为我对当代艺术有兴趣，愿意为此出力，大家形成一种氛围，很开心。那时做这件事是有理想主义色彩的，当代艺术的局面跟今天是完全不同的，现在已经变得很时尚了。
Y：你做过装置和影像之类的东西？
H：没有。
Y：你们遇到很多困难吗？
H：比翼是非赢利性机构，常常没有钱运作。当时我是比翼的法人，不过我自己也没有钱，不行的时候曾经向朋友借钱救急。
Y：但在2003年，你离开了比翼。
H：我最感兴趣的还是画画，我想我必须全身心的投入，所以就离开了。比翼的工作很愉快，相处也很友好。
Y：你经常关注非架上的当代艺术？
H：是的，我什么都看。我主要是有好奇心。画画也是因为我好奇，这跟坚持一点关系都没有。
Y：当代艺术现在成为最受关注的领域了，而抽象画从过去的主流被边缘了，我可以这样说吗？
H：在我国，抽象画从来没有主流过。因为很难被解释，所以难于传播。人们总是习惯于作品是怎么想的，而不知道怎么看的。“看”并不那么简单。
Y：在当代艺术情势下，作为抽象画家，你对自己的处境有何看法呢？
H：艺术是从个人出发的，是你自己的选择。周围的情势一直在变，你也可以再选择。问题是，你自己究竟要什么？
Y：你如何看杜尚？
H：我喜欢这个人。但他的艺术趣味跟我是两回事情，比方说我喜欢塞尚，他是不喜欢的。我觉得杜尚有意思：他对艺术圈的权利斗争反感，反对媚俗，他的作品是他这种反感的个人表达。他并不知道这种表达引申出当代艺术。
Y：说说你目前的工作状态。
H：是这样，早上到画室，情况好的话，可以马上进入。有时看半天画半天，有时坐一天，什么也没画。有时非常难受，有时有点开心，开心了一段时间，又开始难受了。基本上就在这个过程之间往复。
Y：难受的时候怎么办呢？
H：不怎么办。这种事情没人能帮你。
Y：你的生活规律吗？
H：不规律。
从宣纸到布面
Y：刚开始，你用宣纸，现在，你画油画，你改变了材料。
H：我的书法经历使我对宣纸更为熟悉，我对宣纸有种天然的感情。当我开始绘画时，我希望从纸上获得比布面更灵性、敏感、透气、有呼吸的东西，另一方面，我希望从纸本进入，进行实验，获得纸本语言的新经验，并将这种经验运用到布面上，从而避免布面语言的俗套。毛笔和宣纸是软接触，西方的（油画）笔和画布是硬接触，后来我发现宣纸这种材质，从强度上来说，已经不够我的内心需要，我感到我需要一种更强有力的东西。不过现在，这两种材料我同时用。
Y：这种对强度的追求，跟你的秉性有关？
H：是的。乐大豆曾经给我写文章，题目是《轻与重》，一方面我喜欢很清淡的东西，另一方面我喜欢浓重的东西，我就在这两极上面。
Y：你为何一开始就画抽象，而不是具象呢？
H：其实我学的是写实，但画写实说不出我要说的话，我想这不是我的兴趣和才能。第一张让我感到震撼的西方绘画作品是凡高画海滩的素描。当我一画抽象，就感觉对了。我曾经在书法的学习、训练、创作上进行过深入研究。同时我对现当代艺术始终很有兴趣。因此，我进入抽象的路径跟其它画家有点不一样，有些抽象画家是从具象转到抽象，有些是直接从几何抽象发展起来的，而我是从书法开始的，实际上我的绘画是从书法的笔性、笔意、笔势、结构和形体中抽离出某种东西。所以我的画中节奏和韵律是书法的，而不是“绘画”的。
Y：东西方绘画里都有非常精彩的书写性。
H：实际上大部分欧洲古典绘画都不是书写的，因为他们是PAINT，他们的工具是刷子，而中国书法和绘画是同一种工具。书写是从文人画才开始强调，真正重视绘画中的书写大概是从董其昌之后。但传统文化深厚的地方都有书写，比如西方的伦勃朗、委拉斯贵兹，印象派之后，书写性在西方绘画里就很明显地体现出来了。我本身对书写特别有兴趣。
Y：为什么会确定你现在的符号呢？
H：我的符号是从现代书法开始产生、衍生，渐渐趋向于成熟，现在停留在一个比较固定的符号上。我对线和形之间天然的相互关联非常感兴趣，这在书法里可以看到。中国艺术没有西方绘画那种很强的物质性，而是强调绵里藏针的力量，就象黄宾虹所说的“金刚杵化为绕指柔”，所以我选择一种比较“柔”的符号，它是弧形的，有变化的，我感觉这个符号最能表达形和线的感觉。这些年，一直在重复地做，对我来说只有不断地重复，才能见到“真理”。
Y：你又提到了黄宾虹，我知道你是非常喜欢他。
H：我觉得黄宾虹是个很掘的画家，东西做得很深，他跟同时代的西方绘画大师可以相提并论。对我来说，深就是好。作品的表面是无所谓的。
Y：你的绘画里还有篆刻的痕迹，对吗？
H：对。这对我来说是自然而然的事情，我写书法，同时也刻了很多印章。中国古人对线条的研究非常丰富，碑学里的北魏，原本不是传统意义上的书法，而是刻出来的，到了明代，篆刻家喜欢残破的感觉，他们将这些意思发展到篆刻里，印章形成了不同于书法的独特语言。有时，我通过绘画表达一些对篆刻的理解。
Y：关于你的作品，你曾对我说，新鲜感对你很重要。
H：对，我喜欢生涩、率真、拙朴。熟练通过训练是可以达到的，但完美就变得了无生机，缺少生命力和穿透力，就是没有新鲜感。有时一张画画好后才发现没有新鲜感了。毕加索的画真正完美的并不多，但每张都很新鲜，所以他说“我发现，我不探索”。他对每张画都是好奇的。拙是必须通过真才能达到的。而真是艺术的最基本元素，只有真才能直接。我觉得直接是一种品质，就是对好坏无所保留。这也是书写有意思的地方。当你一笔出来时，有自信，不隐藏，愿意给别人看。
Y：现在你被一些评论家认为属于具有传统文脉的艺术家。
H：我们不身处西方，是不太可能真正了解西方文化，因为彼此的背景、习惯，甚至是对色彩、气味的感觉都是不一样的。我不太相信一个一直在国内的人会对西方文化有深刻了解。传统有部分是延续在我们的身体里的，如果我们对自己的传统有深入了解，当接近西方文化时，可能会有一个较高的位置。但人是一样的，艺术是不同文化背景的人们能共同感知的。
Y：当代西方画家你喜欢谁呢？
H：菲利浦·古斯顿、通布利、布莱斯·马登、罗伯特·莱曼、巴塞利兹、斯格利等人。
Y：你有没怀疑过自己呢？
H：有的时候觉得自己真是好，有的时候觉得一点也不好。我不属于自信满满的那种人。我一直觉得我做的事情是有意思的。我想做的就是我现在做的东西。（文章来源：《形·象---黄渊青个展》）
H – Huang Yuanqing
Y – Yang Ke
From a Student of Science and Engineering to a Teacher of Art Department
Y: Let’s make a review, you have experienced five turning points, and I’d like to know the reasons. The first was you became a teacher of the teaching and research section of arts as an undergraduate of science and engineering.
H: That was in 1985 when I graduated from the university. I majored in wireless microwave technology, which had absolutely nothing to do with art. Now it seems completely unimaginable to remain in the university as an art teacher after graduation. However, I began to practice calligraphy since childhood, was still engaged in calligraphy and painting in university, and had a studio of my own. I remember, all my classmates got excited with the results of their experiments, whereas I didn’t feel the same, therefore I knew I wasn’t the right person for this career.
Y: This was a little weird that you learned calligraphy and painting since childhood and meanwhile had the opportunity to become an engineer with a quite logical and scientific mind. Why didn’t you go to an art academy directly?
H: Though not a genius, I was quite a smart student. I took advantage of this rational and logical training. The education of science and engineering meant a lot more to me than the education in art academy. Art students are requested to draw sketches. I never thought of entering an art academy through drawing this sort of sketches, but also never thought of becoming an engineer.
Y: How about your life as a teacher in university?
H: I was poor and unoccupied. I bought lots of books. Books were rather cheap then, each costing 2 or 3 yuan. I spent most of my salary on books. Each day, I diligently practiced calligraphy and painting for 7 or 8 hours.
Y: Is it necessary for you to become a painter?
H: Yes. I’m incapable of taking anything else as my career, and only feel comfortable before canvas.
From Traditional Calligraphy to Modern Calligraphy
Y: Later, you gradually turned from familiar traditional calligraphy to modern calligraphy, which was you second turning point.
H: That was from 1985 to 1990. I was engaged in modern calligraphy for 5 years. I felt more and more inclined to go against some set “rules” in traditional calligraphy then.
Y: What do you go against?
H: I believe, tradition has lots of trends, and some trends with more humanity were neglected. Since I began to practice calligraphy, I became fond of those unorthodox calligraphers. I like Zhang Xu in the Tang Dynasty, Huang Tingjian in the Song Dynasty, Yang Weizhen instead of Zhao Zi’ang in the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Wei and Fu Shan instead of Dong Qichang in the Ming Dynasty, and Xu Shengweng and Shen Zengzhi in modern times. I prefer art of humanity to art of personality, and the mainstream of traditional Chinese arts is the latter. At that time, modern calligraphy obviously defied traditional calligraphy.
Y: Is modern calligraphy completely outside the rules of traditional calligraphy?
H: Yes. In the aspects of concept, brushstroke, shape, composition, and etc, modern calligraphy is greatly different from traditional calligraphy, actually very much close to abstract painting. I was also influenced by American abstract expressionistic painting, which resembles calligraphy to a great extent. Some western artists, such as Jackson Pollock, Willem De Kooning and Robert Motherwell, created works getting along with calligraphy.
Y: Could you be more specific?
H: They completely devoted themselves into their works, expressing their personal opinions and continuously strengthening them. For me at that time, they opened a door leading to endless possibilities.
Y: You began to be engaged in modern calligraphy from 1985 – the year of 85 New Wave Fine Art Event.
H: That’s true. I visited some exhibitions in Shanghai, subscribed China Art Weekly and Jiangsu Art Monthly Pictorial, and read quite a lot of introductions. However only a few works impressed me then. I was mainly engaged in modern calligraphy.
Y: When you held the exhibition of modern calligraphy, did those senior calligraphers come?
H: No, they didn’t come, and surely didn’t pay much attention to our attempts.
Y: Which sorts of people come to see your exhibition?
H: Mostly painters and foreigners. Some parents brought their kids to see the exhibition, and were scared to death. They thought this exhibition sabotaged their kids’ education of calligraphy.
From Modern Calligraphy to Painting
Y: Later, you “departed” from modern calligraphy and began to create paintings again.
H: Actually, I began to create paintings since high school. I studied oil painting for two years after graduating from university, and created some realistic works for a period, which lasted at the same time with practicing calligraphy. However, I have never been involved with Chinese painting. I assume many things could be expressed in calligraphy.
Y: What’s the attraction of painting?
H: Painting is a more colorful and powerful way of expression for me. As the most important way of recognizing art, calligraphy provided me an opportunity to approach painting. I wish I could create works expressing my individual comprehension, and always go on to probe into the nature of painting. The most important fact is painting could deliver what I want to say to the utmost extent.
Y: When did you whole-heartedly devote yourself into painting?
H: I created my first abstract painting in 1990, and devoted almost all myself into painting in 1992.
Y: How about your calligraphy?
H: I still practice calligraphy, but not as much as before. My current calligraphy is more traditional, especially with the background of so many years of painting. When reviewing traditions now, I have some different understandings.
Y: How different?
H: I used to prefer traditional works with individuality, but changed later. For instance, I didn’t like Dong Qichang’s works, but now I like them.
Y: What do you like about him now?
H: He had the true elegance and tranquility of ancient arts, which was most obvious in porcelain wares of the Song Dynasty and furniture of the Ming Dynasty. Compared with his calligraphy, I like his painting more.
Y: Is this understanding related with your age?
H: Perhaps, but I suppose it is more related with experiences and field of vision.
Y: To my knowledge, while you were engaged in painting, many of your friends got engaged in business.
H: Yes, my colleagues in university and other friends. They made lots of money. I also tried to make some money, however it was boring, therefore I am destined to be a painter.
Y: How about your life then?
H: Very quiet, but relatively poor.
Y: Did you have friends for communication?
H: For most of the time, I was lonely. Yue Xinlong was a friend engaged in calligraphy, and we used to hang out together to communicate with each other. But he died in a car accident later, and I was very sad about it. In 1996, I participated in the exhibition of “20+1”, and then met other abstract painters in Shanghai – Zhou Changjiang, Qin Yifeng and Chen Xinmao, who had almost formed their styles then. However, before that, we barely connected with each other, thus we had completely different appearances, which was the Shanghai style.
Another Departure from Bizart
Y: In 1999, Davide Quadrio and you established Bizart, a non-profit art institution, focusing on three-dimensional contemporary art, whereas you are a painter.
H: I am interested in various arts. I established Bizart as I wanted to contribute to contemporary art for my own interests. We worked happily in a pleasant atmosphere. At that time, it was quite idealistic to do this thing, which was entirely different from today’s situation. Now, it has become a fashionable thing.
Y: Have you created works of installation or video?
H: No.
Y: Have you met many difficulties?
H: As Bizart was a non-profit institution, we often went out of money. Though I was the legal representative, I had no money either, and once turned to my friends for help.
Y: However, you left Bizart in 2003.
H: I was mostly interested in painting, which needed my full attention, therefore I left. It was pleasant to work in Bizart, and people were friendly.
Y: Are you constantly concerned with three-dimensional contemporary art?
H: Yes, I pay attention to everything out of curiosity. I got engaged in painting because of curiosity, which had nothing to do with persistence.
Y: May I put it this way: contemporary art has become the most eye-catching field, and abstract painting had been marginalized from the previous mainstream position?
H: In China, abstract painting has never been the mainstream. It is too difficult to be explained, thus it’s hard to be popularized. People are used to explaining a painting instead of appreciating it. “Appreciation” is not that simple.
Y: Under the circumstances of contemporary art, what do you think of your own situation as an abstract painter?
H: Art is your personal choice, starting from individuality. The surrounding situation is always changing, and you could choose again. The problem is, what do you exactly want?
Y: How do you like Marcel Duchamp?
H: I like this person, however his art taste is completely different from mine. For instance, I like Paul Cezanne, while he disliked him. I find Duchamp interesting – he was emotionally against power struggle and vulgarization in art circles, and his works expressed his opinions. He didn’t know this way of expression led to contemporary art.
Y: Tell me about your present working situation.
H: It’s like this. I go to the studio in the morning, and sometimes begin to work immediately in a good mood. Sometimes, I watch something for half a day and draw painting for another half day. Sometimes, I sit there for a whole day, and draw nothing. Sometimes I feel uneasy, and sometimes a little happy. I would perhaps feel uneasy again after being happy for some time. Mostly I repeat these patterns.
Y: What do you do in time of uneasiness?
H: I do nothing. Nobody could help you in this sort of situation.
Y: Do you live a regular life?
H: No, I don’t.
From Rice Paper to Canvas
Y: You started with rice paper, and now you draw oil painting. You have changed the material.
H: My calligraphic experience enabled me to be more familiar with rice paper. I am naturally and emotionally attached to rice paper. When beginning to create a painting, I hope to obtain something more spiritual, sensitive, ventilative and breathing from paper than from canvas. On the other hand, I expect to begin experimentation through paper to obtain new experiences in the aspect of paper language, and apply the experiences onto canvas to avoid the cliché of canvas language. It’s soft contact between paintbrush and rice paper, and it’s hard contact between oil paintbrush and canvas. Later, I found the material of rice paper was not sufficient for the request of my inner world any more, and needed something stronger. But now, I am using these two materials simultaneously.
Y: Is the pursuit of strength concerned with your personality?
H: Yes. Davide Quadrio once wrote an article entitled Light and Heavy for me. On one hand, I like light things; on the other hand, I like strong and heavy things. I’m just this extreme.
Y: Why did you start from abstract painting instead of realistic painting?
H: Actually, I learned realistic painting, however realism couldn’t express my ideas, and I assume it’s not my interest and talent. This first western painting that shocked me was a sketch of beach by Van Gogh. As soon as I began to create abstract painting, I got the right feeling. I had intensively studied the learning, training and creation of calligraphy, meanwhile I was always interested in contemporary art, therefore my starting point of abstraction was a little different from other painters. Some abstract painters change from realism into abstraction, some directly start from geometric abstraction, and I started from calligraphy. As a matter of fact, my painting is something extracted from calligraphic brushstrokes, intended conception, writing style, composition and shape, therefore, my painting’s rhythm is about calligraphy instead of “painting”.
Y: Both eastern and western paintings have a very spectacular element of writing.
H: Actually most of ancient European paintings were not about writing, as they were painters using paintbrushes, however Chinese calligraphy and painting used the same tool. Writing was emphasized since literate painting, and people actually began to pay much attention to writing inside painting probably after Dong Qichang. However, there was the element of writing in places with profound traditional culture, such as Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn and Diego Velazquez. After the impressionism, the element of writing obviously emerged in western paintings. I am especially interested in writing.
Y: Why did you establish your present symbol?
H: My symbol started and evolved from modern calligraphy, gradually turned to be mature, and now stays in a relatively fixed symbol. I am very interested in the natural connection between line and shape, which could be perceived in calligraphy. Having no strong sense of substance in western painting, Chinese art emphasizes the strength of a needle hidden in silk floss, just like what Huang Binhong said, “Turn vajra (a short metal weapon that has the symbolic nature of a diamond and that of the thunderbolt – irresistible force) into something soft around your finger.” Thus, I chose a relatively “soft” symbol – curving and changeful, as I suppose this symbol could mostly express the feelings of shape and line. During these years, I have been repeating it. For me, only incessant repetition could reveal “truth”.
Y: You mentioned Huang Binhong again, and I know you like him a lot.
H: I assume Huang was an outstanding painter, creating very profound paintings. He was as accomplished as those western painting masters in the same times. For me, profundity is good, and the appearance of a painting doesn’t matter.
Y: Does your painting have the trace of seal cutting?
H: Yes. This is spontaneous for me. I am engaged in calligraphy, and carve lots of seals in the mean time. Ancient Chinese researched deeply into lines. Not belonging to calligraphy in the traditional sense, the font of Northern Wei in stele theory was actually carved out instead of being written. In the Ming Dynasty, seal-cutting experts liked the feeling of dilapidation, and added it to seal-cutting art, therefore seal-cutting formed a unique language different from calligraphy. Sometimes, I express certain understanding about seal-cutting through painting.
Y: Once you told me about your works, the sense of novelty was important to you.
H: Yes, I like unsophisticatedness, forthrightness and sincerity. You may achieve proficiency through training, but perfection has no vitality, lacking life or penetration, i.e. the sense of novelty. Sometimes I find there is no sense of novelty after finishing a painting. Picasso didn’t create many perfect paintings, however each of them had a great sense of novelty, therefore he said he only discover instead of exploring. He was curious about each painting. Unsophisticatedness could only be achieved through trueness, and trueness is the most basic element of art, as you could only be direct through being true. I believe directness is a quality – sparing nothing for good or bad, and this is also the interesting thing about writing. When finishing a brushstroke, you have confidence to show anybody else without concealing it.
Y: Now you are judged as an artist with a traditional context by some critics.
H: Not living in the western countries, we couldn’t really understand western culture because of different feelings for backgrounds, habits, colors and even smells. I don’t quite believe a person who has been always staying in China could thoroughly realize western cultures. Part of the traditions extends into our bodies. If we know much about our traditions, we would probably stay in a relatively higher position when approaching western cultures. However, people are the same, and all the people with different cultural backgrounds could perceive arts.
Y: Which western painters do you like?
H: Philip Guston, Cy Twombly, Brice Marden, Robert Ryman, Georg Baselitz, and Sean Scully.
Y: Have you ever doubted yourself?
H: Sometimes I’m very satisfied with myself, but sometimes I think I do nothing good. I am not an especially confident person. I always feel I am doing an interesting thing. What I am doing is what I want to do.
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