我的“精神”底线

文 / 陆云华

　　说来可能你不信，我比较害怕写画画的文章，因为坐上半天可能连一个字都写不出来。当然原因很多，其中之一：原来想一本正经地拿起写字的笔来做文章的，可稍不留神便涂鸦起来。不知不觉一张好端端的白纸已变得面目具非，转过神来才发现开了小差，赶紧定神写字，却发现一张纸上已连写字的地方都没了。
　　为此常常羡慕许德民兄能一心三用，写文章、做诗人、白相抽象画。
　　我认为画画是件很个人化的事情，用心去喜欢才能真实起来，时间长了画画的生态环境会变得高级。因此，回到画室就无心关注这个主义、那个流派之类的名词解释。没进过美术学堂倒也没啥坏处，没人管，所以一直可以无法无天地画到开心为止。
　　阅读是我经常要做的功课，好东西一般我是不会放过的，只要胃口可以。现在的信息时代确实让人很有福气，要看点好东西已不是什么难事了，只要点点鼠标就能召见大师，如果有空，大师们的画室是可以随便进出的，但是眼光要好，大师屋里的东西未必一定都是好的。
　　我大半的时间都泡在具象和意象之间，有时会在抽象这边多呆上一段时间。对我而言这三者并不矛盾，我就是从具象里走过来的，因此对于印象主义和纳比派时期的艺术一直是高度重视。当然现在很多人已不谈这些了，用他们的话来说是过时了。我怀疑现在有些“很革新”的艺术家可能从来也没真正去注意过。我研究色彩的那种快乐想必他们也是不会有啥体会的。所以在当代这个环境里很少能有机会来沟通。时间一长就闭塞起来，这倒也好，清静，有的是时间来思考。
　　我一直认为色彩不仅有情绪，而且具备性别意识。较长时间里我不停地拿红色来把玩。当大红和玫瑰放在一起时，便立马出现了性别，后园的故事情节也就微妙起来。有了颜色目光也就更迷人了，为此，有人说我有小资情调，我也就不反对了；有人说我比较暧昧，我有同感；有人说我太奶油，我无所谓；有人说我的画太过漂亮，意思是说有点行气。那我就不赞同了，这种看法太概念，难道，说悄悄话还要用只麦克风？我用色彩从来不考虑别人的感受，也没时间去揣摩人家在想些什么，一句话，是后园的情节需要。
　　我对画面空间的关注远远超过我对色彩的重视，能否处理好空间，对一个画家来说是篇大文章，不可有半点马虎。一个小小墨点的位置变化也会影响整个空间的气息，就像棋盘上过楚河的大军，小卒稍有移动，全军的方阵也就变化起来。
　　空间做得宁静了，邻家女孩的细声细语就能听得更加心跳，空间摆得舒适了，说起话来也会变得更有腔调，不信你也可来试试。这点能力是我从朱耷大和尚那里批发来的。
　　朱耷是个操作空间的老手，他的空间可没啥多余的内容，东西放得讲究，不能多更不能少，就连他的—池荷花都被他扯得七零八落只剩二三枝。高傲而有些寂寞的世界，朱耷似乎很感兴趣，甚至我觉得还有点伤感。原来老人家会时常关起门来，一个人在里面发些牢骚。毕竟曾是一个堂堂的大明贵族，却被老康熙弄得做了和尚，可以理解。
　　我自知自已是一个相对比较弱的人，所以也不会有太多的使命感。看到那些美术的造反派过来时，我总是避而远之，深怕他们的拳头会碰到我的脑门。但偶然也会站到窗边看外面的热闹，看到那些好象是领袖一样的人物在台上手舞足蹈，脑门出汗、唾沫飞舞地指点江山时，真是好不吃力，便心里暗自庆幸，幸好自己不具备这样的能力。
　　同他们相反的是，我比较喜欢在后园里喝茶、听丝竹、面对面聊天，有时会一不留神发现你脸上新长了一颗青春痘，若有比较私密的话不便让旁人听见时，也会贴到你耳边说，有时候也会侧过头来看看隔墙的那枝红杏。
　　我是一个热爱中国传统艺术的人，特别是古代文人艺术。在现在这样一个崇拜西方艺术的年代，说这样的话好象有点在“作秀”，但不管你怎样想，我确实是十分迷恋。如：东晋的顾恺之、唐代的张萱等我都很崇拜，还有那个明末的八大山人。
　　说实话，北宋的那个宋徽宗，皇帝做得不咋样，可在一千多年前的时候就把绢上的空间玩到家了，看看现在有多多少少画家在他的四条边、四只角里弄得急汗满身，却还不知所云。再看那个朱耷老人的字画。尽管放了三四百年，但笔墨依然新鲜。
　　书法是国人最能骄傲得起的艺术，看似简单的形式，实没多少人能玩到极致。其漫长的历史走到了民国能依旧风光的人物也只剩一二了，其玄妙不能言语，如果弃之其阅读功能，那就是顶级的抽象艺术。我想美国的波洛克之类的大人物。在这些条线面前也不会有啥声音了。
　　同样是山水画，把现代的东西和古人的东西放在一起来比较时，不难发现，技术上肯定是短了一大截，但真正短的却是人格底线。精神层面就更加没办法再谈下去了。现在的人想要的东西实在太多了，笔毛还没落几根就认为自己是大师了。缺少精神信仰，又不懂得自爱，外国人的野草长到了自己的御家花园，而且多得无边无际了却还振振有词，洋人的草实在是有力道。你想国粹艺术还能有何希望可言呢。看来改称“水墨画”也无妨。就算在叫法上与国际接轨罢了。
　　也许当我们的眼睛装满了美国人的时髦，乐道于德国人的表现才能的时候；也许当我们崇拜着洋人美术发明家的稀奇玩意儿的时候；嘴里不停呼唤着I love you的时候，弄不好他们的画室里已经虔诚地供奉起中国的艺术了，这绝不会是天方夜潭。
　　老子出道的时候，西方的那个苏格拉底还不晓得在什么地方呢！

My Bottom Line of Spirit and Truth

by Lu Yunhua

Maybe you would not believe that I am afraid of writing articles about paintings. Because I would sit there for a long time without writing a word.Of course there are many reasons for this. One reason is that it was always very easy to make some graffitis when I picked up a pen and decided to write an article. The white paper has been drawn into a mess when I realize it. I quickly concentrate myself on my work but I found there is no place left to write. So I always admire my dear friend Demin who can often use his mind for three things of writing articles,writing poems and appreciating abstract paintings.

I think painting is a very personal job. You have to love it if you want to paint truly. Your studio and tools would become more and more advanced since then. So when you come back to the studio, you may not have the mood to concern about the doctrine and genre of art. Having not been into an art class is not bad, you can draw freely and joyfully  whenever you want or whatever you want.

Reading is one of my routine work. I would not miss a good material when I am in the mood. The information age now is really good for us since it's easy for us to get some good information.You can find a master by clicking your mouse. You can go to the master's studio easily when you are online.But you should have a good taste as the things in the studio are not necessarily good.

I spent most of my time on figural art and image art, sometimes I spent a little more time on abstract art. They are not contradictory for me.I paid much attention to impressionism and the art in Les Nabis period because I came from figural art. People do not like to talk about this as it was out of date in their view. I suspect that some innovative artists may never notice it. They would not understand the joy that I got from studying colors. In the contemporary environment we rarely have the opportunity to communicate with each other. We became self-closing over time. The advantage of this phenomenon is that we may have plenty of time to think independently.

I always thought that color is not only an expression of emotion. It also has its gender.For a long time I kept playing with red. When put red and rose together, the gender appeared.The story afterward in spiritual garden became tricky and subtle. The eye sight with color would become more attractive. So some people say I have a sentiment of Petty Bourgeoisie, I do not rebut. Some people say I am ambiguous, I feel the same. Some people say I was too feminine, I do not care. Some people say that my paintings are too beautiful that they means a little showy and skillful, I do not agree with that. This view is too conceptual. Shall we use a microphone while whispering? I would never consider other's feelings when I use my color. And I do not have time to figure out what people are thinking about when I use my color.The reason, in one word, is that I need my own spiritual home of spiritual garden.

I pay much more attention on space than color.It's really an important task for an artist to arrange the space properly .We should be very careful. A small change of the position of dots will affect the whole space.Just like the Chinese chess, the whole army would change if you change a small chess.

Your heart may beat faster when you hear the whisper of the girl nextdoor if you create a quiet space in your works. You can talk attractively when you arrange your space well.Have a try! This is what I learnt from the famous monk Zhu Da.

Zhu Da was a master of space making. His space in the works did not have any extra content.He was careful about the layout. He never put any unnecessary thing in his painting. And what's more, he would never miss a necessary one. He even cut down most of the lotuses in his pool to achieve a good visual effect. It seemed that Zhu Da was attracted by the haughty and lonely world very much.I even feel a little sentimental about it.  As a matter of fact, he used to shut his door and release his feelings quite often. That's understandable,as he was a dignified aristocrat of the Ming dynasty after all, but the emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty made him to be a monk.

I know I am rather a vulnerable person that I do not have much sense of mission. I always escaped away when I saw the anti-traditional "rebels" come across with the fear that their fists hit my forehead. Sometimes I stood outside the window as a bystander. When I saw the leader-like people waving their arms and legs as if dancing on stage, sweating and talking without end, I felicitated myself that I do not have the ability to do so.

Quite on the contrary, I would rather stay in my spiritual garden and have some tea,enjoying music and chatting with friends. Sometimes I would find a new pimple on your face,and moreover ,I would put my mouth to your ears to have a private talk. And sometimes I would turn around to see the red apricot blossom which has already reached over the wall.

To be honest, Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty was not a good emperor. But he could control the space perfectly on silk eight or nine hundred years ago. Nowadays, lots of artists put great efforts on lines and space in their art works as Huizong did, but they still can not find the way. Let's look at Zhu Da's paintings. Even they had been kept over three or four hundred years, the ink is still fresh.

Chinese calligraphy is the kind of art that Chinese people would be most proud of. But only a few people can actually play it well though it seems to have simple structure.There is only several famous calligraphers left over its long history. Its mysterious elegance can not be expressed by words.If we don't consider the reading function, it's the best abstract art. Even the famous artists such as Jackson Pollock from the United States would be so surprised to say nothing in front of these beautiful lines.

When it comes to landscape painting, we may compare the ancient works with the modern works.It's easy to find that the modern technique is worse, but the real defect is the bottom line of personality. The mental aspect is more different too. Modern man is greedy.Just a little training makes them feel like a master. Lacking of spiritual beliefs and self-respect, they let foreign weeds grow to our royal gardens. But they still believe that even weeds of western culture are stronger than ours. Where is the future of our Chinese art? Maybe we should call it "ink and wash painting " rather than traditional Chinese art as the new name would be consistent with the international standard.

Perhaps when our eyes are full of American fashion and our topics are all about the expression talent of German and we are worshipping the fancy foreign arts with our mouth full of English sentence of "I love you ", the westerners may have already turned to worship the art from China devoutly in their studio. Absolutely, it is not just a dream.

When Lao Zi started out as a philosopher in ancient China, where is Socrates ?