Almighty painter

Chapter 641: Fight between Dragon and Tiger (Part )

Tonks turned her chair, turned on the computer on her desk, typed the keyword "orphanage" in the name column, and clicked the jump button below.

A work of art was automatically refreshed on the projection screen next to it.

"Contributing Artist: Gu Weijing"

"Title of the work: "Lucky Orphanage in the Sunlight""

"Well, this is it."

Tonks wiped her chin gently.

During the review process these days, I found that some works could be thrown into the trash after just a quick glance.

There are also some works that can leave a deep impression on him at just a glance.

For example, the previous photo "Girl Reading Poems to Cats."

For example,

This is a refreshing work.

"Let me guess, it's very special. It looks like it has the shadow of traditional Chinese paintings, and the color matching style has a Western flavor."

Know it.

Kazunari Sakai asked him to give his opinion, but it was just an excuse to talk, not really asking him to comment.

When looking at the painting, Tonks couldn't help but start muttering directly.

"The brushwork is very sophisticated, the emotions are conveyed very well, and the colors are even better. Although the layout of the picture is simple, the atmosphere has been drawn. The cross-shaped composition is dignified and peaceful, but the characters are full of movement..."

He had already taken a fancy to this painting before, so he could speak freely when it came to evaluating it.

Tonks smiled and made a few comments into the intercom on the desk.

"Is this a style you created yourself, or——"

He paused and said slowly: "If I remember correctly, I may have seen some works with similar styles in art galleries."

"Your insight is really sharp, and your summary is spot on."

Kazunari Sakai first exchanged some simple commercial praise, and then said at the right time: "He borrowed some of Lang Shining's brushwork, new style painting, have you heard of it?"

"Cassidy?"

Tonks nodded.

He is not an expert in the field of Asian art history research, and can only be said to have some knowledge of the painting system of Oriental art.

but.

Similar to the representative painter used in Western painting, such as Lang Shining.

He had heard of it.

In recent years, there have been many exhibitions related to Lang Shining, and this name can often be seen in some major auctions of Sotheby's and Christie's that have attracted much attention in the industry.

"It's really thoughtful and ambitious to prepare a work like this for the Biennale." He licked his lips.

Both are products of painting that are the result of the collision of Eastern and Western cultures, and the fusion of two different artistic concepts and art philosophies.

Impressionist works are rarely seen in today's biennials.

Works in Lang Shining's unique new painting style.

It can be said to be rare.

Neo-Germany is nearly two centuries older than Impressionism.

If Impressionism is the collision between Western painting and Eastern aesthetics, it bore fruit on the banks of the Seine in Paris.

It is a fusion of Eastern painting and Western aesthetics, a bunch of flowers blooming within the walls of the Forbidden City. It is another way of opening up art explored by Jesuit priests and painters dedicated to the palace painting academy on the road of artistic integration.

(The picture shows Emperor Yongzheng. It is a rare portrait of an emperor in pure Western clothing that has been handed down from the Qing Dynasty to this day.)
Tonks hadn't expected that.

It is amazing that someone has rediscovered the "new style of painting" today and submitted it to the organizing committee.

If you see this kind of painting style in other art exhibitions, it may just be considered a novelty at best.

But the possibility of this kind of artistic fusion has come into play at this year’s Singapore Biennale, so we can only say that -

"So clever." He curled the corners of his mouth and let out a soft click of the tongue.

"Young people have some little thoughts. Kids always have some ideas of trying to find a new way. I'm sorry to embarrass you." Kazunari Sakai understood the meaning of the other party's words "really smart".

The uncle was embarrassed and acted modest. "I have always taught him that it is meaningful to talk about these trivial things only after the work is done well. If the work itself is not good, it will become a joke."

"No, No, No. Mr. Sakai, good ideas are good ideas. Seeing more different ways of painting and finding the possibility of diversified development of the art world are what the Biennale wants to see and the reason why the Biennale exists. It is very worthy of recognition and encouragement that young people can draw such things."

Tonks shook her head.

"I'm not saying this to your face. This is indeed a great work. Just like Ms. Sakai's painting, this "Good Luck Orphanage in the Sunlight" has been on my special attention list long before I made this call."

"When I say he's smart, it's a genuine compliment, not sarcasm."

"Mr. Sakai, let's be honest--" Tonks said with a smile, "We all know that studying the judges' preferences is always part of the preparation for an art exhibition. Excellent students always know what questions the teacher is going to ask before the papers are handed out."

It's not just Kazunari Sakai.

The blonde aunt, who had been listening to the conversation between her husband and the curator, nodded as she heard it.

What is good above will be replicated below.

Figuring out the judges’ tastes is part of preparing for an art exhibition.

Almost all galleries, all major film production companies, and marketing groups will spare no effort in researching the judges when deciding to compete for awards.

Research whether the judges prefer to have a party on a yacht, at a manor, or simply on a yacht at a manor.

Study whether they like yacht girls who are Victoria's Secret supermodels or PR girls who are plump beauties.

Do you prefer long straight black hair or big wavy hair?

Should we invite cheerleaders to the reception? Should we invite another handsome guy? Should we invite one with golden or black hair?

……

Uh, okay.

If this form of "taste" may not come openly.

At least not now.

After all, the times are progressing in a spiral.

Nowadays, inviting judges to parties, go skiing, play golf, and regularly hold "academic seminars" and "art appreciation sessions" in a beautiful resort hotel in the Alps are still important parts of the work of the Art Marketing Department.

But 2023 is no longer 1963, when those who wanted to win a big prize would go to Beverly Hills and party with the judges for half a year... According to the legendary journalist Fallaci's sarcasm, it was the old Hollywood way of playing at parties where "men exchanged their female companions, female companions exchanged their male companions, husbands exchanged wives, and wives exchanged husbands" to decide the winner of an important award.

PY transactions still exist.

There are many dirty and filthy dark sides.

But they have become much more reserved.

At least I don't dare to play too extravagantly or too ostentatiously.

It would be bad if you were accidentally labeled as Metoo.

But whether it’s 1963 or 2023, or even another sixty years from now, in 2083, as long as the Biennale still maintains the same art competition model as it does today, guessing the judges’ preferred artistic tastes will still be a traditional part of art exhibitions. There’s nothing shameful about this.

Biennales have always been about composition based on assigned topics.

Being able to address the topic is a basic quality of an excellent student.

The judges are from a background of classical art research, so they should create more classical paintings.

The jury and curators are from avant-garde art backgrounds, so they put more effort into the concepts and styles of the works.

You have to do it the other way around...

Of course it is your freedom, but if the judges don’t like you, it is also their freedom.

This is like when Emperor Qianlong celebrated his birthday and asked the painters in the Painting Academy to paint on assigned topics, and you insisted on submitting a painting called "The Wild Boar Skin (a literal translation of Nurhaci's Manchu name in history) Fleeing from Ningyuan" or a painting called "The Donkey Cart on Gaoliang River" for Emperor Taizong of Song, and then you stuck your neck out and insisted that this is called realistic art.

Even if the emperor treats your Nine Clans as a match-3 game, don't despise him for being narrow-minded.

Gu Weijing's advantage is that he learned from Tonks on Mr. Sloth's podcast about the preferred direction of selecting works for this Biennale.

For contestants with big galleries behind them, it is not difficult to guess how to come up with the theme of the Singapore Biennale, an art competition that is regarded as a national cultural business card by the Lion City government.

Cultural integration, internationality, cultural exchange, diversified styles...the key elements of the exhibition are actually nothing more than these.

Many years ago, industry giant Fumio Nanjo planned the first Singapore Biennale.

He has made it clear to reporters that art exhibitions held in Singapore should be unique.

It should have both Asian and European attributes.

Many exhibitions and awards have a closed side. For example, the UK's Turner Prize, one of the highest awards in the field of watercolor, will only be awarded to British people, permanent residents of the UK, and citizens of Commonwealth countries.

For example, the Sakai couple originally wanted to arrange an art exhibition in Yokohama for Katsuko to debut.

The other party is also a long-established Asian art exhibition.

In terms of scale and seniority, it is no worse than the Singapore Biennale.

The problem with the Yokohama Triennale is that it seems too Japanese.

Basically, all the artists are from Japan, and the curators and juries of previous years are almost entirely composed of pure Japanese, which can also appear xenophobic.

At this point.

Even though Singapore is very small and the venue is rather cramped, it has unique geographical advantages.

Its Southeast Asian background, its diverse nature of four major races, and its international flavor...

When Fumio Nanjo spoke to the media, he initially set the tone for the Singapore Biennale, which was that "the general direction of the Biennale should be both national and international, and it should start from the perspective of Asians, becoming a bridge connecting the East and the West."

Almost all previous curators and juries have backgrounds from Eurasia.

No matter how the curator changes.

The style, aesthetic tendency and even venue of each exhibition will change according to the different curatorial philosophies of each curator.

The most basic tone of the Biennale has never changed.

Looking at the projection screen in front of her, Tonks couldn't help but knock on the table.

Everyone knows what kind of work the judges like.

But how can we put the “concept” on paper?

It's difficult.

He was particularly surprised to see such works.

"Also, if I were to say that the way this painting was done was simply to please people, I would be being too modest."

Tonks hesitated for a moment.

While he was talking with Kazunari Sakai, he had already found some electronic albums of Lang Shining's new style paintings on the Internet and read them one by one.

At first glance, the style and temperament of this painting, "Good Luck Orphanage in the Sun", are indeed similar to those works, but upon closer inspection, there are distinct differences in the painting techniques.

There are no two people in the world who are exactly the same.

They are both Singapore Biennales and have the same basic tone.

The final appearance of the Biennale he is in charge of and the Biennale created by Fumio Nanjo will definitely be very different.

All of them painted impressionist paintings, and all came from a small gang of down-and-out artists along the Seine.

The styles of Renoir's works are very different from those of Manet, and Manet's works are very different from those of Monet. However, these two are close friends who have a very close relationship and often exchange creative ideas with each other.

Not to mention the many stylistic subdivisions such as Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Impressionist Cubism, and Impressionist Realism.

Tonks hadn't had time to study it in detail.

Just a quick look.

The difference between this painting "Good Luck Orphanage in the Sun" and those paintings in Lang Shining's electronic album is somewhat similar to the difference in visual perception brought about by the works of neo-Impressionist painters represented by Seurat, who like to use pointillism techniques to express brushstroke textures, and the older generation of traditional Impressionist painters represented by Monet and Renoir.

The difference is not nearly as great as that between Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism.

The overall feeling it gives to the audience is similar.

Lang Shining's works have very neat brushstrokes, moderate and calm strokes, and very dignified and rigorous color matching, which is also a common feature of the works of all court painters.

They are mainly stable and solemn, and rarely try any tricks or make any bold innovations.

Especially when creating sacred ritual works that would be used in ceremonial occasions.

Avoiding mistakes comes first.

Let alone Lang Shining, when Yongzheng was offering sacrifices to his father, he felt that Kangxi did not like to eat cold pig heads and other things during his lifetime, so he wanted to add two extra special side dishes. He had to have a big debate with his ministers.

There have been several times in history where sacrificial ceremonies had to be postponed or repeated because of problems with the portraits painted by the painters.

Usually, painters who do this don't end up well.

In the painting "Good Luck Orphanage in the Sun", the overall brushstrokes are obviously much bolder, and the color changes appear more delicate, varied, and dynamic.

It's not just the brushstrokes that are agile.

Tonks also saw traces of excess color from finger smears and cuts from a palette knife.

I hadn't thought of them together before.

now.

After a reminder from Kazunari Sakai.

Tonks placed the painting "Good Luck Orphanage in the Sunlight" and the previous painting "Girl Reading Poetry to Cats" together in her mind.

I immediately discovered that the two works, although painted in different styles, had a strong sense of tacit understanding in the brushstroke expression during creation.

"Boyfriend or girlfriend..."

Tonks sniffed.

Thinking of his ex-wife who is currently involved in a property lawsuit with him and where they both wish the other would die, look at these two paintings.

Unknowingly.

He suddenly felt like he was being fed dog food.

(End of this chapter)