Text/Wang Baiqiao
Standing in front of Wu's calligraphy, I suddenly saw a very fragile and strong heart. The silence and solemnity after the publication of vanity reveals the gloom and pain in the process of life. Although the calm and innocent lines indicate that a person will enter the autumn sunshine from the wet rainy season, the dry water stains still indicate his unique life journey. The significance of Wu's calligraphy lies in this complexity and emotion. Under the calm and inclusive authenticity and care, he has a feeling of being alive.
Although a calligraphy history is full of melodramatic and mediocre works, several heartfelt classics are enough to maintain its glory. From "Mourning Post" to "Sacrificing Nephew" and then to "Huangzhou Cold Food Poetry", it represents a direction of "being as natural and sincere as a river", and the real heart is completely exposed under a hard body: beating and breathing. It is the most essential way to feel the cry of the soul from such pure pen and ink
Just as we can't fully understand the sudden inspiration, we can't clearly explain the relationship between heart and heart that has experienced thousands of years of history, but one thing is certain, that is, "compared with individuals, the tradition that really works is the part that is related to itself, understood and utilized." Therefore, in my opinion, Wu's staged identity also marks his unruly mental journey. This "warm and complicated emotional journey" began with "Sacrificing My Nephew", and was suddenly hit by such a complete inner cry without strict pen and ink methods as a natural foreshadowing. This hairstyle is too strong for beginners, but it has achieved unexpected success in Wu. This unexpected success also implies that his creation has only complete personal significance. What he has experienced and will experience is more of an artist who writes with emotion, and his self-spirit is constantly improving and sublimating. What gave him the most in "Sacrificing a Nephew" was how to constantly put his heart into pen and ink, and how deep his heart was, how vast the bottom of the pen was.
It is far more important for an artist to be loyal to his own soul than to identify with and convert to the mainstream spirit. The depressed undercurrent in a quiet life and his own personality defects have created Wu's gloomy temperament in a marginalized state. It is under the guidance of this temperament that Wu passed by Yan Shu orthodoxy such as Weng Shuping and Qian Nanyuan, but he was fascinated by Jin Dongxin's introversion and agitation. In fact, the medium in the middle is "offering sacrifices to nephews". The last cry of Jin Dongxin, who scribbled poems in the mountains, was "Huashan Pianshi is my teacher". In fact, Yan Shu's temperament and skeleton have already penetrated into his mind. Li E praised him as a "handsome young man" in Xie Fan's Poems on Mountain Living. Jin Dongxin was twenty-nine years old at that time. Wu's "Escape from the Wild" and "Winter's Heart" are both out of his inner emotional needs. They are experiencing calm depression. They didn't feel the pain of national subjugation like Ivy League and Eighth National Congress. They don't even have a good reason to cry when singing Long song. However, there is an ordinary and humid atmosphere that is quietly and slowly eroding their hearts. Such a shadow is like sitting in the sunset, in a dark and empty factory building, watching the sunset slowly set and the darkness gradually arrival. Helplessness and insecurity hang over such a civilian artist, but on the surface, he is cautious introversion and self-calming, but how can such a depressed mood be so easy to calm down? The inner agitation is often manifested in the most subtle efforts of the pen, which destroys all the calm rhythm and makes the whole creation have a more touching emotional component such as sadness and aphasia.
Yu Pingbo said: "However, stealing a broad view is different from deep sorrow, and they are of the same origin. Both of them are beyond words, so they are harmless. Only broad-mindedness can send sorrow, and only deep sorrow can make it philosophical. " On Wu, such a transformation has been completed. In an ordinary and humid atmosphere, calligraphy is originally a free space to dispel and release one's nervousness. However, with the gradual deepening of creation, the charm of calligraphy noumenon made Wu's mind open-minded and entered a free realm of integration with calligraphy. At the same time, the creation of expressing his soft heart with the pen of emotion was recognized and praised after the end of a false era, and the soldiers who trudged alone met intimate friends and comrades. The mainstream in such a small scope makes Wu fully realize the freedom and freedom that can be greater than or even cover up real life in art. Wu's calligraphy has gone through a new spiritual track, from judging suffering and calming pain to completing love and expectation. This should also be the inevitable attribution of every artist. When Faulkner won the Nobel Prize in 1949, he said: "What fills his creative space should only be the true feelings that have existed in the depths of human hearts since ancient times. The truth of this ancient and now ubiquitous thought is: love, honor, sympathy, dignity, sympathy and sacrifice. Without these eternal truths and truths, any story is just morning dew and fleeting ... "The deconstruction of the mainstream order, which began in the 1980s, gradually dispelled authority, released humanity, and made today's artists enter a complete process of self-sublimation. At the same time, the crux of the post-modern period naturally emerged, and money worship and vulgar art views rose. Fortunately, none of this has affected Wu, who has experienced a long and tortuous spiritual journey. What does Wu want as an artist who is always loyal to his heart? The silence and solemnity close to the religious spirit is his current direction and a solemn declaration that he will completely sacrifice himself. This point has been fully reflected in his recent representative works, and he was invited to write it in two inscriptions: the essence of rare books of the National Library of China, the competition for seats and the ritual tablet. The lines are becoming more and more concise, the inner richness is obvious to all, and the words are beginning to become plain and naive. Once restrained and agitated, it has become a faded background, and its generosity and implication indicate confidence and joy in the pilgrimage process. His civilian complex determines that he will never walk into the temple, crowding round and standing on top, creating vanity and majesty in such an external form. What he expresses in his calligraphy is personal integrity and powerful spiritual strength, like a silent river, easy-going and firm, calm and swift, which is the direction of returning to the sea. -Comment on Mr. Wu's calligraphy
Text/Yu Mingquan
I once asked a famous oil painter what he thought of contemporary calligraphy, and he said that most of it should belong to "social calligraphy". His words made me meditate for a long time, thinking that his words hit the soft spot of the current calligraphy situation. Socialization has undoubtedly become an important and main content of modern life. It is very appropriate to socialize with calligraphy or do calligraphy with social mentality. Social calligraphy is really popular at present. From this, I am thinking again, what kind of calligraphy is the substitute of social calligraphy at present? What kind of calligrapher should be able to create a calligrapher who is not a "social calligraphy" type? They should probably be like this. Calligraphy tradition and calligraphy classics have never been labels and gimmicks for him, but three meals a day on his own dining table, swallowing what he needs according to his own taste, and nothing else. Whether reading or writing, like fish drinking water, is self-aware. It doesn't look at other people's eyes and doesn't care about their apologies. Even for decades, I have only been loyal to my heart, and I don't even expect others' understanding and attention. The mind and blood of the ancients have grown into their own flesh and blood, with a strong heart, deep pen and ink and distinctive personality. He doesn't need to carve insects to prove how his stippling lines come from noble origins, nor does he need to show his professional and comprehensive status as a calligrapher by mastering everything about real cursive script, and he won't use the poor means of speculation to win any titles and titles. His daily life is touching, painful, happy and depressing. Then, stroke by stroke, the book says. What flows in his stippling lines is his inner dullness and truth, because he is introspective and doesn't even care about other people's feelings. Is there such a calligrapher now? Maybe there should be, but certainly not many. Such calligraphers are doomed not to attract people's attention and will not be popular. Whenever I think of this, I often think of Mr. Wu.
Mr. Wang was born in Hong Kong, then moved to Chongqing and lived in Nanjing for a long time. After graduating from high school, he jumped the queue in the countryside, returned to the city in the early 1980 s, ate in a grassroots commercial department, and left before retirement. He stayed at home, reading and writing while taking care of his life. When I was a teenager, I showed my musical talent, and my ideal and reality drifted away. Jumping in line in the countryside, bored, a manuscript of "Lu Gongji's nephew" drove away loneliness and fell in love with calligraphy from then on. In the late 1970s, he gave an old commendation. 1986, a poem with rough edges and corners by Li Bai won the coquettish title in the second China Youth Exhibition, which became famous all over the world. Since then, four national exhibitions, three middle-aged exhibitions and several major national exhibitions have won prizes, which has influenced Rilong. How many people have changed their lives because of their years of calligraphy achievements, but Mr. Wang still feels at ease with knowing and doing. There are clouds and smoke on the seat and horses and chariots in front of the door. I remember1in the spring of 993, my friends and I visited Mr. Chaoyue's building in Xiaguan, Nanjing. Mr. Wang lives on the fourth floor, simple, cramped, elegant and warm. Teacher Wang treats the younger generation equally and sincerely, making people feel at home. We listened to my husband talk about calligraphy and life all evening. Time passed quickly, and it was late at night before I knew it. Thinking that my husband will go to work the next day, I have to say goodbye. Seeing that we had come so far, Mr. Wang also said that his meaning was still unfinished, so he made an appointment to come back the next night. The next day we had another wonderful night, which was really like the spring breeze. After returning to Texas, we began to correspond with each other, and we didn't stop writing letters until the telephone was convenient. After careful calculation, there are nearly a hundred letters. I will often read these letters. What I repeatedly say in my letters is not how to write, but what kind of attitude towards life I should hold when writing and reading. Over the years, comparing these viewpoints at that time and looking at Mr. Wang's work style, we will marvel at the almost perfect unity and consistency between the two. The ancients always told the truth, emphasizing that this is a realm and a belief.
In a word, Mr. Wang's words at least revealed the following news: First, he is calm, calm, confident and stubborn. This is his attitude towards life. Secondly, it is graceful, subtle, high-spirited and luxurious. This is his artistic belief. Third, freedom, romance, generosity and leisure, but also consciously or unconsciously avoid fashion and the so-called mainstream. This is his present state of life, and it is also his own artistic view and values. Mr. Wang said that his calligraphy was most influenced by Yan Zhenqing, the Eighth National Congress and Jin Nonghe. After careful comparison, it is not difficult to see that Mr. Wang's positioning of the classic master is very clear. Yan Zhenqing is stubborn and fierce in appearance, but brilliant and generous in heart. The eight strokes are cold and lonely, but the mind is luxurious and high. The golden Agricultural Bank seems to be free and unrestrained, but in fact it is indifferent and affectionate, while-Lao understands the reality of Buddhism with graceful and clever stippling. Their art is their life, walking on the earth in a down-to-earth manner. Yan Zhenqing's bed is not bright and clean, but she cries for life and death. The Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of China is not fat and extravagant, but nameless and lonely. Jinnong is not "selling onions and garlic on the street". Lin San was not a master crowding round, but silently recited Buddha in the late 1980s. They have no choice but to last stand. What Mr. Wu learned from them is not only brushwork, but also a belief in life and an attitude of pen and ink. These constitute his spiritual and soul home. Mr. Wang often laments that they are always as busy as the real thing. Yes, there are too many choices in the book circle because they have too many emotional missions and responsibilities, so they must preach, cut the ribbon, socialize, hand over and count the necessities. Mr. Wang, 70, lives in a corner of a bustling city. He picks up his grandson from school by bike every day, or goes shopping and cooking with a basket. He took time to make paper and ink, and every stroke fell on the real place of life. About ten years ago, I went to Nanjing to visit my husband. At noon the next day, some friends from Nanjing Book Circle got together at Nanda Guest House. My husband came by bike. After dinner, it was raining outside, and my friends dispersed by car or taxi. At this time, my husband took out his raincoat from his pocket, put it on, rode his bike and slowly disappeared in the drizzle. That kind of nature, that kind of calm, as if his stippling lines were written one by one, so simple and calm, so leisurely. Many years have passed, and the scene of that year is deeply embedded in my mind like a painting, and it emerges from time to time.
1992 The first issue of China Calligraphy magazine published Mr. Wang's special topic, and one of the banners was Su Dongpo's Qinyuanchun. There is a sentence in the second half of the magazine: "When you give up your reason, you can hide in my place, so why not just read it at leisure?" This word was written by Su Dongpo to his younger brother Ziyou when he went to Mizhou from Zhenjiang. Probably, the meaning is not very positive. Su Ci is rarely mentioned, but I don't know why, more than 20 years have passed. Since this word was written by my husband, I am deeply impressed and often remember it. Mr. Zhen Li's book seems to be done in one go, with a coherent charm, showing nature, without whitewashing and affectation, and the pen moves freely. It is impossible to feel the thick bottom of language, there are ways in it. Although the scale is small, it is really top grade. It embodies Mr. Zhen Li's artistic accomplishment: light, detached, without secular spirit and traces of a family, which is an expression of temperament and mentality. At this time, I remembered Yuan's words: "It's like writing a sigh in my heart.
Tian Liming1990 65438+1October 9th.