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For the first time in my life vividly depicts the joy of an elderly woman getting a voter's card for the first time in her life with exquisite pen and ink. In the picture, the pattern of the old man's clothes is composed of the middle of the pen and the side of the pen. The thickness is rich and accurate, which just shows the texture of coarse clothes. The head portrait on the front is very deep, which obviously blends the light and shadow and light and shade expression techniques of western paintings, and truly presents the effect that the old man's hair is half white; The face stained with a fine pen rubbed slightly, drawing weather-beaten marks on the old man's face; Looking directly at the voter registration card, the eyes are almost a crack, and the mouth that doesn't close properly reveals the pride of the old man being the master of the country. The truthfulness and simplicity of the characters created a new trend in China's figure painting in the 20th century, and won the 1956 "March to Science and Culture" medal.
China Art Museum: The main purpose of interviewing you today is to talk about some problems in the creative process around the related content of this work "The First Time in My Life", so that future generations can have a more comprehensive understanding of this work. Let me start with the background of your creation of this work.
(hereinafter referred to as Yang): OK! Speaking of this painting, I have to start with my personal experience. During the period from 1948 to 1949, I wandered in Taiwan Province province and spent my time in social unrest and displacement. During this time, I have tasted the hardships of the world and can't get the warmth and assistance of the society. After going back and forth to the mainland, I transferred to Beijing via Shanghai and was admitted to the Central Academy of Fine Arts. What I see and feel is different. It was a huge contrast, and I felt I stood up. For the first time in my life, this work can be said to be the product of this "stand up" mentality.
China Art Museum: There is a huge contrast between your mentality in the old society and the new society. Can you tell me more about your experience in Taiwan Province Province?
Yang: "Two? After the 28th Incident, the social environment in Taiwan Province Province was in turmoil. In Taiwan Province Province, I am looking for a job along the road. It was too difficult to find a stable job at that time. If I can't find a job, my life will be uncertain. Just at this time, a worker who is an employee of my family in Shanghai helped me a lot. He has a relative who works in the World Bookstore. Because of this relationship, I later went to work in the World Bookstore and stood at the counter selling tablets. As a result, the book was stolen while I was standing at the counter. Why was this book stolen? Because I was just reading when I was standing at the counter, the manager said to me, "This is no place for you to read! "You are here to work!" I am thinking: I didn't work so hard at school before, but now I am wandering and studying hard, which is very unpleasant. There are many such bitter experiences. Finally, I rented a small place in the World Bookstore and carved a seal. You can only carve a chapter under a pseudonym. This young man is seventeen or eighteen. Who will let you carve stamps? I posted a fake brand-"Seal Carving by Yang Rongshi, a famous Shanghai Ming and Qing Dynasties", and this brand will be counterfeited now (laughs). At that time, there were not many places where seals were carved in Taiwan Province Province, and no one asked about this "Ming and Qing family". I earned a little money on this and barely made a living.
Speaking of which, there are many words. In the Japanese era, I saw with my own eyes that when crossing the bridge, I had to bow to Japanese soldiers with bayonets. Later, American soldiers entered Shanghai, and I also saw American soldiers beating and cursing rickshaws at will. This is all because of the corruption of the Kuomintang government. Without corruption, he could not have collapsed. At that time, we marched and hung a fried dough stick on the banner. Why? Because the monthly income is not enough to buy a fried dough stick. The country has become like this, and it is impossible to think about the future of the individual. In such an environment, what ordinary people's position can you have? They all bent down. How can you have dignity if you can't stand up?
China Art Museum: How did you go to the Central Academy of Fine Arts after you returned to the mainland?
Yang: When I was admitted to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, I originally took a recommendation letter from Mr. Shen Junru to take the postgraduate exam. Mr. Xu Beihong advised me to start with the basics. Looking back now, it was right to listen to Mr. Xu's choice at that time. Let me receive some education in sketch and watercolor, which will be of great benefit to me in the future. After graduation, he was assigned to teach watercolor in Wuhan, Central and South America. 1953, became the director of watercolor teaching and research section.
China Art Museum: For the first time in my life, this work is your creation in this period. At that time, it seemed that Chinese painting was not paid much attention. How did you come up with the idea of creating Chinese painting characters?
Yang: At that time, Chinese painting was not valued. That's right! At that time, there was a view that only oil painting and watercolor can reflect reality, but Chinese painting can't. I don't believe it. I'm still painting Chinese paintings in my head. Because I have been interested in Chinese painting and China's calligraphy since I was a child, and I have copied some original Chinese paintings at home. I feel that Chinese painting characters are weak, and I have always wanted to make a breakthrough in this respect. I have a strong personality and won't stop until I get what I want. Although I was only in my twenties and young at that time, I didn't agree with that view. I firmly believe that after thousands of years of development, Chinese painting can still reflect reality, and it can reflect reality well. Chinese painting has many good traditions, which have not been carried forward. So I teach and create Chinese painting characters.
The first time I painted in my life, it happened to be the first national election. I was shocked at that time. I feel different from ordinary people. After going through hardships and returning to the mainland, the feeling of contrast is much stronger than that of ordinary people. I feel so happy to stand up as a host! I vaguely feel that life around me has changed!
China Art Museum: It is said that the creation of this painting is related to a story that happened around you. Can you tell the story?
Yang: This painting has a story. It was my old classmate Yang Cheng (Yang Xingfo's son) who told me that the hero of the story was his mother. He said that after his old mother got the ballot, she dug out the box with jewels and put the ballot and jewels together. His mother, an American student, came back from the early days of liberation and saw the world.
Her move is very representative. What does this ballot stand for? On behalf of the people of China, I stand up for the first time in my life. This is a slogan, and I want to turn this political slogan into a concrete image. When I was in the third grade in the Academy of Fine Arts, I went to the countryside of Handan to sketch. The local villagers always wrap their money in handkerchiefs when they go to the market, which left a deep impression on me. I was in Wuhan during the national election. I just put myself in the other's shoes. What would the old rural lady do if she got this vote? I thought of this action, and this image was formed at once. Combining this action of his mother with the image of an old woman in the countryside, I have the basic idea of painting.
China Art Museum: Why choose the image of the old lady?
Yang: What is the image of the old lady? This is the image of servants, and this is the image of women at the bottom. The old lady, uneducated and extremely simple, suffered all her life, wrinkled, tossed and turned, laughing. This smile is associated with political life, not a general smile with grandchildren. I feel that this image is highly summarized, and life and art are integrated.
China Art Museum: How long did it take you to create this work? Did anything happen during the creative process?
Yang: It took about two months for this work to be conceived and finally created. Because the time was tight during the general election, these images have long existed in my mind.
After the first draft of this painting was completed, I invited an old gentleman to look at it. He said that there is no such thing as a bust in Chinese painting. This is a poster! If the poster is derogatory, I don't agree. Why can't Chinese painting draw posters? I am stubborn, I will do what I want! I didn't say anything at that time, but I wasn't convinced either. People say that Chinese painting can't be painted like this, so I painted like this. How's it going? At that time, the dance was the dance of the former Soviet Union and the painting was the painting of the former Soviet Union. Personally, I think both the content and the form are very rigid, but what I did at that time was mainstream, and it was published with China's painting posters. I think this should be the first one. What I did at that time was a bit like the situation of avant-garde painting now. Now I tell my students that your teacher is also an avant-garde painter and is not recognized. (Laughter)
China Art Museum: Your creative thinking was avant-garde, so what supported you to engage in such avant-garde creation? Have you ever been influenced by anyone's advice or works?
Yang: I appreciate Jiang's Map of Refugees best. Although I didn't get the guidance of teacher Jiang, I saw the map of refugees, where the characterization had a subtle influence on my creation. How influential is the refugee map? It was sealed by the Japanese as soon as it was exhibited! It's a fact! It is the most powerful to refute the argument that Chinese painting cannot reflect reality or is not good at reflecting reality with facts, and I will do the same! The weak link of Chinese painting is figure painting, but after hundreds of years of development, Chinese painting can not only reflect real life, but also reflect real life uniquely, which is by no means reflected behind Lie Bin. For example, the wrinkles on the old lady's face represent the vicissitudes of the past. Wrinkles are all expressed by freehand brushwork lines in Chinese painting, which is a way of expression that no other country in the world has. This is the uniqueness of China's figure painting. During this period, I drew a series of paintings of this style, such as "teaching patiently and learning modestly".
China Art Museum: After this work was published, it won the medal of marching into science and culture. What do you think of this award? Later, especially during the Cultural Revolution, what happened to this work?
Yang: After this painting was published, it was still controversial. Newspapers and magazines also openly discuss this issue, arguing whether it is Chinese painting or not. Later, I won the medal for marching into science and culture. At that time, I held a press conference, made a speech and affirmed this painting. I mainly feel psychologically. To say that the most practical help for me is to solve the problem of joining the party. I came back from Taiwan Province Province. How many times have I applied to join the League, let alone join the Party? The publication of this painting won an award, which is still very helpful for me to join the party. During the "Cultural Revolution", Yang Zhiguang was overthrown and described as a latent spy. Many of my works are described as black paintings, but this painting is not classified as black.
China Art Museum: How many drafts have you created for this work? Are there any special tools and materials?
Yang: There are two drafts of this painting, and this one in China Art Museum is the second draft. For the first time in my life, this painting is not made of rice paper, but of Korean paper. The lines of traditional Chinese painting are not entirely sketch lines, and the colors of traditional Chinese painting are also different from watercolor colors. My main consideration at that time was that Korean paper could better express these lines and colors.
(Interview/Text finishing: Tian)
About the author: Yang Zhiguang, male, Han nationality, was born in 1930. Guangdong Jiexi people. Graduated from Central Academy of Fine Arts. China is a famous contemporary painter in China. He used to be a professor of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, vice president of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and director of China Artists Association. Currently, he is the president of Lingnan Art College, academician of China Painting Academy, honorary consultant of Guangdong International Cultural Exchange Center, honorary librarian of Guangdong Literature and History Museum, and consultant of Lingnan Branch of China Poetry and Calligraphy Research Institute. From 1997 to 1998, he donated all his works 1200 pieces to China Art Museum, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangzhou Art Museum and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. The Guangzhou Municipal Government has also established the "Yang Zhiguang Art Museum" in the Guangzhou Art Museum.