Almighty painter

Chapter 5 A Painter's Life Is From Fifteen Dollars to Five Hundred Dollars

There was no hint of a joke on Gu Tongxiang's face: "This money is not for you, it is for Gu's Book Gallery."

The old man took out an art sales agreement, carefully filled out every column and column, the seller and the buyer all wrote his name, and finally put the money into the gallery's account.

Gu Weijing watched eagerly as the five green Franklins disappeared into the safe again.

"Don't worry, your share of the money will be deducted from the gallery's share, and it will be credited to your school account after you file your taxes." As the old man spoke, he was meticulous about the accounts in his hand.

"Is this necessary?"

Gu Weijing was surprised that if it is a serious art acquisition, there must be all the necessary procedures.

But my grandfather's behavior of turning left and right is very strange.

Artwork transactions enjoy the same transaction tax as luxury goods, and you won't be charged less just because you are not famous.

The tax to be paid on five hundred dollars is also a tax, isn't it?
"My father and grandfather both studied fine brushwork. At that time, Yangon was still a British colony, and oriental works of art could not be sold at high prices. Therefore, I was the first person in our family to learn Western painting skills. I sold my first sketch when I was a teenager for fifteen dollars."

"It's also in this painting and calligraphy store. I still remember the way my father, your great-grandfather, took out fifteen dollars from under the floor of the back room."

Mr. Gu Tongxiang pointed at the back: "My first reaction was not excitement, but fear. At that time, Myanmar was in chaos, and wars were endless. The calligraphy and painting shops basically couldn't continue to open, and sometimes they couldn't even eat. .I've never seen that much money. Five dollars in Yangon at that time was enough to kill a lot of people."

"Your great-grandfather told me that this was the first painting I sold in my life. He was investing in art. Not just the painting, but me. He believed that I was no better than any blonde White people are inferior, and I am better than all of them. When our ancestors of the Gu family picked up paintbrushes, those foreigners were still playing with mud. One day my paintings will really sell for a sky-high price of 15 dollars."

In the traditional western art industry, the works of people of yellow race have inherent disadvantages in the market.

After all, the field of art is known as the last fig leaf of the great powers. Although our economy is not good, our national power is declining, and our industry has stopped production, I know art, and I am awesome.

For many down-and-out nobles in Europe, the old houses at home were about to collapse because they couldn’t afford the maintenance fees, and all the furniture and antiques were sold out. In accordance with the aristocratic tradition, they would put two oil paintings in the living room to commemorate the glory of their ancestors.

It doesn't matter whether it is tradition and honor to do so, what is important is to appear to be full of awesomeness.When they invite beautiful girls to their home for a dinner date, they can point to the picture frame on the wall and say, "Look, my great-grandfather was the patron of such-and-such artist back then?"

Or: "Look, my great-grandmother graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts! This is the oil painting she painted when King XX came here."

What is pretentiousness, this is pretentiousness, even if you are about to go bankrupt because of investment failure, or a few generations of unrestrained squandering pockets are jingling poor.

Compared with you, those emerging New Money in the East are still bumpkins with yellow mud in their crotches.

Together with the artistic style, those silly girls with theater sopranos or ballerinas will immediately have star eyes, and the next big business of making people will naturally be smooth sailing.

Gu Tongxiang leaned on the sofa, his tone was a little trance: "At the International Art Biennale in Myanmar last year, one of my 80×60 sketches was sold for not fifteen dollars, nor fifty dollars, but five dollars. A hundred dollars. If your great-grandpa can see this, he won't be too disappointed, even after adjusting for inflation."

A sketch is not an oil painting, and $500 is not low.For example, Mr. Li Tiefu, a modern painting giant and revolutionary in East Asia, had his sketches auctioned at Christie’s for around $[-].

In the circle of oil painting, there may be only RB painters in East Asia who can barely be regarded as second-class citizens. After all, there are "Oriental Angels" like Moriki Kussuke, and there are also emerging painters who can be named after the [-]s and [-]s.

Others are miserable, not even third-class citizens, because they are not good at speaking up.In the selection of many international awards, even African friends are more popular.

After all, this year is not the [-]th century. No one in the art circle dares to blatantly play racial discrimination, but they will treat you coldly, isolate you, and tell you with hypocritical and polite faces that your art desert is not worthy of greatness painter.

Even taking into account the fact that the buyer is extraordinarily right, a sketch that sells for $[-] is something to be proud of.

"From fifteen dollars to five hundred dollars, it took me 60 years to overcome this gap and overcome the stereotyped prejudice that foreigners have towards oriental artists."

The old man looked at his grandson with a sigh.

"I am very happy today. I am not only happy because you drew a painting that is even called a masterpiece in my opinion, but because you keep your heart in the face of temptation, which is more important than the former. I know now There are a lot of foreign artists who are full of wine, sex and money, hang out with various gangs, and are proud of it, as if this is enough for an 'Artist'."

Not all painters are moral gentlemen. In the industry of cutting-edge painters, there are quite a few people whose private lives are messy.They indulge themselves without restraint in the name of seeking inspiration.

Some people are either on the high or on the way to high, having an affair with a body worker is not a scandal, and it is normal to swagger around the market with a yacht girl in your arms, and the paparazzi are too lazy to report it. ?Nietzsche and Flaubert, the literary giants, are also syphilis patients who change their girlfriends and pants.

The orthodox painting circle may be cleaner. Many creative painters who have gained millions of fans on YouTube and ins by relying on street creative spray painting are as crazy as gang rappers who were shot twice in three days.

"I don't judge them, but I don't want you to be such a member. For our Gu family, learning to be a human being is more important than learning art. If you can't be a human being and don't deserve to be a painter, your ancestors will be ashamed."

Gu Tongxiang said very seriously, this is Myanmar, not a mainland with perfect law and order and anti-drug efforts.The more familiar name in the northern part of Myanmar is the Golden Triangle, where it is easier to get white powder than flour.

Underworld, drugs, smuggling of cultural relics... if these things are the same, they will die in this life.

Seeing his grandson Gu Weijing nodding solemnly, Gu Tongxiang continued: "You already have all the conditions to be a painter, so I decided to buy your first painting, just like my father did. Your talent is better than mine, your family background is better than mine, and your art environment is much better than mine. Your lower limit is naturally higher than your grandfather’s upper limit."

"I hope you will remember the five hundred dollars today, do good deeds, and walk the right path. 60 years from now, when I am no more, I hope you will be here and proudly tell your grandson that your life made these five What a fortune a hundred dollars has turned into."

Gu Weijing answered directly, because a new reminder appeared in front of his eyes.

【Wealth Value Arrived: USD 367.50】

[The experience exchange panel has been activated! 】

[Additional points: 0]

[Note: Social welfare activities spent for purely charitable purposes will be automatically converted at the exchange rate of (10 US dollars to one point)

"By the way, Brother Hao, you...don't worry too much. I thought about it on the way back. It just so happens that next week, the Burmese government will officially have a [Shwedagon Pagoda Fresco restoration (historical site) in cooperation with Dongxia and RB. Mural Restoration)】Master project, in order to enhance the international image of Yangon, I was invited. I will sell my old face and take you there to hang a name.

Although the police in Myanmar are useless, Brother Hao and the others are gangsters after all, and they can't pester you too much in this kind of government international project.After another year, when you go to university, you probably won’t be staying in Yangon, and the situation will be much better. "

"Shwedagon Pagoda? It's Shwedagon Pagoda, I, can I do it?"

This time it was Gu Weijing's turn to be surprised.

Shwedagon Pagoda is the English name of Ruiguang Shwedagon Pagoda, and it is also the most important historical site and tourist card in Yangon or the whole of Myanmar.

It not only supports the tourism industry in Myanmar, but also is one of the most important Buddhist shrines in Southeast Asia.

The Shwedagon Pagoda is the national symbol of Myanmar, and its status to Myanmar is equivalent to that of the Great Wall to Dongxia, the Statue of Liberty to the United States, and the pyramids to Egypt.

"Of course you can't. What are you thinking? It's not for you to preside over the restoration. If you can bring tea and water to those masters, and move a ladder or something, you will be content."

Gu Tongxiang blew his beard and looked at Gu Weijing's surprised look, secretly proud of himself.

Even being able to participate in this project as a student is definitely a rare good thing.

Not to mention that it is the dream of every young painter to get in close contact with and learn from those real masters. Even if you have a name in this kind of international project, it is also a very bright spot in your resume.

It is also a very good bonus item to apply to internationally renowned art colleges when you go to university. Foreign universities pay great attention to the practice of this aspect.

"Remember, when the time comes, be smart, do more, and talk less. Those internationally famous art masters have a bit of a weird temper, and I'm just a small guy in it. Don't ask for that blessing to let someone appreciate you, But if anyone is offended, even I will not be able to eat and walk around."

(End of this chapter)