From material to concept

Author: Feng Bin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: When talking about Chinese painting, is it always dominated by ink and wash and freehand brushwork? It also forces us to mention tradition. Ink and wash painting flourished due to the widespread use of Xuan paper as a medium, but this tradition has only existed for over 400 years. What about the murals in caves and temples before this, or the meticulous paintings on silk? Let alone the countless other artistic forms that have existed across 5,000 years and spanned all directions. Chinese painting has a long history and a complex system, so simply revolting against it for the sake of a fleeting moment lacks constructive meaning. Why not start by making some changes from the basic materials and work from the tangible, visible aspects to genuinely renew Chinese painting. When talking about Chinese painting today, it needs to be reevaluated and challenged on a global, contemporary cultural platform, which is precisely where Chinese painting cannot afford to and must find its answers. But the truth remains undeniable: if Chinese painting does not undergo this (: baptism, trial), then all the talk about it is in vain. At the end of the day, when talking about Chinese painting, it ultimately requires individual solutions to realize its contemporary possibilities. After all, even the grandest and most profound ideas and theories must be realized by every individual. Moreover, when painting becomes a personal act, it is only in that moment that the individual truly exists. Chinese painting no longer needs to be so burdened and difficult by grand, vague concepts like history, tradition, nationality, or locality. Perhaps this is what truly defines Chinese painting.