Arts World (Volume 3)

Author: Jiang Xiwu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Mr. Du Yu from Shandong once wrote about "editorial planning" (see "Talks in the Art World" at the end of the volume), commenting on the first and second volumes of my humble compilation with equal praise and criticism. His opinions are indeed valuable; however, the so-called "grasping the main idea" involved real difficulties, mainly in the challenging process of soliciting manuscripts. It’s like preparing a fine meal—first, the side dishes must be selected, but whether the combination is appropriate depends on the raw materials. The publication of The Art World has often been delayed, largely due to the difficulty of assembling the right pieces at the right time. How can outstanding works be sought when everything is not yet in place? I sincerely hope that both writers and readers can pay attention.
After completing the texts for this volume, I reflected on the "main idea" issue. Looking back and forth, I recalled Li Tang, one of the "Four Masters of the Southern Song Dynasty" in painting, who wrote a poem:
"Clouds amidst mist, rain over the rapids—easy to see, hard to create; had I known they wouldn’t please the eyes of the times, I’d have bought more rouge to paint peonies."
This was Li Tang’s complaint, lamenting the "fickleness" of the times. It seems that people’s "fickleness" has remained unchanged throughout history. This is, to some extent, an unavoidable matter. Today, we even have terms like "visual impact" and "capturing attention," which are in vogue and seem unstoppable. However, if we think further, despite the complaints, Li Tang still faced the challenge and created his "clouds amidst mist, rain over the rapids." After all, he never chose to paint the "rouge peonies" that pleased the times. That is something we should emulate.
From that era to today, can talented artists still stand firm, reducing their reliance on the "eyes of the times" and avoiding the "rouge peonies," to paint their "clouds amidst mist, rain over the rapids"? Even if it’s difficult at first and the work isn’t completed, more complaints are better than none. It’s even better to say that complaints bring hope. The Art World has been nothing but complaints over the years, which can be seen as its own positioning. It aligns with the idea of catering to a niche audience.
Regarding these "complaints," some say, "preaching from the rooftops without pain," or call it "idle talk." What one can say standing up, one who is bending over may struggle to articulate. "Idle talk" doesn’t necessarily lead to "misfortune." The Chinese intellectual tradition has long been one of "discussing without acting." Standing up to speak and engaging in "idle talk" can still produce meaningful insights, precisely because it lacks the (utilitarianism) of "action."
As the saying goes, "the" (observers are clear-sighted). Why not? The Art World has always been supported and valued by Mr. Wang Yuanhua. Now, with his help and facilitation, the third volume has finally found a home at Shanghai Education Publishing House—a triple blessing!