My heart is on the plateau

Author: Ding Fang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: In a true sense, walking is measured by body and soul across the land. Deep in the vast blue sky, white clouds are torn apart by an unseen force and rise upward. Across the expansive wilderness lies the ancient body of the Great Wall, while oil sagebrush, sand thorn, saltbush, and red willow quietly lie dormant around it, carefully concealing the traces of ruins scattered everywhere. Without a doubt, I instantly grasped the mystery contained within this landscape. To match the quality of tragic art, I strive to express the Chinese grandeur and the artistic spirit of the Northwest through powerful imagery and solid depiction, much like the soul-stirring impact of dignified bronze art and bold Qin and Han sculptures. Art is not technology; speed is the devil, not the angel here. Therefore, my paintings are often the result of repeated layering and refinement. A painting from years ago might be revisited and reworked this year. Those layered, mottled textures on the canvas, for me, are less a pursuit of the unattainable and more a record of deep contemplation. True painting art should possess both "great abstraction" and "great realism." Ding Fang is known as a painter with a humanistic spirit. His artistic pursuit began on the Loess Plateau. There, he first discovered the endurance of people in the face of suffering and their courage to survive; then he felt the profound depth of traditional Chinese culture and the deep connection between nature and humanity; later, he saw the light of the human spirit—his works are called "spiritual depth painting," which solidified his artistic style. His works, though the power of spirit and the west are extremely prominent, do not prioritize thought over form. For him, spirit and form are inseparable. He is an artist with a passion and sensitivity for form. In this book, he expresses his pain and passion, thoughts and dreams in condensed, poetic language, blending essays and paintings together. It highlights his strong personality and showcases his character.