Almighty painter

Chapter 415 The Master and the Clown

Gu Weijing could imagine the feeling of powerlessness as he watched the situation gradually escape his control.

He couldn't be of much help.

But even if it was just out of politeness, he still mentioned his current mood to Mr. Sloth.

Miss Elena was the first noble person he met in his career as a detective cat, even earlier than Mr. Sloth.

This collector lady likes his paintings very much, whether they are sketches or "The Little Prince".

For a young painter who longs for recognition, being liked and respected by others is the most sufficient reason to have a good impression of someone.

a long distance away.

Anna put down her hand and was thanking the gallery owner next to her who was hugging her.

"Thank you."

"I like you, and in your position, it is difficult for me to do better. As for Sir Brown, I have always found him to be deeply terrifying."

Ms. Leeson smiled nonchalantly, "But business is business. My father taught me that the wisest choice in business is to find some deep and scary people as your partners. You should know that Gagosian and many people have given When I made the call, it was difficult for me to say no. The moment a seemingly powerful business alliance appeared, I could only find a suitable position in it as quickly as possible."

"Understood." Anna nodded slightly.

"I know you won't be comfortable at Oil Painting. I can still offer you the position of senior partner and art director here. Don't worry, although you won't care, your annual salary will definitely be higher than mine. This offer is valid for a long time.”

The woman smiled and said, "Sister, I promise you that the Muse Project will not interfere with the development direction of our Lissen. Use the painter you dug up to slap the face of the person who makes you unhappy, and let the name Elena shine again Glory, it will be a very fulfilling thing.”

What a well-rounded character.

Although they are obviously sitting opposite each other, they are cordial and seem to be good best friends in private.

Both are not guilty.

There are reasons why he can lead a young gallery that has only been established for ten years to become a leader among super galleries.

"I think I have a job that is very important to me now. Uh... I have some news that I want to reply to. Let's talk about it later."

Anna declined the olive branch offered by Leeson.

He took out his cell phone and shook it at the woman who wanted to continue talking.

The smile on her face made the air around her suddenly brighten.

"If this is an apology text message sent to you by Gagosian, Miss, believe me, ignore that old naughty boy who likes old cows to eat young grass, and remember that Leeson will always be your better choice."

Ms. Leeson teased and politely looked away.

Women know women.

She believed that people like Anna could reveal a smile that looked like a rose, layered upon layers, so beautiful that it even shocked her when she saw a contact.

It must not be that old thing.

Gagosian is certainly a very charming person. Even though he is very old, he still has more sexual tension than countless upright young men in their prime.

But.

If he could successfully capture such a difficult target as Miss Elena.

Leeson didn't believe it at all.

"It's great to be young. Who is the lucky one?" The female gallery owner quietly sighed in her heart when she turned her head and looked back at the podium.

Don't tell me yet.

Larry Gagosian really sent a long message to Miss Irina after he stepped down. I don’t know if he wrote it himself or had his assistant edit it in advance.

Because Anna didn't look at it at all.

Anna casually ignored this private message from the Art Czar that was worth thousands of dollars and that countless artists had been dreaming of for their entire lives.

"Ms. Cat, are you also watching the live broadcast of the Art Annual Meeting?"

"Ah."

Anna turned her face sideways and glanced at the camera lens in the corner of the media area and stage. She seemed to feel the expectant gaze from afar, falling on her body in a special way.

Today, she tied up her hair specially to go on stage for a while, and tried to use a little mascara.

Weared a different outfit.

Anna deliberately stared at the camera in the media area for a few seconds before sitting back on the chair.

"I don't think there's any need to worry about her."

Of course, your words made her happy.

Anna added something softly in her mind, and then continued to comment in the tone of Mr. Sloth, "After all - she looks pretty good, she doesn't look very worrying, right. It seems, Did she even put on mascara today?"

"I said it's not good."

The detective cat on the other side of the screen seemed to be hesitating: "After all, to be honest, Miss Elena looks radiant, smooth and moist."

"Glorious, smooth and moist? This doesn't sound like a description of a girl. It sounds more like a piece of oriental porcelain in a museum."

Anna points out Detective Cat's speech impediment.

She had heard countless more beautiful and more beautiful words of praise for her in her life.

When Oller was in boarding school, he could write her sensual and well-metered sonnets.

But she still covered her mouth and laughed softly.

"Not bad at all."

Gu Weijing replied to the message from Mr. Sloth.

In his mind, Mr. Sloth had never been associated with the head of the Irina family they were discussing, nor was he the rich and pitiable heiress whom he had mentioned a few days ago and who had the same "suffering" as him.

any connection with Anna herself.

There was never even a second, a moment, or a breath of deep thought.

It's not because Gu Weijing is inherently slow, but because Miss Elena's image in front of the TV camera really makes ordinary people feel too distant.

Noble, exquisite, ingenious... Well, although the word "ingenious" sounds a bit weird when used to describe a young girl.

This is how Gu Weijing felt in his heart.

After the rain, the blue clouds break the virginity, and capture the green color of thousands of peaks.

She is really like a flawless piece of Song Dynasty porcelain.

More importantly, it is extremely precious and has a long history.

But here's the thing.

Who would pity a piece of fine china sitting behind bulletproof glass in a museum?

Who dares to pity, and who is qualified to give her such emotion as "pity" from above.

It should be something you can never hope for, a perfect and eye-catching work of art.

He moved his eyes back to the IPAD screen and looked at the old man on the stage who was giving a speech.

The stunning moment when Miss Elena looked back at the camera wiped out the memory of many journalists' mobile phones, as well as the SD card space of Sony and Nikon full-frame cameras hung around the necks of photographers and media people.

But sadly.

Gu Weijing was not able to appreciate this amazing moment when Anna specially smiled at her.

Because after the main perspective of the live broadcast briefly stayed on Anna, it was pushed back to Sir Brown.

If Sir Brown knew, the thorn he deliberately planted in Miss Elena's heart did not seem to affect Anna's state at the scene.

The girl was discussing with Sister Cat enthusiastically. If she saw her new mascara, she would probably feel a little frustrated.

but.

He has now begun to get to the point of his speech.

"I just said that every time I stand next to the many senior masters present, I feel like a young man seeking teachings."

"So, I didn't bring any speech topic today, only one question. About the origin of art." Sir Brown paused in the video, seeming to leave room for the audience to think, "What is art?" ? What is art? Philosophers tell us that only by recognizing who we are can we know where we are going."

"That's the ultimate question in the art world."

He waved his hand.

"We are in an era of crazy explosion of information and creative media. Everyone can become an Internet celebrity on YouTube or Douyin."

"The ever-changing AI big data model can draw thousands of art-like pictures in an instant. Every line structure is absolutely perfect and regular, never one millimeter more, and never less than one millimeter. What is Holbein's exquisiteness? The control, Dürer's rigor and regularity, Menzel's expressiveness, all seem to be outdated compared with the computer's infallible coding program of 0s and 1s."

"Apple once had a promotional slogan - Everyone in front of the screen is an artist."

"Everyone, please don't pretend to be happy about this statement. When I heard this statement, I was so scared that I wanted to smash the computer in my hand. In the corner of every bathroom in the magazine, I posted a sign saying 'Our Company Advertisements that use technological products are strictly prohibited. If I had a choice, I would even like to dive back to the 19th century, when painters only used genuine paintbrushes to determine their skill."

Sir Brown raised his eyebrows.

"I've thought about this countless times."

"Everyone has become an artist, so what is the meaning of our existence as artists? Look around us. Just any internet celebrity video can make ordinary enthusiasts who have never experienced the test of the market become famous. The contract with the publishing house makes a lot of money. In an era where everyone can become Leonardo da Vinci by typing a few lines of prompts in front of the computer screen."

"Why can Leonardo da Vinci's paintings be placed in the exhibition hall of the Louvre?" "Why is it different...why are we different?"

Sir Brown's voice echoed and bounced in the huge art center venue until this cruel question irresistibly bounced into the hearts of every guest present.

He was silent for a moment.

Like a nervous actor on the stage, he wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

Then he turned his head and looked at the top artists in the audience.

"I'm surprised that everyone can still sit here and hold a seminar."

"God!"

"What are we people still doing sitting here? Shouldn't we be like our colleagues in Hollywood who are talking about the perversion of AI, holding up signs of strike protest and walking in front of the media to demonstrate! If everyone is going to surround the headquarters of Oil Painting Magazine , please come with me. Believe me, I know the doorman there very well, and I will never lie to you."

"By the way, I'll buy all the remaining savings in my account into Apple stocks. From now on, its stock dividends will be unemployment benefits for all of us."

The witty and witty Jazz threw another joke on the stage.

All artists who step into the venue are the result of selection from the Daliang Taosha market.

In addition to artistic value, every painter's name also has financial value.

These millionaires, multi-millionaires, billionaires, and even the top super gallerists who can be ranked on the Forbes rich list, no matter how depressed they are, even if the art industry will completely disappear tomorrow.

They can still live a life of superiority to others.

Just this time.

No one is thankful for this.

The atmosphere was solemn and somewhat gloomy.

A few reporters in the media area just laughed subconsciously. When they realized something was wrong, they immediately restrained themselves and adjusted their expressions.

The silence was like dark sea water, slowly submerging everyone in the venue.

Gu Weijing was also asking himself this question.

Of course, the example given by Sir Brown - "Any internet celebrity video can make ordinary fans who have never experienced the test of the market become famous, get a contract from a publishing house, and earn a lot of money. In front of the computer screen, It’s the time when everyone can become Leonardo da Vinci by typing a few lines of prompts.” He sounded like he was being nakedly yin and yang himself.

He also has to admit it.

Sir Brown spoke to the widespread confusion and... widespread fear among those working in the industry.

It may be a bit alarmist to say that everyone is an artist today.

No matter how exquisite the pictures generated by the AI ​​model algorithm are, there are still many differences that can be seen in the paintings carefully hand-drawn by art practitioners.

What AI painting can replace is the low-end illustrator profession, for these masters who earn sky-high salaries from galleries.

It's still a long way off that their jobs will be replaced by ordinary people.

But what about five years from now?

What about ten years from now?

If you can become Leonardo da Vinci by moving your fingers while sitting in front of the computer, then they have art training and hundreds of painting exercises since childhood.

What's the point?

Painters of Cao Xuan's age don't have to care at all. The old man probably won't be able to wait for the day when AI's tsunami takes pictures.

But most of the people present were worried about the day when the art industry would end.

Everyone is an artist, which means that artists will become invisible to everyone. A computer can draw 20 things in one second. Why would you go into Gagosian's store and spend two hundred thousand or two million dollars to buy it? ?

Obviously, the luxurious decoration alone cannot support such a selling price.

Sir Brown is really not the kind of loser who only plays politics and numbers games.

His knighthood.

Authenticity is earned through outstanding academic contributions.

He said that the content of his speech did not have any title, but the entry point of his speech was much more profound than those of the previous guests.

"I know that many of us have been avoiding and avoiding this problem. While we are afraid, we pretend to say in interviews how open-minded we are and how we will embrace the future with a smile. But I can't say that because I don't want to leave with a smile. Enter a future without outstanding artists. If no one is willing to face this problem head-on, then I, as the chairman of the "Oil Painting" publishing group, Levinson Brown, must stand up and answer this question face to face. This is " The significance of the existence of Oil Painting magazine is also the significance of the existence of the Art Annual Conference."

"This is the responsibility and historical task that I shoulder."

Snap, snap, snap...

Cao Xuan was the first to applaud seriously.

All the previous guest speeches were full of content.

From the development structure of the art market, we talk about the new wave of pop art.

It covers all kinds of content.

Some are humorous, some are dancing, some are impassioned, and some seem to be perfunctory and speaking in an official tone on the podium.

But no one in Weidu chose to face this problem head-on.

Because everyone doesn’t know how to talk about it or how to answer it.

What Sir Brown said was a joke, but not a joke.

The reason why artists haven't stood up to go on strike is because Hollywood writers are on strike, and everyone doesn't have "Mission: Impossible" or "Aquaman" to watch.

Painters and gallerists on strike?

What use can it be?

Everyone is afraid that their protests will not attract public attention, and they are even more afraid that if they suddenly disappear from the social hierarchy, people will find out...

original.

their existence.

it is not important.

Sir Brown is willing to choose to face this issue head-on at this moment. It has nothing to do with personal emotions or whether Cao Xuan agrees with the content of the other party's next speech.

Just this courage.

Mr. Cao was willing to applaud and cheer for him at this moment.

The next moment, almost everyone started applauding.

It's just that Hunter Bull still acted very..."Elvis", he seemed confused by the sudden applause from around him.

The look in his eyes as he looked at the stage was more confused than profound.

He put the e-cigarette nozzle in his mouth, took a puff, blew out a beautiful smoke ring, and let out a loud "oh" hiccup in his throat.

"To seek the future, it is necessary to trace history. Let us take a look at the development and changes of the art world. There are many classifications given by different scholars in the history of world art. We will take the simplest one and divide the development of art into primitive art, classical art and so on. The three major stages of art and modern art have been classified.”

"The earliest artistic sprout appeared probably in some strange artistic lines discovered by archaeologists 5.3 years ago. If that can be called the sprout of art... the earliest identifiable painting in the West is 17000 years ago, located in In the Lascaux Cave in France, a super genius who was probably a religious priest chose to use pyrite to paint scenes of collective life of hunting animals on the cave walls."

"During those 10,000 years, various tribes and groups in Asia and Europe, Africa and America, all chose to have their sacrifices carved in various activities, using stones and stone spears, Scenes of hunting with branches and slings, bows and arrows or traps... In short, hunting and harming small wild animals in different ways is a scene that today will make environmentalists throw rotten eggs at you. Hallelujah , art was born.”

Sir Brown clenched his fists fiercely.

"Psychologist Jung studied a large number of artistic totems of primitive humans. He believed that all art paintings of this period were a collective unconscious behavior, closely related to the rituals of early religious sacrifices. During this period, artists engaged in Workers in this profession are usually tribal priests or witches."

"Classical art in a narrow sense refers to the trend of thought that revived ancient Greek and Roman art that originated in France in the 17th century. During this period, art began to gradually introduce the concept of two-dimensional and three-dimensional realism in space. The entire painting style is mainly realism. Of course, if we can break away from Europe If you shift your vision to the east without the centralism, you will find that as early as the Song Dynasty, Chinese painting provided another realistic way of thinking..."

"The painters of this period still revolve around the most powerful art family in our society. In the East, it is represented by the imperial power, in the West, it is represented by the religious power, as well as the royal family and princes and nobles. Those who are sitting among you That young lady belonged to the core of this artistic structure. In that era, generous patrons like the Irina family were our stars and suns."

"Some people think that modern art originated from Impressionism, and some say that modern art originated from Picasso. In short, we usually believe that modern art originated in the second half of the 19th century, and it is the shortest art period in existence. If we take If you say the latter, please pay attention. Mr. Cao among us has experienced almost all stages of modern art. We are closely accompanying the living fossils of history..."

Sir Brown breathed a sigh of relief.

After reading a long paragraph in the speech, I raised my head.

"Don't worry, what I'm saying is not to teach you a lesson in art history. Some experts and scholars here are much more professional than me. It's just that only by standing in the torrent of history can we better look forward to the future."

"When our thoughts travel through tens of thousands of years of history and review the names of those great artists in our minds, then the fear in our hearts will gradually dissipate."

"Everyone is an artist? In the prehistoric civilization, didn't the male and female tribe members who made a living by fishing and hunting have the right to use stones to write and draw on the cliffs? But the works of the religious priests have remained."

Sir Brown's eyes swept over the old faces in front of the stage.

"In the era of classical art, didn't the small businessmen and plumbers on the streets of Paris, the pharmacists in London, the lords of the Knights, and the farmers on the roadside in the East have the right to record their lives with pen and paper? Considering the literacy rate and writing at that time Utensils, this sounds a bit difficult. But simple lines and casual graffiti do not require knowledge and experience as a basis, or even just a sharp stone."

"But only Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael, very few names, have successfully survived."

"In this era where the threshold for artists has been lowered infinitely, and you can call yourself an artist just by selling illustrations online. Will it be you or them who will stay?"

"Is it Cao Xuan? Or Detective Cat?"

Damn it.

Gu Weijing realized something was wrong the moment he heard his name on such a solemn occasion as the annual party.

He began to truly realize what Sir Brown wanted to do.

"The choice is in each of our hands."

Sir Brown opened his arms as if to embrace the entire venue, with a mysterious smile on his lips.

"Don't get me wrong, I personally admire Detective Cat's works. I have no problem with her. On the contrary, I am very grateful to her. Seriously. I heard that her works are like some kind of panacea and are very helpful to some children. Of course this is That’s fine, but today we’re talking about art and only art itself.”

(End of this chapter)