. Since 2007, the Lanxi Municipal Government has carried out several phases of reconstruction of Wujiang Road, greatly improving the image of the city's southern gate. There is a group of people who take a fancy to this special location, and they gather here one after another, living alone or renting in groups, and remodeling studios in their simple dwellings. They watched the scenery by the water, drew pictures across the river, and called friends. They were so happy. According to rough statistics, there are more than 10 studios on Wujiang Road.
Mistaken the studio as a bar
The 139 studio is the earliest one on Wujiang Road in Lanxi. It was renovated in April 2007. Maybe it's laziness, maybe it's because I don't care, but the studios on this street are all named after their house numbers. Studio 139 is No. 139, Wujiang Road. The owner of the studio is Fang Yuanmeng, the vice chairman and secretary-general of Lanxi Artists Association, and the boss of a decoration company. "I have never stopped sketching." Fang Yuanmeng said, but the crowds in the donkey row are mobile and it is difficult to calm down and draw pens. Sketch together with your painting friends, and paint some small works at most. So, he set out to find a place dedicated to painting.
This studio is divided into two floors. It was originally a long-abandoned tap shop. After simple consideration, Fang Yuanmeng decided to decorate with the theme of Lanjiang boats and fishing nets. This reflects the owner's unique conception and aesthetic accomplishment, and also coincides with his dual identity as a painter and designer. Studio 139 paints upstairs and receives guests downstairs. There are several steps facing the street here. When you walk inside, the most eye-catching thing is a fishing boat. "A new small wooden boat costs one to two thousand yuan. This is a scrap boat that my friend found for me on the river bank for free." The boat was too long, so he cut off a section in the middle and spliced ??it back together. The deck of the boat was covered with a piece of glass, and the cabin was covered with a layer of dried flowers. "I originally wanted to throw away some oil paint shells, but unfortunately there weren't that many." Fang Yuanmeng said, how can I save money? There are high stools around the boat, and a fishing net on the roof. The glass window facing the river in the studio is very transparent. In front of the window is a set of old rattan chairs. On the wall opposite the door are paintings by Fang Yuanmeng and his friends. "There's tea, wine, coffee...what do you want?" Amidst the soothing music and dim lights, when you hear this question, you really think you're in a bar. Fang Yuanmeng said: "Someone really made a mistake."
On National Day in 2009, a couple working in the securities industry in Hong Kong returned to their hometown for a short stay. After dinner, they went shopping to No. 139 Wujiang Road. When they heard music and people, they knocked on the door. They thought it was a bar. Those who came were all guests, and Fang Yuanmeng invited them in to drink tea and have a great night. Before leaving, the couple left 800 yuan, but the studio owner refused. The next day, the couple sent two boxes of wine as a thank you. "There are two other people from Shanghai who are in the same situation. After playing, they must leave their phone numbers and addresses and invite me to Shanghai to play." Fang Yuanmeng said: Making money is for painting, but painting is not for making money, so , I like to enjoy this feeling with my friends.
The most beautiful studio and the most freedom
There is a two-story independent small bungalow in the Binjiang Garden on Wujiang Road, Lanxi. It has no name and no number. It was originally a tool room of the park management office. In 2008, Tang Xiangdong, vice chairman of the Lanxi Photographers Association, rented this place and transformed it into a studio. After 2009, the Wujiang Road landscape was renovated twice in succession, and the appearance of the dilapidated tool room was transformed into a chic small bungalow. Among all the studios on Wujiang Road, this is the most beautiful one, with the most beautiful appearance and the closest to the river. There are basically piles of things on the first floor. Go up the stairs to the second floor and you will find a studio that faces east and west. There is a door through the studio and you will turn left to reach a large platform. There are railings around the platform, as well as tables, chairs and umbrellas. Being in this situation, it really feels like someone is in the picture.
Tang Xiangdong is a freelance photographer, painter, interior designer, arts and crafts artist, landscape designer... He is versatile and has an easy-going personality. Everyone respectfully calls him "Teacher Tang" when he walks on the road. . In fact, "Teacher Tang" is his father, the earliest oil painter in Lanxi, as well as a photographer and teacher. Tang Xiangdong was able to do darkroom work at the age of 8, not to mention photography and painting, which were all a piece of cake. He presided over the entire process of large-scale landscape renovation and construction such as Lanxi Wolong Villa and Zhongzhou Park, from drawing, design to supervision.
People know Tang Xiangdong mostly because of his photography. In fact, his painting skills are even better. In 1984, Tang Xiangdong was sent by the Lanxi Plastics Research Institute to study at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts for one year. Jing Shijian, He Hongzhou, Chen Hongqing and others who shared his dormitory back then were already big names in the Chinese oil painting world. Influenced by what he saw and heard, Tang Xiangdong possesses strong oil painting skills and advanced concepts.
"I have recently been creating a series of oil paintings in the 'fish eye' style. I have accumulated enough and I want to hold an exhibition."
Tang Xiangdong has many friends from all walks of life, regardless of gender. Therefore, every time there are all kinds of people coming to the studio to paint, chat, or do crafts, the atmosphere here is the best.
Manage well and create a new scenic spot in Lanjiang
The studios on Wujiang Road in Lanxi are all pure studios, and none of them are commercial. Among the participants are teachers, company employees, bosses, freelancers, civil servants, etc., who gather together purely because of their love for art. This is the case with Studio 35, which covers an area of ??more than 4,000 square meters on two floors. It has an exhibition hall and a ceramics bar, and brings together oil painters, Chinese painters, calligraphers, sculptors, ceramicists, art educators, etc. If a sign is hung at the door of each studio, it will look like a comprehensive art school.
The first studio of Studio 35 is the studio of oil painter Yu Huaigu. He is the chief stage technician of Lanxi Wu Opera Troupe and the vice chairman of Lanxi Artists Association. He said that on the sixth day of the first lunar month, a boss bought two of his oil paintings for 30,000 yuan apiece. "He still wants to order 4 more paintings, but I told him to come back the next year to get the works." Yu Huaigu said that you can't paint according to the requirements of the market, you have to stick to your own ideas, and selling the paintings will be a natural result. As an oil painter in a county-level city, Yu Huaigu is relatively successful in the market. As early as 5 years ago, one of his works was sold at an auction house for 4,500 yuan.
"Painting comes second, daughter comes first." Yu Huaigu smiled happily. His daughter is currently studying at Southwest University of Political Science and Law. She is the deputy director of the school's literature and art department. She is a good student with both good character and academic performance. Yu Huaigu's diligence and conduct are recognized in the industry. He has the highest attendance rate in Studio 35. He comes here mainly because of the environment and atmosphere. Yu Huaigu said that when painting, everyone takes care of their own business, and when they have free time, they engage in "economical half-hour (referring to playing cards)"... In summer, they go to the roof to enjoy the cool air; in winter, each studio has a charcoal grill, and life is very comfortable.
Hua Feng is the latest resident of Studio 35. He is from Lanxi and has lived in Shanghai for a long time. "I couldn't integrate well at first, but now I feel very good." He said that in 2002, he started painting full-time in Shanghai Painters Village and other places. He accepted many new concepts of contemporary art and was very inspired. "To understand contemporary art, you need to communicate directly with the author and not look at photos." He said that whether it is concrete or abstract art, it all comes from life. The environment of Studio 35 is very good. Facing the beautiful scenery of my hometown, elements of Lanxi will be unconsciously integrated into my works. He said that he is an art nomad and plans to stay in his hometown for a while to stay grounded.
Studio 35 was originally the site of Lanxi Commercial School, and the first floor was a scrap collection station. In the summer of 2010, Sun Jie, the general manager of Jinhua Mingshi Decoration Company, took a fancy to this place and carried out a simple renovation. The 2,000-square-meter exhibition hall on the second floor is a place for art exchanges. The annual meeting of the Oil Painting Art Committee of the Lanxi Artists Association has been held here for two consecutive sessions. On the twelfth day of the first lunar month this year, the annual meeting with the theme of "Old Things in the South of the City" attracted many figures from the Lanxi literary and art circles. Everyone sang, recited, performed martial arts, ate and drank, and the atmosphere was lively. When some department leaders came, they just put a stool at any table. "We are all equal here." Yu Huaigu said that university professors, graduate students from the Academy of Fine Arts, calligraphy and painting enthusiasts, and ordinary citizens have all come to the studio, and they all think it is very good. Loving art and enjoying life is our purpose.
“Lanxi people are free-spirited and have profound cultural heritage. The emergence of the Wujiang Road Studio Street is not surprising. I hope everyone will run it well and take good care of it, so that it can become a new scenic spot and good place along the Lanjiang River. A place to go." A leader in Lanxi said.