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O‘Zine, December 2010
China Bastard - An Interview and cover story made by ‘O’ZINE’ visual magazine
O’ZINE (hereinafter referred to as O): What do you think ‘bastard’ is?
Zhu Wei (hereinafter referred to as Z): If we call others ‘bastard’ on the street, it would be name-calling and others would feel difficult to accept this; if unfortunately we encounter someone rude, he may retaliate with a slap in the face. Yet in special small circles, ‘bastard’ may signify that the people might be courageous and knowledgeable.
O: Can we call those intellectuals who dare tell the truth ‘bastards’?
Z: We could. Intellectuals are the conscience of the society and the critics of the existing social value; there is nothing perfect in this world, so it is what intellectuals should do to criticize and reveal. However in the real society, especially nowadays, we cannot even get to know the truth and cannot be taken as some one knows; therefore it is difficult for the so called intellectuals in China to become ‘bastards’, there is no foundation.
O: Do you think you are a ‘bastard’?
Z: I could only say that I’m trying my best to become one ‘bastard’ and I would make even more effort to become a real ‘bastard’, which, actually, is a very tempting name for me.
O: Do you agree with the definition of ‘bastard’ made by our O’ZINE magazine?
Z: The definition of ‘bastard’ your magazine made only covered a few aspect of it and talks about it from the perspective of personality; yet I think, whether you are a ‘bastard’ or not should be decided by what you have done for the progress of this society…
O: Do you think today China need ‘bastard-style talented people’ or not?
Z: More than thirty years have passed since the Reform and Opening up, yet the reform on the level of culture and citizen met great difficulty in making step forward and we rarely see any courageous and brave figure; if there is any ‘bastard-style talented people’ in China, it is far from enough. Now it’s the time for China to have ‘bastard-style talented people’.
O: What’s the most ‘bastard’ thing you have done?
Z: It’s not my business to talk about it from the perspective of society; as for my personal aspect, I gave up the opening ceremony of my solo-exhibition in Beijing for the performance of The Rolling Stones in Shanghai Stadium held at the same evening and went to Shanghai by air with some friends to watch the performance.
O: What do you frown upon the most?
Z: It is people’s indifferent attitude towards our country and the social status; now everyone in this society only knows how to ‘make money’. Certainly this is also a kind of respond to the call. In those years it was also that everyone, especially those who was born in 1950s and 1960s took part in the Cultural Revolution; now when we are having an economic movement, our peoples born in 1980s and 1990s also take part in it enthusiastically. The reason why so many peoples, including several generations, or even dozens of generations would like to be fooled by one or several people to suspend their own work and donate themselves into one same thing should be traced in race.
O: How do you look upon the different thinking and living way of those young peoples born in 1980s?
Z: Think about it carefully, things done by those born in 1980s haven’t gone too far; they only changed to have less passion and more tolerance, they are more content with things as they are.
O: What your conviction, or in other words, your most important values are?
Z: The first is not do immoral things, the second is not to be taken advantage of by others.
O: What’s indispensable in your life?
Z: Freedom and thought. I must have time to think about something and do something, which are the most rudimentary things for people living on this world.
O: Do you think it is the inspiration of fantasy or the experiences of life that more important to a creator?
Z: Life experience is the most important, this is the only truth; anyone who give other statements is cheating you, do kick his ass.
O: Do you think technique and theory are very important for creation? What’s the most important for creation?
Z: Techniques are progressing constantly and unceasingly, but there are certain laws in it that cannot be disobeyed. As for theory, people have different opinions on it; even now we are still groping about in many things. We do many things before reading the instructions leaflet. The most important thing is you must do it.
O: What a mentality do you have in creation?
Z: I never feel anxious in creation, that’s my mentality. Painting is my lifelong career and I think I would never turn to do real estate business or to drive an airplane; I would feel regretted if I create works urgently with eager for quick success and instant benefit. Passion is transient so I always try to balance myself.
O: What’s your condition when you are not creating artworks? What do you like to do?
Z: I hardly have any time not creating; as for me, to have celebration whenever and wherever possible is a part of creation; I won’t make people see I’m always painting there at any time, which in my mind is no more than acting. I think about what to draw and how to draw almost all round the clock and rarely have entertainments or be in a daze.
O: What other creations do you do except for painting?
Z: These days I’m shooting MV for the Miserable Faith band, which is now in its post-production stage; besides I have written articles for the special column of a magazine for four years.
O: How do you like Chinese classical painting?
Z: Chinese classical painting art is the most glorious painting with today’s contemporary art included. The peak period of it happened in Song, Yuan and early Qing dynasties. However today we are busy connecting with foreign culture and have already given up many of our own things.
O: What do you refer to when you talk about ‘give up’?
Z； I mean form and content. Ink and wash painting has experienced two large-scaled catastrophe; one is the ‘May Fourth’ movement happened in late Qing and early days of the Republic of China, another is the ‘Chinese Traditional Painting Revolution’ during the socialism period. In those years, Xu Beihong introduced sketch perspective into ink and wash paintings, this has damaged the unique aura of our Chinese culture and our ink and wash painting. In fact, it showed a lack of confidence in our own culture.
O: Do you think we have given up more in the ‘May Fourth’ period or after the establishment of PRC?
Z: ‘May Fourth’ was the beginning of westernization which didn’t covered too many fields; actually it was in the Cultural Revolution Period that westernization happened most prosperously; The Cultural Revolution has caused a mortal damage to Chinese traditional culture which surpassed Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s ‘Burying Books and Burying Confucian Scholars alive’.
O: You have always been persisting in ink and wash painting creation, yet ink and wash painting is indeed quite marginalized now; how do you cope with this predicament?
Z: Actually I could be regarded as an ascetic monk who sticks to his own belief, inherits it and develops it. Ink and wash painting is our national treasure and our own cultural brand, we should stick to it and meanwhile in content of it, pay more attention to real society and common people’s life.
O: What do you think Rock and Roll is?
Z: I don’t think there are much musical elements in Rock and Roll; in fact, it is a critical form with music as its carrier to realize abreaction.
O: Is Rock and Roll only suitable for young people?
Z: And all those who have passion; it has nothing to do with age.
O: What kind of Rock and Roll do you like?
Z: I love those combine well with local culture, such as some works of Cui Jian, Dou Wei and He Yong.
O: Do you like to inquire upon the past and history?
Z: Actually I pay more attention to reality.
O: How do you think about today’s China?
Z: The current situation of China is troublesome now, it’s a society characterized by vanity. As common people, we have no feeling of safety and have no idea of what to do; we have no hope for the future and don’t know how to make the next step; some even dare not make any step forward. This is a really miserable period. The longer this period is, the serious a bursting out would happen later. People have less and less freedom with their capability of control their own life decreased to be weaker day by day.
O: So in your eyes, this is not true freedom, but only that people’s life become colorful today?
Z: I could only say that materials are more than before, yet on spiritual level, people are much poorer than before, or even they are monotonous in spirit today. Many say that China is in a transition stage, yet I don’t think so. The very beginning of this period was transitional, yet now we are circling like sitting on the whirligig in a playground round and round. The longer this period is, the more terrified and impatient people in it feel.
O: What problems do you think there are in the art circles today?
Z: Within such a society, could art circles be better? Maybe the only thing they could do is to play the game of those days before Liberation again.
O: Do you think artists could have more right of discourse after they become famous and rich?
Z: That would happen in a civil society.
O: You have been in touch with foreign galleries many years ago. What differences there are between the foreign and domestic artistic environments in your opinion?
Z: Foreign artistic market is very calm. Artists need to pay great effort and long time to wait for success.
O: What do you think Chinese culture is?
Z: What do you think the culture in such a social condition in China would be?
O: How do you like the Chinese Rock and Roll works created in late stage?
Z: Today’s Rock and Roll music in China is more internationalized; in other words, it is going further and further away from Chinese Rock and Roll music.
O: At present, young people’s works of music, painting or film can hardly transcend their predecessors. What do you think the reason of this phenomenon is?
Z: It is still the problem of this society. People born in 1950s and 1960s grew up in the turbulent, transitional and speculative times of the society; now it is a circling, stagnant and confusing period, so how and with what could young peoples realize any transcendence?
O: What do you think about the impact of market economy on Chinese people?
Z: Look into the mirror everyday at home and you could see this impact launched on Chinese by market economy. If this impact comes from a market economy society, then you would see another look.
O: What society and life do you want?
Z: A civil society, where everyone has freedom and people are rich both in material and spirit; in other words, a market economy society.
O: If you are asked to dress up to be ‘bastard’ like, how would you make it?
Z: A true bastard looks honest, simple and unsophisticated, he even looks a little bit rustic; those who dress up to be strange and queer are playing games that we have discarded long ago, they are lovely, not ‘bastard’. A real bastard is low-keyed and never pays attention to his external appearance, because he could understand everything.
O: How do you think about fashion?
Z: Fashion is necessary, it belongs to young people. They are judging this world so they need fashion.
O: What do you think of Zhu Wei? Could you make a self-evaluation with one sentence?
Z: I think I’m a punctilious people who live cautiously and don’t want to offend people; I don’t want to look for trouble and I decrease my life to be the simplest in order not to have too many things that would disturb my creation. Thus I could close the door and stay in my studio to do whatever I want to do.
《O'Zine》2010年12月号
中国混蛋——和视觉杂志《O’ZINE》的访谈及封面故事
2010年12月号的O’ZINE杂志年末版分别采访了电影导演张元、作家春树、画家朱伟等不同行业的几个人物，让他们每个人分别说出自己对混蛋的看法。以下是对画家朱伟的问答。
O’ZINE：您认为“混蛋”是什么？
朱伟：我觉得在大街上称呼别人为“混蛋”，那是骂人，让人很难接受，碰到横主弄不好回手就给来个脆的。但在特定的小范围里，“混蛋”表示这人可能有胆有识。
O’ZINE：敢于直言的知识份子算不算“混蛋”？
朱伟：算。知识分子是社会的良知，是现有社会价值观的批判者，世界上没有完美的东西，批判和揭露是知识分子应做的事。但是在现实社会中，特别是在当下，我们连很多事情的真相都无从了解，连个知道分子都算不上，所以中国的所谓知识分子想成为“混蛋”是很难的，没这个基础。
O’ZINE：您觉得自己是个“混蛋”吗？
朱伟：我只能说正努力往“混蛋”上混，而且我会加倍努力成为真正意义上的“混蛋”。可以说“混蛋”对我而言是个很诱惑的称号。
O’ZINE：您同意O’ZINE符号杂志对“混蛋”的定位吗？
朱伟：你们杂志的定位只是“混蛋”的几个方面，都是以个性角度来谈的，我觉得是不是“混蛋”要看你为社会的进步做了些什么……。
O’ZINE：您认为在当今中国是否需要“混蛋型人才”？
朱伟：改革开放三十多年了，文化层面、公民层面的改革举步维艰，没有看到什么有胆识、有魄力的人物，如果说中国有“混蛋型人才”，那是矬子里面拔将军。中国现在是需要出现“混蛋型人才”的时候了。
O’ZINE：您干过最“混蛋”的事儿？
朱伟：社会方面不应该由我来说。个人方面而言，就是为了去看滚石乐队在上海体育馆的演出，而放弃了当天晚上自己在北京的个展开幕式，和几个朋友直飞上海看演出去了。
O’ZINE：什么是您最看不惯的？
朱伟：我最看不惯的就是大家现如今对国家、社会现状的冷漠，从上到下就是一个字“捞”。当然这也是一种响应，当年搞文化运动的时候，也是全民参与，特别是50后、60后，现在搞经济运动也是如此，80后、90后也嚷嚷的特别起劲。几代人甚至几十代人愿意听一个人或几个人的忽悠，放下每个人手中自己的事情，满腔热情地投入同一件事，这是人种的问题。
O’ZINE：您怎么看待80年代以后的年轻人所出现的思想和生活方式的分流？
朱伟：仔细想想，80后做的事情没什么出格的，只是相对于前几年少了激情，多了忍受，更安于现状。
O’ZINE：您的信仰或最重要的价值观是什么？
朱伟：第一不做坏事，第二不被人利用。
O’ZINE：您生活中不可或缺的东西是什么？
朱伟：自由和想法。我必须要有时间去想点什么，去做点什么，这是人活在这世界上最起码的。
O’ZINE：您认为一个创作者，幻想的灵感重要，还是生活的感受重要？
朱伟：生活的感受最重要，这是唯一的，其它说法那是骗你们的，你可以抽他。
O’ZINE：您认为对于创作而言，技术和理论很重要吗？最重要的是什么？
朱伟：技术是在不断进化的，拦不住，但它遵循着一定的规律，胡来不行。理论是仁者见仁智者见智，即使是到了现在很多事情也是大家在摸索。很多事情都是先做了，然后再看说明书。最重要的是一定要去做。
O’ZINE：您是以一种什么样的心态去创作？
朱伟：我创作的心态是不急不赶。画画是一辈子的事儿，我估计以后我也不会去搞房地产、开飞机什么的，急功近利容易把作品做急了，事后后悔。我尽量去平衡自己，激情的东西不会长久。
O’ZINE：您不创作时是一种什么状态？喜欢做什么？
朱伟：我基本没有不创作的时候，到我这份上了，随时随地的思考就是创作的环节，而不是让人们随时看到你在那儿撅着屁股画画，那是装逼。我几乎所有时间都在想画什么，怎么画，很少娱乐或发呆。
O’ZINE：除了绘画，你还从事什么创作？
朱伟：我目前给痛苦的信仰乐队拍MV，现在正后期，另外给一本杂志写了四年专栏。
O’ZINE：您怎么看待中国古典绘画艺术？
朱伟：中国古典绘画艺术是包括现在的当代艺术在内最辉煌的绘画。它的颠峰时期在宋代、元代、清初。只不过现在忙着和外国接轨，把我们自己的东西放弃了很多。
O’ZINE：您说的“放弃”是指什么？
朱伟：放弃了形式和内容。水墨画经历过两次大规模的劫难，一是清末民初的“五四运动”，另外一次就是社会主义时期的“国画革命”。徐悲鸿当年把素描透视带进水墨画，弄得水墨画人不人鬼不鬼，去掉了自己所特有的文化韵味。这其实是文化不自信的表现。
O’ZINE：您觉得是“五四”时期放弃得多？还是新中国之后放弃得多？
朱伟：“五四”是西化的开始，覆盖的领域并不多，西化最厉害的是文化大革命时期，文革对中国传统文化的摧毁是致命的，超过秦始皇的焚书坑儒。
O’ZINE：您一直坚持水墨画的创作，但水墨画的确十分边缘化，您是怎么应对这种困境？
朱伟：我其实算是个苦行僧，坚持自己的信念，传承它，发扬它。水墨画是国宝，是我们自己的文化品牌，坚持的同时要让它在内容上更加关注现实社会，重回千家万户。
O’ZINE：您觉得摇滚乐是什么？
朱伟：我觉得摇滚乐的音乐成份不多，它其实是一种以音乐为载体的批判形式，是一种发泄的渠道。
O’ZINE：摇滚乐只适合年轻人吗？
朱伟：适合所有还有激情的人，和年龄无关。
O’ZINE：您喜欢听什么样的摇滚乐？
朱伟：我喜欢跟本土文化结合得好的，比如崔健、窦唯以及何勇的部分作品。
O’ZINE：您是一个喜欢了解过去和历史的人吗？
朱伟：我关注现实更多一点。
O’ZINE：您对现在的中国怎么看？
朱伟：我觉得中国的现状很纠结，是个很燥的社会。我们老百姓感觉无所适从，没安全感，对未来也没什么希望，从上到下不知下一步该怎么走，或者不敢走。这是一个相当痛苦的时期，这个时期越长，今后爆发得越厉害。民众掌控自我生存的能力越被减弱，自由越少。
O’ZINE：在您看来这不是真正的自由，只是人们生活变得很丰富而已？
朱伟：只能说东西多了点，人们的精神层面要比以前匮乏得多，甚至十分单调。很多人说中国现在正处在转型时期，我觉得这说法不成立，一开始是，现在是转圈时期，如同在游乐场坐旋转木马，一圈又一圈，转的时间越长，坐在上面的人越烦燥越惶恐。
O’ZINE：您觉得现在的艺术圈有什么问题？
朱伟：整个社会如此，艺术圈能好到哪儿去？顶多也就把解放前的那套拿回来再玩一遍。
O’ZINE：您觉得艺术家变得有名有钱后，是否会有更有话语权？
朱伟：在公民社会是。
O’ZINE：您很早就接触外国的画廊，您觉得国外和国内艺术环境有何不同？
朱伟：国外的艺术市场很平静。艺术家成名是要付出很大努力，还需要时间等。
O’ZINE：您认为中国的文化是什么？
朱伟：中国的社会现状是这样，你说它的文化能会是什么？
O’ZINE：您怎么看中国摇滚乐后期的作品？
朱伟：现在的摇滚乐更国际化一些，也就是说越来越不像中国的摇滚乐。
O’ZINE：现在年轻人的作品，无论音乐、绘画、电影等，都很难超越前人，你觉得是什么原因？
朱伟：还是社会问题。50后、60后是成长于社会动荡时期、转型时期、思辨时期，现在是转圈时期、停滞时期、无所适从时期，你说现在的孩子能怎么超越，拿什么超越？
O’ZINE：您如何看待市场经济对中国人的影响？
朱伟：每天回家照照镜子，你那副样子就是市场经济对中国人的影响。如果是市场经济社会对你的影响，那会是另外一副样子。
O’ZINE：您向往的社会和生活是什么样子？
朱伟：公民社会，一个自由宽松、人们物质生活精神生活丰富的社会，也就是说是市场经济社会。
O’ZINE：如果要你搞一个让人一眼看上去就很“混蛋”的造型，你会怎样弄？
朱伟：一个真正的混蛋造型就是一个一眼望去就是一个本份人，穿着很简单淳朴，甚至有点土，至于穿着标新立异的那种，都是我们玩剩下的，那叫可爱，那不是“混蛋”的装扮。真正的“混蛋”是很低调的，他什么都明白，所以他不在意外表的装饰。
O’ZINE：您怎么看待时尚？
朱伟：时尚必须有，它是年轻人的东西，他们还在判断这个世界，他们需要这些东西。
O’ZINE：用一句或一段话自我评价：朱伟是个什么样的人？
朱伟：我觉得我是一个谨小慎微的人，活得很谨慎，我不愿得罪人，不想招惹是非，尽量把生活降到最低，不要有太多事情影响到我的创作。这样我可以闭门于自己的工作室，想干什么干什么。 |
