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Hi Art , December 2012
Zhu Wei:
Out of Office
Article/Teng Kun;
Pictures/Wu Jing, Gu Xiaobo
Zhu Wei, who has been avoiding exposure like a super star, is not “punk” at all as he was depicted. After 30 years of ups and downs, as almost the one and only “out-of-office” artist in the ink and wash painting community, Zhu Wei is like a specimen, full of stories and realities.
I don’t consider him as an “old punk”.
Maybe you have never seen an “old punk” shaking hands with people or inviting someone to have tea. In fact, Zhu Wei doesn’t see himself as a punk, neither. He believes there is no real “punk” in China. All right, that sounds really “punk”.
He regards himself more like a “specimen”. As an artist who has gone through almost three decades of a glorious as well as gloomy Chinese contemporary art, he is a “specimen” for others to review the past; as an artist who sticks to one way of creating and living style, he is a “specimen” for others to look into the future. He kept saying that he was not enthusiastic about anything with smiles, but I still felt strongly touched by his creating ferment demonstrated through his excitement when he showed me his latest works.
We have tried to identify the origin of that enthusiasm, while Zhu Wei argues that this era is dismissing all kinds of enthusiasm. Pointing at the rock music festival poster on the wall, he said it was his latest “work”. Perhaps, rock music and western “punk spirit” have enabled him to remain open and persistent. The red elements from those big scenes, maybe subconsciously, are in line with the cultural values and spiritual pursuits of Chinese rock music. Those red flags and vigorous rough images reflected the passionate pursuits and dreams of that rock-dominated age. That’s why the stage decoration of Cui Jian’s American show was designed by Zhu Wei, an ink and wash artist, and their friendship lasts over all these years. Meanwhile, it’s not hard to understand why Zhu Wei’s style thrives—rock music perpetuates, spirits never die.
Nevertheless, his works are ink and wash paintings, which enjoy a special position in China—they are our tradition as well as a cultural carriage challenging other art forms across the world. So, the identity of Chinese ink and wash artists is somewhat special. However, why him and why he could persist such a long time? In fact, Zhu Wei put it lightly. He said he was almost the only one “out-of-office artist”—no public employment, no salary and no organization, which I perceive as the most unique tag for him and that’s also the premise for his most abundant contemporarity, harshest sense of humor, strongest living crisis, most practical value, severest criticism and practicality. As a result, in his paintings, three “fan” and nine “ran” from the traditional ink and wash painting techniques and fine brush contributed to “contemporary” ink and wash with a practical sense and tendency. His works, born out of tradition, but still with distinct temporal characteristics and group memory, are enchanting.
The artists who first signed with galleries ushered in a new era in which art industry is getting more professionalized. Compared with “the majority” who live an unstable life, professionalized art and carefree artists are predecessors and trials of the beautiful future life. Therefore “out-of-office” artist Zhu Wei is embodied with more legendary color, and he is more objective, reasonably perceiving the society and art without worries for subsistence.
Officials, soldiers and strangers with fat head, big ears or woody expressions are main images in Zhu Wei’s figure series. They may be drawn from occasional encounter on the street or memories in his childhood. He said that some people were strangers shot on his trip, and some were old friends somehow left in his memories. We can’t help feeling laughable about those figures, but Zhu Wei always reminds people of the trivial memories of the background. Wavering red flag, clear, blue ripples, potted plants, blue sky and white clouds can always trigger something else, for example, politics or classics. The scenes left in our minds and from our shared temporal memories are weirdly calm. His painting brought more varied information to those prosaic images, resulting in humor and absurdity. That comes from an artist’s perspective or “white” humor from the adult world.
Zhu Wei doesn’t paint landscape nor favor strong coloring. We should say that he jumped out of the stereotype of ink and wash landscape and vulgar oriental ladies. Seeking contemporary breakthroughs in his own way, not catering to the tastes of the western markets that dominate the discourse power, he painted the contemporary times he sees and the era in his memory—his past, current situation and future. The images in his paintings are quite simple—clot organizations and his deliberate avoiding of oriental colors make people easily overlook the fact that Zhu Wei has been studying techniques. In fact, with his studio at the Apple District, Zhu Wei has been studying techniques in the manner of “sitting the working hours”. Or he is a sensitive artist lacking the sense of security, trying to keep up with the times through seeking breakthroughs, also, he speaks bluntly that he earns his living by painting, so we can see especially recently, though with few “productions”, he can always exhibit some “hard currency”.
Zhu Wei has prepared a series of new works on “Research” for his upcoming solo exhibitions at art galleries in Singapore, Indonesia and Beijing, which represented his thoughts and changes over recent years. Those figures are embodied with more delicate emotions, more complex background meanings. In Zhu Wei’s perspective, an era without changes can hardly produce artists with revolutionary spirits—the stable domestic environment made it hard for artists to make breakthroughs. Without opportunities brought about by time and environment, inner study became the only channel to promote art development. So after seven years of trail and error, Zhu Wei created a couple of Chinese color painting on paper spanning years, which demonstrate a sense of level and cloud and water wave decorations. The “old punk” who doesn’t feel to be a “old punk” has been committed to his own creating styles and making adjustments as the era changes. The sense of humor is still his company and reflections of visible effects shine in his paintings.
“Out-of-office” artist Zhu Wei is enjoying his “out-of-office” life and thankful for the freedom and enthusiasm brought about by it. The development of ink and wash paintings will not be about showing off techniques. Without contemporary colors, how could their beauty hold the measurement of the future?
Hi Art = Hi
Zhu Wei= Zhu
Paintings Rooted In Reality
Hi: How many paintings have you produced in this new series? And when?
Zhu: From 2005 to 2012, I have painted all together 12 new works. Four of them had been started in 2005. This can be said a breakthrough of the modern ink and wash paintings, since no one else has the courage like me.
Hi: Then what about your state this year?
Zhu: I surely had a tougher time than you. I had to sit in my studio all day, preparing for the tour exhibitions at MOCA, Singapore, Indonesian National Museum and at the Today Art Museum.
Hi: When did you begin to prepare for the exhibitions?
Zhu: Two or three years ago. Some of the paintings took me five years, and I made a quick ending this year. In the next year, I prepare to have a good rest.
Hi: Have you already had images in mind when you started to prepare for the exhibitions?
Zhu: I thought of this image years ago. Since 2005, I’ve been preparing to make some changes. This time, I made some alterations in figure and modeling. What’s more, the fine brush ink and wash paintings I draw are all related with reality. Whether ink and wash or oil painting, is form, and can’t be isolated from reality. I never create works behind doors, and I believe the paintings devoid of real life are tiring for people to view.
Hi: Are your pictures getting denser?
Zhu: That was affected by western contemporary paintings and even by televisions. Limited by the small TV screen, narrations were all about big close-up，with few medium shots. But movie is different. Contemporary art has been greatly influenced by material and technological upgrade. Back then, during the Renaissance and the classical periods, artists drew full length picture, yet now the reason is the limitation from technical progress. With the upgrading of technologies, artists must keep up with the pace of the times in materials, techniques and concepts.
Hi: Do you feel stressful toward creations now?
Zhu: The main problem is the lacking of material. Artists need materials to create. During the Chinese contemporary art movements like 85'New Tide Art and Post 1989, artists made works thanks to the social turbulence. At this point, the society is relatively stable, and artists are in a passive position. It makes no point painting something unrealistic. So I put more efforts in researches on ink and wash. I’m special, for I’m the only one professional artist who get the fame from painting ink and wash, others are almost all from painting academy or research institutions. I have no job occupation, that’s why I can paint at will. I can be regarded as a specimen in today. Back then, Ni Zan and Wen Zhengming were also never painted in court and painting academy. Since the early 1990s, I have been living on painting ink and wash. I’ve been living pretty well and my motives and thinking are different from those artists, also I take a different angle towards ink and wash. Correspondingly, I get the strongest senses of emergence and crisis, since my family would starve if I don’t paint.
No Literati, No Punk
Hi: Do you think you are a “punk”?
Zhu: “Punk” was born in the 1960s in the West when the Second World War was ended on the basis of anti-war. It didn’t appear in China until 20 or 30 years later. The same as contemporary art, punk is just a word in China. We have not yet fully grasped its meaning. We are just eager to have whatever exists in foreign countries. In fact, till now, there is neither “literati” nor “punk” in China, for both of the two kinds are steadfast idealists.
Hi: Is ink and wash, to some extent, a game of literati?
Zhu: No. first, there is no literati. Second, it’s not a game of literati.
Hi: What influence dose rock music has on you?
Zhu: Rock music is explosive and full of critical spirits. Around 1994 or 1995, I got in touch with rock music, and I think I blended it well with ink and wash. All together, I have paintings of 16 series and I tried my best to integrate the ink and wash with the times. For me, creating is not always a natural thing, sometimes you have to go against your will. I may have quit if I follow my will.
The Most Enjoyable 14 Years of Creating
Hi: How did you feel when you first signed with the Plum Blossoms gallery?
Zhu: For the first batch of domestic artists signed with foreign galleries, at least we did’t have to worry about our livelihood. I enjoyed my creations most during that period. After that, I have to organize all sorts of trivial things myself besides painting.
Hi: Are galleries more professional?
Zhu: I had my first solo exhibition in Hong Kong and Singapore in 1994. They signed a media company to deal with the media parts. They all worked diligently and did a professional job in the searching of documents. That gallery was next to Sotheby and it gave me a big flower basket.
Hi: Did the gallery provide a relatively independent creating environment?
Zhu: You have to be an independent person to create independently, and independent life serves as the foundation. I feel like keeping independent all my life. I’m used to this life style and I feel no attraction from systems.
Hi: Are your recent “Lecture Research” series born out of independent spirits?
Zhu: In living style and creation, I’m the same with the post 1989 generations. Maybe some people need to find a place to stay first and begin to paint after getting the sense of security. We are different in motives—I’m a researching artist. I can be counted as a specimen or a fossil in contemporary ink and wash. I completely live on creating works. I would like people to know that I’m a researching type and have noting to do with business. I have been seeking changes in ink and wash subjects and striving for greater success.
《Hi艺术》二零一二年十二月刊
朱伟： 在野
文/滕昆 图片提供/邬竞、谷小波
始终在尝试回避“明星一样宣传”的朱伟，一点都不想传说中的那么“朋克”。历经三十年的起降沉浮，作为身边水墨艺术家里几乎唯一的“在野”艺术家，他就像是一个标本，充满了故事和现实。
我不认为朱伟是“老朋克”。
或许你应该也没见过会握手寒暄、请人喝茶的“老朋克”。事实上朱伟也不这么认为，他觉得中国压根就没有正经的“朋克”——好吧，这句话确实很“朋克”。
朱伟更倾向于说自己“就像一个标本”。作为几乎亲身经历了中国当代艺术近三十年起降沉浮的朱伟而言，他有足够的资历来回顾过往而成为别人研究的“标本”，而对于三十年始终坚持一种创作方式、雷同的生活形式的朱伟而言，他又应该有足够的资格来展望未来并成为别人景仰的“标本”。尽管他不停地笑着说现在对什么都没热情，但是从他指着新作品给我看时的激动里，几乎是欢呼跳跃着冲撞出来的创作热情还是叫人感受到强烈的震动。
我们试图寻找这种激情的由来，可是朱伟说这个时代正在消弭所有的热情。转过话头，他又指着墙上的摇滚音乐节海报说那是他最新的“作品”。或许是摇滚和来自西方的“朋克精神”让朱伟保持着开放的境界和执着的心态，朱伟画面中那些大场景的红色元素也许是在无意识中正暗合了中国摇滚的文化价值和精神诉求，那些大场面的红旗和粗犷有力的形象无不扣紧了摇滚最火红的时代那些激情荡漾的追求和梦想，这也就不难理解为什么崔健的美国演出会由水墨艺术家朱伟来设计舞台装潢并维系了这若干年的友谊，同时也不难理解为什么朱伟将自己的风格延续这许多年而看上去势头不减——摇滚不死，精神永在。
然而朱伟作品毕竟是水墨作品，水墨在中国有特殊的地位：它既是我们的传统，又是我们叫板世界的文化载体。有因于此，中国的水墨艺术家身份总有些特殊。那么为什么会是朱伟，又为什么朱伟可以坚持这么久？事实上朱伟说的轻描淡写，他说他几乎是他们一拨水墨艺术家里唯一一个“在野艺术家”——没有公职，没有工资，没有组织。我想这是朱伟最特别的标签，也是他可以有最丰富的当代性、最刻薄的幽默感、最强烈的生存危机、最现实的价值观念和最尖锐的批评性最具现实性的前提。所以在他的画面中，来自于传统水墨画法的三矾九染和工笔细密成就了具有现实感和倾向性的“当代”水墨，脱胎于传统的朱伟作品因为有了鲜明的时代特色和群体记忆的烙印而叫人着迷。
对于中国最早一批签约画廊的艺术家而言，当时的他们意味着艺术行业一个新的更专业时代的来临。职业化的艺术、衣食无忧的艺术家，相比较于水深火热、生活颠沛流离的“大多数”来说，他们是未来美好生活的先行者和试验品，“在野”艺术家朱伟就此多了一些传奇色彩，也就此多了客观之心，跳出生存之外理智的观察社会和艺术。
那些看上去肥头大耳或表情木讷的疑似官员、军人和路人是朱伟人物系列中的主要形象，或许是路边的偶遇，或许是童年的记忆，朱伟说有些人就是在旅行途中偶尔拍下的照片中的陌生人，有些就是莫名残留在记忆里的故交旧知。我们看到的那些人物总有一些叫人忍俊不禁的假正经，而朱伟却总忍不住提醒旁人看一下背景中的细琐记忆。招展的红旗、碧波粼粼的水面、绿植盆栽和青天白云，总有些什么可以让你想起其它，譬如政治或者经典，印迹在脑海里和我们共同的时代记忆中的那些场景在朱伟的笔下带有怪异的平静，这些原本平淡无奇的形象被他的画面带来更丰富多元的信息，并带有挤眉弄眼的谐趣和荒诞。这是出于艺术家的视角，或者是来自于成人世界的软幽默。
朱伟不事山水，也无心重彩。应该说，朱伟跳出了水墨山水的窠臼和格调不高的东方女郎，他在以自我的方式寻求水墨的当代突破，并不迎合时下把控话语权的西方市场的口味，他画他看到的当代和他记忆中的时代，他画他的过去、现在、未来。他画面中的形象简洁明快，块状的组合和没法避免的东方色调让人很容易忽略一个始终在研磨技法的朱伟，事实上把工作室开在苹果社区的朱伟每天都在用“坐班”的方式研习。或许朱伟是个缺乏安全感的敏感艺术家，他每天都在寻找突破避免被时代遗弃，也直言不讳地说他要用画画养家糊口，所以我们能看到“出货”不多、近年尤甚的朱伟总能拿出“硬通货”。
即将在新加坡、印尼、北京等地的美术馆展开一系列个人展览的朱伟准备了一批新系列的作品，这批以“研究”为题的作品代表了若干年来朱伟的思考和嬗变。人物形象带有更琐碎的感情，人物身上也带有更多更复杂的背景意义。朱伟说没有变革的时代很难产生带有革命性的艺术家，国内稳定的形式让艺术家的突破难产而充满偶然。没有时代、环境这样的外因带来的变革契机，内在的研习则是艺术发展的唯一通道，所以朱伟用了七年时间反复尝试，所以我们看到了若干张创作年代横跨多年的纸本彩墨。能看到层次感在画面中的突出，也能看到画面中多了云翳水纹的装饰。觉得自己并不是“老朋克”的“老朋克”朱伟事实上仍然在延续着自己一贯的创作风格并顺应着他看到的时代变化做着画面中的调整，幽默不离不弃的追随在他的身边，对可见现象的折射仍然在他的画面中流光溢彩。
“在野”艺术家朱伟正在享受他的“在野”生活，并感谢“在野”带给他的自由和热忱。水墨的发展不会是假山假水假生活的炫技，不当代的色彩美感又如何经得住未来的时代考量？
Hi艺术=Hi 朱伟=朱
和现实无关的画画不了
Hi:这次新作有几张？是什么时候的呢？
朱：从2005年到2012年，加起来一共是12张新作，其中有四张是从2005年一直画到今年，七年来一直在画这个。这也是当代水墨画的一次突破，可以这么说，因为别人没我这个胆子。
Hi：那这一年整个的状态是怎样的？
朱：我这一年肯定比你惨，你不坐班，我坐班。最近这一年起早贪黑全干这个了，为了明年新加坡MOCA和印尼国家博物馆、今日美术馆的巡回展。
Hi：展览是什么时候开始准备的呢？
朱：都是两三年前定的。有些是用了五年时间画的画，今年突击收尾。明年准备休息一年。
Hi：当时准备展览的时候想到过今天会出现什么形象吗？
朱：这个形象几年前就想好了，一直没舍得用。我从2005年一直就开始准备做一些变化，这大概憋了有七年了。这回在人物、造型上都有变化。再一个我画的画，跟其他的水墨工笔不一样，应该说都跟现实题材有关系。水墨画也好，油画也好，其实只是一个家伙式，要脱离现实、不反映艺术家现在生存现状的画我画不了。关起门来，闭门造车，画一些哼哼唧唧的东西，这种画我画起来比看的人都累。
Hi：你的画面越来越满？
朱：作品很满其实主要是受到西方当代绘画的影响，再往远了说是受到电视的影响。电视屏幕小，要叙事就全是大特写，中景都少。电影就不这样。当代艺术受材料、科技进步的影响特别大，以前文艺复兴、古典时期的都是全身，现在是由于受技术进步的约束。技术进步决定了艺术家在创作材料、创作技法和观念上必须要跟上。
Hi：那现在创作对您来说有压力吗？
朱：现在主要是没词儿，想画画不出来。艺术家是要等米下锅的，要等材料。像八五新潮、后八九这些中国当代艺术运动，都是借助于社会剧变。现在社会相对来说稳定，艺术家就变得很被动。编一个东西瞎画，没什么意思，也不接地气，所以现在我更侧重于水墨课题的研究。我还是比较特殊的，画水墨画成名的只有我一个是职业艺术家，其他大部分都是画院、研究院的。我没有职业，能由着性子画，就当下可以说我算是一个标本，以前倪瓒、文征明也和我一样，从没进过宫里和画院画过画。我是从90年代初到现在一直靠水墨画为生，又能活好的职业艺术家，所以我的动机想法作派不可能和体制内的一样，我看水墨画的角度也和别人不一样。相应的，我也最有紧迫感和危机感，我不画画全家都会挨饿。
不是文人，不是朋克
Hi：你认可“朋克”这种称呼吗？
朱：“朋克”在西方是二战结束以后产生于60年代，建立在反战基础上的。中国比西方晚二十到三十年，80年代末和90年代初才有人这么叫。朋克和当代艺术一样，在中国只是个词汇，我们并没有完全理解它的内涵。我们是希望国外有什么中国都得有，其实中国到目前为止既没有“文人”，也没有“朋克”，因为这两个都是坚定的理想主义者。
Hi：水墨画从某种意义上说不是一种文人游戏吗？
朱：不对。首先得先有文人，其次也不是文人的游戏。
Hi：那摇滚对你有什么影响？
朱：摇滚就是有爆发力，批判精神。我从1994年1995年左右就开始接触摇滚，我自认为我融合的很好，我用水墨做过各种尝试，包括跟摇滚乐的结合，跟当代现实的结合，跟音乐的结合，方方面面，水墨画我的路走得比较宽。我一共有16种系列的画，每个都能堵死，尽量把水墨和时代融合。创作给我的感觉是，这不仅仅是一件顺其自然的事，有时候非得拧着干。我要顺其自然我早不画了。
创作最愉快的14年
Hi：当时跟万玉堂签约是什么感觉？
朱：对于第一波签约的国内艺术家来说，最起码衣食不愁了。我觉得我跟国外的画廊签约的那段时间是我创作最愉快的。后来不合作了，很多乱七八糟的我还得自己动手，那时候就只画画，现在所有的事都我自己张罗。
Hi：画廊是更专业一些的吧？
朱：1994年第一次在香港、新加坡做个展，他们把媒体这块都签给一个媒体公司，大家都在默默地做事，在文件的搜集上做得很精致、专业。画廊和苏富比挨着，苏富比还给我送了一个大花篮。
Hi：画廊提供了一个相对独立的创作环境？
朱：想保持独立创作必须在生存状态上是一个独立的人，独立的状态必须有独立的生活才行。我觉得我一辈子要保持独立，我适应这种生存状态，体制对我来说没有任何吸引力。
Hi：那你最近的“课题研究”系列是脱胎于独立精神吗？
朱：我跟后八九这一批从生活习性上、从创作上说是一样的。可能其他人都需要先找一个落脚的地方，各方面都觉得安全之后才画画。我们是不一样，动机不太一样。我是一个琢磨型的艺术家，当代水墨画我算一标本，一化石，我完全依靠作品生存。我希望让大家知道我是个研究型的，和商业无关，我不停的在水墨题材上变化，争取更大的成功。 |
