On "Craft"
Pay attention to Luke Huancheng, the planner and promoter of the International Culture and Art Salon.
Huancheng: chief artist and cultural scholar of Huancheng International.
Tip: Craftsmanship is not derogatory.
1
Luke: Mr. Huancheng, there is often a word called "artisan spirit" in painting and calligraphy circles or art circles. This "artisan spirit" seems to me to know a feeling, which seems to be a vulgar statement about works of art, but I still don't understand this concept accurately, and I can't see the explanation of this word in books and many other places. Can you introduce it to us?
Around the city: "artisan spirit", as the name implies, is the craftsman spirit. Since it is made by craftsmen, it means that works can be made repeatedly, and the same thing can be made repeatedly according to some practices used in the industry for many years. Craftsmanship seems to be closely related to vulgarity. I think "artisan spirit" seems to refer to some practices, techniques and habits that have been repeatedly formed after years of creation. Many artists do not leave behind some so-called rules, (hidden rules) techniques and practices formed by these peers or industries over the years, or even some practices and creative ideas that have long been eliminated when creating works of art. Many people have never thought that there are any new methods, techniques and materials that can be applied to the creation of works, so it is easier to be made into a craft.
2
Luke: Mr. Huancheng, what kind of people or artists do you think are most easily troubled by the "artisan spirit"?
Around the city: it is easy to be troubled by the "artisan spirit". It could be anyone, including myself. Because each of us has old ideas and concepts, and holds some outdated technologies, skills and concepts. Although many ideas are out of date, many people still use them, and they don't think they are out of date ideologically. But if we have higher discrimination, you will see them and think they are a thing of the past. There are many common practices in the market. Once you see them in your eyes, remember them in your heart, or infect them silently, your artistic creation will be pulled into the dye vat of "artisan spirit" Because this vat is a conventional space, it is easy to be understood and accepted by ordinary people who have been infected for many years. If an artist lives well in this dye vat, it is difficult for his works to be "avant-garde" and "high-end", and he can only struggle in it. Because "avant-garde" or "higher-end" artistic creation often needs academics and a higher level of accomplishment as the foundation and bedding.
three
Luke: According to what you said, I think "artisan-style" paintings and calligraphy works are better and easier to look at. What you said about "avant-garde", "high-end" and "modernism" is beyond our comprehension. How do we explain this?
Around the city: I have repeatedly said above that the source and conditions of the so-called "artisan spirit" are repeated, repeated and established rules and concepts, that is, everyone has done this for decades, hundreds or even thousands of years. He has been stuck in it, immersed in it, unable to struggle out, and even integrated into the spiritual marrow of a national culture.
Luke: So "artisan spirit" is not good.
Ring Road: Of course not. There are historical deposits, national cultural deposits and profound cultural heritage here. So who gave such a good thing and such a profound culture the title of "artisan spirit"? Of course, it is a group of innovative people, or these innovative artists!
Here, innovation does not come out of thin air, but moves to a new level, a new feeling, a new, higher-end and more theoretical aesthetic level on the basis of tradition. When they have some breakthroughs and insights in artistic creation, they will look back at those things before and feel that they are behind the times, pedantic, or unable to keep up with the trend. Since it is accumulated and precipitated by history, it is associated with pedantry, obsolescence, craftsmanship and kitsch. Don't you know that the accumulation of history and culture is in it! It has very important historical and cultural value.
With the progress of history, some valuable things need to be inherited and developed, while others are garbage deposited by history and need to be picked up selectively. This distinction needs systematic scientific rationality. The reality is that in front of many of our so-called artists, many artists fail to grasp and choose their abilities (because this ability needs more advanced and systematic theory and knowledge to support) because of the differences in knowledge and hobbies. Some people often use some eliminated elements to express their aesthetic feelings of art, resulting in so-called artisans, vulgarity and flattery. Some paintings are very high-end, but occasionally there are such elements involved in the works, so that very high-end works of art often bring these feelings. Therefore, we say that the creation of a work of art lies not in techniques, but in ideas.
four
Luke: Many of us beginners in painting and calligraphy are often called "craftsmen" and "tacky" by many people and even professors in colleges and universities. Then why is this?
Ring Road: Oh! Because we beginners, or artists in the primary stage, often draw works that have been established and have been created many times by predecessors. These works are not only outstanding works deposited in history, but also familiar and recognized by everyone. At the same time, it is also a model and teaching material for learning. For beginners and learners, there is still a long way to go from creation, and a leap in concept and thought is needed to move towards real artistic creation.
five
Luke: I have seen many master works, which are not much different from those painted by beginners in terms of theme, composition and so on!
Huancheng: Oh, that's actually different. Because these artists have been painting for many years, he is very skilled in many techniques. But he still mastered the basic skills in the process of learning, which is the repetition of those basic skills in his learning process, and he is very skilled and wonderful. But none of them can be called artistic creation. They are all describing the rules of the predecessors according to the rules. So, in a sense, this can't be a real creation.
Luke: Well, Mr. Huancheng, can you tell me what kind of works belong to creation?
Huancheng: Well, for an artist, a painter and a calligrapher, the word creation has many meanings. For example, there are creative themes, creative materials, creative materials, creative techniques, creative ideas, creative elements and creative vocabulary, and even a creative environment. From any aspect, works with innovative tendencies can be called creative works. We often see that one peony flower has become two peony flowers, and now it has become three or more. Each one will be called "creation". In fact, this kind of thing can't be called creation. It is nothing more than painting a peony flower several times. This can be called painting: painting several times or painting several flowers together. On the premise that painting methods, techniques, concepts, colors and materials have not changed, the mountains and characters have been reorganized. These should not be called creation. So what should the real creation be? Obviously, it goes without saying.
six
Luke: Mr. Huancheng, can you honestly talk about your creative experience?
Huancheng: Let's discuss it next time.