Almighty painter

Chapter 601 Request
Gu Weijing took the phone from his ear and took a look.

That's right.

Whether it was the name on the phone's address book or the voice and tone coming from the receiver, there was no doubt that the person on the other end was Lao Yang.

the strange thing is.

Even judging by Lao Yang's past standards.

Gu Weijing still felt that Mr. Cao's assistant seemed to be unusually enthusiastic today.

"Brother Yang?"

"Yeah, yeah, Brother Gu!"

"My exhibition painting has passed the second round of review of the Singapore Art Exhibition. I also sent a copy to Mr. Cao. Did you receive it?"

"Received, received. Mr. Cao——"

Old Yang spoke.

He quickly went through his arsenal several times in his mind.

Regrettably.

He did not find a good way to lick people that could convey Mr. Cao's subtle and complex emotions without easily revealing the secret.

Ugh.

I still have to continue practicing. After all, my kung fu is not good enough. Lao Yang reflected on himself in his heart.

"I love it!"

He answered vaguely.

In the end, he could only utter four dry words, but Lao Yang's tone was so warm that it was almost sticky.

It looks like a Chihuahua wagging its tail, stretching its neck, opening the door to welcome guests and waiting for them to come and play.

Whether a Chihuahua is aggressive or not depends on the person who treats it.

Meet someone powerful.

The main point is, if you dare to scratch me, I will lie on the ground with my belly exposed and laugh with you until my hands are cramped.

"I also received an email from the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts Admissions Office today, but... I don't know why, the content of the email may be a little misleading."

"Oh?"

There is a problem with the admission letter.

Old Yang's ears almost perked up when he heard this.

As soon as I feel sleepy, someone will bring me a pillow.

Great news!

"As for this matter, don't worry, tell me in detail. If you have any difficulties, go to Lao Yang! Keep it in your mind. As long as it is related to the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, it will be a matter of a word from you, Brother Yang. I said that the relationship you found at the beginning was not very reliable!"

Our brother Yang is at the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, and he has connections everywhere!

"Didn't you receive the admission letter? Brother Gu, I told you last month that going to college is a big deal. You need to rely on connections, reliable connections, and don't just believe a recommendation letter from someone. Look! Something's wrong!"

At that time, Lao Yang felt that the recommendation letter that Gu Weijing got was not genuine and reliable.

Maybe I was fooled.

He reminded me earnestly: "You should have entrusted this matter to a mature and steady person like Brother Yang from the beginning. I guarantee that everything will be done for you. You can just lie down at home, cross your legs, and wait for the acceptance letter. Now that you have been rejected, it will be very difficult to deal with it.

"Is your reply pending or a direct rejection?"

He hummed and guessed, "If it's the waiting list, it's fine, but if it's a direct rejection, the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts does not allow a second review in principle. If the applicant is rejected for fall admission, the applicant will be classified into the list of abandoned applicants, and will not be considered even in the spring application season next year."

Lao Yang first put forward the difficulties and explained the degree of difficulty.

Then the topic suddenly changed.

"If you want to call ordinary people or go to the admissions office, it's difficult to do this. But who asked Brother Gu to ask Brother Yang?"

He held the Thuringia sausage in his hand like Churchill waving a cigar and giving a passionate speech, pointing out the way forward.

Hold your chin high and pretend to be happy.

The middle-aged man said in a deep tone.

"Oh, you have no principles in front of your brother Yang."

"Oh, I see. That's good. Thank you."

Gu Weijing was somewhat surprised when he heard this.

He said that asking the amazing Old Yang would be more reliable than calling the admissions office.

"Let me tell you, let's resend the acceptance letter, okay? Well, follow my instructions and write a reply email to the admissions office first."

The middle-aged man looked as if he was going to take Yang to fly: "Just write it like this—."

"No need to go through so much trouble. The Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts has already sent me an acceptance email."

"The acceptance letter has been sent." In the receiver, Lao Yang's commanding voice suddenly paused.

He sounded a little confused: "Since the acceptance letter has been sent, what else can be the problem, visa or subsidy? As for the subsidy, it doesn't matter whether there is one or not. If you are short of money, Brother Yang will give you a-"

"Thank you, thank you, it's no need to bother."

Facing overly enthusiastic middle-aged people.

Gu Weijing quickly explained: "There may be some misunderstanding. I successfully applied for the Menzel-Turner Master Training Program. I originally chose the direction of Oriental art creation, and my second choice was art history and art theory research."

"But for some reason, the admission letter sent to me said that I was admitted to the watercolor major. So -"

He was looking forward to Lao Yang's answer.

There was a noticeable silence of several seconds in the receiver.

"The Menzel-Turner Masters Program is a residency program jointly established by the Royal Academy of Arts and the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, Germany and the UK, right?"

Lao Yang's voice suddenly calmed down.

"Yes."

"The direction of watercolor creation?" the middle-aged man repeated.

"Yes."

"I heard you mention before that your admission recommendation letter was written by... that guy, Samuel Cozens."

"Yes. I wonder if he adjusted my admission direction, thinking that I wanted to study watercolor."

Gu Weijing expressed his guess: "But it should be a matter of changing majors. It shouldn't be too complicated for you, right?"

"Well, actually, Brother Gu, you know that the school has many restrictions on students' cross-disciplinary applications."

"I know, but it won't be a problem for Brother Yang." Gu Weijing said with a smile, "In front of you, the school has no principles."

As he gradually became familiar with the other party's style.

Gu Weijing has already started learning how to answer questions quickly.

Who knows.

This time.

There was only an awkward silence in the receiver.

Old Yang pouted and thought of Cozens's gloomy old face, which looked like an old zombie, as if he had just crawled out of the cemetery behind the church.

Then he beeped again, and beeped again.

They both made a loud noise.

Beep again and again.

In the end, he was so confused that his mouth pouted until it became as long as the big sausage in his hand.

"Brother Gu."

"Ah."

"Brother Yang, he's not as well-connected as you think at the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts." He sucked his teeth and spoke in a tangled way, "We have to follow the rules when we do things."

"Is it difficult?"

Gu Weijing was surprised that Assistant Cao's tone suddenly changed 180 degrees.

This is still the Old Yang who just patted his chest and assured him that as long as they were in school, everything would be decided by just a word from him!
Not all admission letters are sent out randomly.

"It's like this, Brother Yang, I'm not lying to you. I'm telling you the truth. If we divide it into two steps, if you want to go to the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, it's just a matter of a word from me. When you graduate from university in the future, if you want to go to the Royal Academy of Art for graduate studies, even if it's the world's top-ranked super-famous school... In front of Brother Yang, it won't be difficult. I guarantee you'll get in."

Old Yang still didn't forget to act pretentious at this moment.

"But if you want to study for two degrees in four years, and get both Hamburg and the Royal Academy of Arts in one go, and you insist on studying this "Menzel Turner Outstanding Master" training program, then -"

"Well, it's actually not that difficult." Old Yang sighed.

The places in the government-level cooperative education program, the "Menzel Turner Masters", are extremely limited.

Graduates of this program who want to pursue academic research are eligible for positions in almost all museums and research institutions, including teaching on campus or working as interns in top magazines such as Oil Painting.

Even if he cannot choose any of these positions at will, at least he has a great deal of personal choice.

They are all the most valuable employment opportunities in the art field, and each one is a fast track that can allow people to move step by step to the top of the art industry.

I want to engage in artistic creation.

Whether you become a curator's assistant or sign with an intercontinental gallery like the Ma Shi Gallery, it is not difficult.

After working for a few years, the annual salary will be at least 200,000 to 300,000 Euros.

The median income is almost the same as that of Harvard's golden boys.

The average is off.

The income variance in the arts industry is simply too high.

Top-level collaborative programs such as the "Menzel-Turner Masters" usually admit seven or eight students from around the world each year.

Hearst came out of a similar project.

If there is a top painter of Damien Hirst's caliber in any generation.

It’s easy to raise your average income to 1000 million.

And there is no need to be shy about it.

The art field is far less competitive than big law firms or financial investment banks.

As long as you have a teaching position, or a position like senior fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and are willing to take a break.

That life is much more comfortable.

Drinking coffee, taking a short vacation, hanging out in the bar.

Even if it's sudden death.

At least there is no need to worry about sudden death from working overtime.

As you can imagine, such admission opportunities are extremely scarce.

Every student who is admitted can write a book like "The Pursuit of Harvard Business School" by themselves.

Otherwise, their fathers, their fathers' fathers, could have written a book like "The Road to Harvard" or "Fortune 500 Investment Guide - How I Became a Director of Citibank".

This is the drawback of the recommendation system in Europe and the United States, the so-called "comprehensive consideration" admission standards.

In the alumni association of any prestigious university, building donation groups are widely present.

Anyway, as long as it’s not “My Struggle”.

It doesn't matter.

Then again, no matter how tight the admission quota for the "Master Program" is, it is still just an admission program for outstanding art students.

It is a stage for students to compete, and there is a lot of room for maneuver within it.

If you want to go the artistic route.

Even graduates from the "Master Program" still need to prove themselves in occasions such as international biennials before they can make a name for themselves.

Art exhibitions are the stage for professional painters to compete with each other.

Students from the "Masters Program" or the Royal College of Art, at most, have more resources than ordinary painters when participating in exhibitions.

The starting line is just closer to the finish line.

Lao Yang stood directly at the finish line.

Old Yang has the confidence to create something special even at the Singapore Biennale, a famous Asian exhibition and such a high-end stage.

A place in the Master Program is not something that is too great.

But secretly opening the back door is just like the rules for visiting a cemetery in the middle of the night in the wilderness - the key is not to show off and not to commit suicide.

Small talismans should be affixed and small incense should be offered.

Hold your breath and walk lightly. Go into the village quietly, don't shoot.

With all the commotion going on with drums and gongs and loud noises, who knows what this will attract.

Cui Xiaoming is a typical negative case.

If the other party keeps a low profile and participates quietly, then the Lion City Biennale will also participate quietly.

Once the exhibition opens, most of it will be settled.

He is like this now, showing off his exhibition paintings on Twitter, and his parents are being interviewed there, praising and promoting their son all the time.

It is easier to win a prize.

At the same time, people like Lao Yang would smell the scent and be seduced.

Fortunately, Mr. Cao had a broad vision and kept Mr. Yang in place.

otherwise.

Lao Yang rushed forward like a vicious dog pouncing on its prey and started tearing the pieces apart. It was still a big unknown whether Cui Xiaoming could peacefully participate in this year's Singapore Biennale.

The same is true for the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts's Masters Program.

Although the nature of the two is different.

But the results are consistent.

If Gu Weijing was standing there, he would not move. Old Yang would walk in with his hands behind his back. He would quietly go to someone's grave, pick up a tribute peach from the plate with a sly look, and come back.

Don’t look at the monk’s face, look at the Buddha’s face.

For the sake of Mr. Cao behind you, those ghosts will turn a blind eye and not bother with you.

This is so greasy that just one bite will give you high blood lipids.

just now.

Gu Weijing was ignorant and breathed a breath of fresh air on someone's grave.

The old zombie was so stimulated that he opened his eyes and jumped out of the coffin.

He'll stick to you with his mouth wide open and teeth bared.

It would be difficult for Lao Yang to saw off his teeth and nail them back into the coffin with a hammer.

Samuel is such a difficult old fellow to deal with.

Why did you fall for Gu Weijing?
"Professor Samuel is the director of the Art in Residence Program. He has a lot of say in the Excellence Program. Even though Professor Cao is the dean of the Department of Oriental Studies, he doesn't take care of any administrative matters except teaching. He may not be able to have a say in this matter."

"Watercolor? Brother Gu is also interested in watercolor painting."

Yang Dekang asked while sucking his teeth.

"I have practiced, but my paintings are not as good as Chinese paintings and oil paintings. Sometimes, I can occasionally have some little inspiration." Gu Weijing decided to tell the truth.

His current level of watercolor painting is generally just as he described it.

"That's it."

"If it's really difficult, then——"

"Don't worry, it's okay. The place is precious, and it's a good thing to be selected by the Excellence Program. You should grab the place first and come to school. I will give you a way to change your direction later."

Old Yang hardened his heart.

I have already put on such a show, it would be too embarrassing to back off now.

There is a moral reason for pretending to be cool.

Lao Yang decided to keep boasting about himself even if he had to kneel down to show it off.

It may not be that difficult.

Anyway, people like Cozens have weird personalities and are moody.

When he is interested in you, you are light, electricity, and myth, the next combination of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, and a masterpiece bestowed upon the world by the god of art.

Willing to give you great patience and give you everything he can give.

He is losing interest in you.

You're just a piece of stinky dog ​​shit, and I'd think you're just in the way if I looked at you for even a second.

It will become extremely cold.

And Cozens could lose interest in any student under any circumstances and for any reason.

Most students were usually only taught by him for a few weeks.

Some may even last only a few days before being spit out by Cozens.

There were also students who couldn't stand Cozens's weirdness and collapsed after being toyed with by him.

Once the novelty of being an artist-in-residence wore off, Lao Yang would go over to talk to him about changing his major.

It should be much easier.

At worst, Old Yang could just run over with a fearless spirit and sacrifice himself!

This is actually not a bad thing.

Many people wanted to burn Cozens' stove, but because this guy was too weird, they couldn't burn anything.

Among them is Lao Yang, who loves to make connections.

He was surprised.

These great artists are really something. Why do they have to keep staring at Gu Weijing?

His old Yang is also very cute.

He walks around the school all day, stretching his neck and twisting his butt, hoping to be bitten.

If you bite it, you will get a free dirty joke.

Why don't you bite him?

"Okay, thank you then. There is just one more thing... It may be a little difficult, but I still want to trouble Brother Yang."

Gu Weijing did not hang up the phone immediately.

He hesitated, then spoke again.

"Oh, that's a problem, then..."

Old Yang wanted to say, "I came to you, Brother Yang, because I was in trouble."

He really liked Gu Weijing making requests to him.

We are not afraid of you asking for a lot, we are just afraid of you not asking. If you ask for it over and over again, favors will accumulate.

In the future, you will be able to hold your thighs firmly.

Human relationships require reciprocity.

If you don't act like Santa Claus and fulfill other people's wishes when their ambitions are still small, they are still naive and simple, then when will you fulfill their wishes?
When Gu Weijing was this age, the most he could do was ask to change his major.

Ten years later, he became Master Cao's last disciple and achieved the same level as Tang Ning.

If you have another wish in your heart, it might be to have 2000 million pounds to open your own gallery or hold an art exhibition in the Louvre.

Then he, Old Yang, is not qualified to show off and COS Santa Claus anymore.

but.

In theory, the technical difficulty of Gu Weijing's work is not high, but in practice, the methods are a bit weird.

The words came to my lips.

Lao Yang changed it to: "If it's difficult, well, otherwise, tell me first."

"While the admissions office is reviewing the admissions application, can you please help me take care of a friend?" said Gu Weijing.

"Excellence Project?" Old Yang blinked.

"No, no, no, there is no need for the Excellence Program. Without such a high invitation, any major will do. But if possible, it would be best to choose a major taught in English. If that is not possible, I will issue a conditional admission offer and you can also study for a year of preparatory courses." Gu Weijing said.

"Boy or girl?"

Old Yang asked curiously.

"girl."

"Oh."

Lao Yang made a very gossipy nasal sound.

Gu Weijing felt a little embarrassed: "She is just a simple friend. Her family has had problems recently, but she really wants to go to university in Germany. She has helped me a lot in the past. She is a very hardworking girl. If it is really difficult for her -"

"Don't make it difficult, don't make it difficult. Please send me her information and the major she wants to apply for."

Old Yang clicked his tongue.

I feel a little happy.

This is what he expected!

This request is much easier to accomplish than helping Gu Weijing change his major or snatching food from Cozens' mouth.

Don't think that Gu Weijing is hesitant when talking about it.

Similar things, and even stranger things, are encountered a lot by admissions offices of European and American universities.

Requested to admit his younger brother.

Requested to admit his brother.

Requesting to admit his girlfriend.

Requesting to admit one's girlfriend's boyfriend.

……

Universities select their students, and students also select their universities.

Excellent universities are valuable educational resources, and excellent students are also a great social resource.

Universities are also competing for good students.

As long as the student is awesome enough, or his father can build a new teaching building for the law school.

Then talk.

Everything can be discussed. There is nothing that cannot be discussed, except what you can't think of.

If Gu Weijing won an award at the Singapore Biennale this year, or if the news that he was accepted as a disciple by Mr. Cao spread.

Not to mention it happened through Old Yang's hands.

He discussed similar requests with the school's admissions office himself, and the other party usually nodded in agreement without blinking an eye.

"I'll leave it to you, Brother Yang."

Lao Yang's cheerful voice came from the microphone.

The green crops in my heart +1.

If you consider that this guy is about to become Mr. Cao's last disciple, then this +1 is definitely better than the ordinary +10086.
-
"I have lived in this home for my whole life, and now I am old, I have to go across the ocean to make a living in another world."

In front of the gate of Gu’s Book Gallery.

Gu Tongxiang looked at the new "Shop for Rent" signboard hung at the door, feeling somewhat emotional and sighing.

"I don't know if I can rent out the house in the remaining one or two months."

Since last month, after several family meetings to decide on all matters, this ancestral shop has been closed.

My grandson will go to Germany to attend university in the future.

He plans to go to the UK to make a living in the future, and his son and daughter-in-law will go with him.

Maybe I will take some time every year to come back and attend academic conferences of several national art associations.

But if nothing unexpected happens.

This family-run calligraphy and painting shop, which has been passed down for hundreds of years, will probably no longer be open here.

All the old neighbors who needed to be said goodbye to have been said goodbye to, and all the old customers who needed to be greeted have been greeted as well.

It’s just that everyone has some sighs and regrets in their hearts.

People are humble when they leave their hometown.

During the Jiaqing period, my ancestor sold the big house in Baishun Hutong in the capital, said goodbye to old friends and relatives, and prepared to follow the imperial delegation south with three large boxes made of small-leaf camphor wood.

I am afraid.

His mood is somewhat similar to Gu Tongxiang's current mood.

(End of this chapter)