Almighty painter

Chapter 757 New Booth (Part )
"When I was young, I would see bees or flies landing somewhere, and then they would be frightened by something and fly away immediately, but after flying a small circle, they would come back and land at the same place. I thought this was really ridiculous and pitiful. But now I have also come back, but I have only circled a little. And I didn't expect you to come back too."

"Can't you fly farther?"

——Lu Xun, "In the Restaurant"
-
Gu Weijing blew a breath, as if he wanted to blow away the non-existent burning smell between his mouth and nose.

"What do you want, Mr. Tonks?"

he asked.

"It shouldn't be a coincidence that you, a man in a formal suit who drives a Jaguar, also own a sheep ranch. Do you want me to advertise for you during the symposium?"

The young man seemed to accept Tonks' suggestion docilely and told a joke, but his tone sounded like a subtle, flattering, yet sarcastic mockery.

Or rather.

In Tonks' eyes, Gu Weijing's tone and expression were just like the posture of Gu Weijing at this moment, with his hands on the balcony railing, his body leaning against the wall, his profile golden by the chandelier on the balcony, and his hair gently ruffled by the sea breeze - it contained a kind of soft hardness.

The curator suppressed his thoughts, grinned, and spoke directly.

"Let me ask you a question first. Can you tell me something? There shouldn't be any problem with the paper, right?"

"Do not."

Gu Weijing looked at the moths, flies and insects flying around in the night sky: "Of course not."

The answer is reasonable.

Tonks had guessed this answer long ago. It was not just a few short conversations that convinced Tonks that Gu Weijing was not the kind of person who would cheat.

But he was convinced that even if Gu Weijing had really falsified his paper, people would not have a guilty conscience and confess to him just after hearing a few short conversations and a story about his youth.

The curator anticipated the young man’s answer, but he misjudged his expression and tone.

Replace yourself.

When he faced such questioning, no matter what the truth was, he had to pretend to be angry when facing slander.

Tonks would probably say some harsh words, swear something like "OMG, this can't be possible!" and so on, seizing the opportunity to improve her impression points in front of the curator.

No.

The expression on Gu Weijing's face was very indifferent.

A faint atmosphere was formed, and he looked more desolate than angry, like a monk who had seen through everything.

"But if I say there is no problem, does it count?"

The young man's voice was quiet and clear.

For Miss Elena, if she wants to say that this matter is black, it is black; if she wants to say that this matter is white, it is white.

How can it be considered domineering for Edward Yang to wear a big gold watch?

Your Excellency the Countess is a true believer of the saying "those who obey me will prosper, and those who defy me will perish". If you cooperate, you will become rich; if you don't, you will become infamous and unable to move forward.

In front of someone like Miss Elena, whose beauty is revealed in the spotlight, even a gangster boss in the shadows like Brother Hao is nothing.

Brother Hao is just a robber.

Miss Irena is the owner of the "Oil Painting" and the judge of all oil paintings in the world.

Tonks coughed.

Yes, Gu Weijing said there is a problem, there is no problem, it doesn’t matter.

Tonks said it didn't matter whether his exhibition was a dairy show or a sheep show, what mattered was what the sponsor who was willing to give him £5000 said.

People are always accustomed to listening to more powerful voices.

Tonks was not a powerful party in the past, and compared with many people in this art biennale, Gu Weijing is not worth mentioning.

What the curator just said to Gu Weijing was just an introduction to what is to come.

"In that case, it would be great if you can act naturally and say whatever you want to say. I don't have any special requirements..." Tonks shrugged. "In fact, I don't have a sheep farm, and I don't drive a Jaguar. If I really want to say something, then every artist who comes to the art exhibition, including you, is my sheep."

"As a curator, I should care about you. For young painters who are participating in an art exhibition for the first time, I am half your guide. I have the responsibility to teach young men like you some useful principles."

"Based on my experience, it's not a wise choice for a young person of your age to speak in a formulaic and mature manner. If you can be more sincere, it will really add points in front of the camera and the audience."

He made the request tactfully, implying that he did not want to see Gu Weijing practicing Tai Chi at the symposium of the Binhai Art Exhibition, giving the guests a drowsy and failed experience.

"it is good."

Gu Weijing nodded.

Hmm? Isn't this too easy to agree to?

Tonks was surprised.

He originally thought that the other party would just go through the motions at the talk and put pressure on the organizers just to see him, so they would definitely haggle with him on this issue for a long time and ask Tonks to reveal some of the content of the talk, and only then would they compromise in return.

The curator spends half a day giving advice to the other party.

If you want to get something, you have to pay for it first.

If he wants to get a satisfactory result, he must first satisfy the curator Tonks.

Tonks was surprised at how "well behaved" this guy was.

When we just met, Gu Weijing still had that thorny look as if he was incompatible with this world. But when he turned around, he just said what he said was what it was.

Could it be that Gu Weijing has now realized that he is the most powerful uncle he has ever met who can decide the fate of others, so he is as docile as a little lamb?
Get on the road!
Tonks couldn't help but feel a little satisfied.

I licked Miss Elena for an entire afternoon, and my face was almost cramped from laughing, but in the end I didn't even get to see her face a few times. Mr. Curator still likes the feeling of being licked by others in return.

the only thing that is missing.

The guy next to me now is quite well behaved, but not proactive enough, and he rarely even smiles.

I have to mention a few more points.

"By the way, I heard that you have another painting that you want to participate in the Singapore Biennale?"

Micah Tonks brought it up.

Even if Gu Weijing had tried hard to persuade Tonks just now, or had really offered something that would make Tonks excited, there was only so much he, the curator, could do for the upcoming symposium.

Strictly speaking, apart from hearing some rumors and hints.

Regarding that interview, Tonks didn't know much more than Gu Weijing.

The arrogance of Oil Painting magazine is completely indiscriminate arrogance.

Tonks understood that in front of the column manager of "Oil Painting", ordinary participating painters were insignificant. He, as a "senior curator" and co-director of the art museum, must be more important, but... he might not be that important if he were to be singled out.

Not only did they refuse to provide Gu Weijing with any advance script.

The same was refused to Micah Tonks.

Not only did Gu Weijing not know the specific content of the interview, he, the host of the Lion City Biennale, actually knew nothing about it.

Asking the team of Oil Painting magazine to conduct the interview had both pros and cons.

On the bright side, Oil Painting magazine is the most important and authoritative journal in the field of European art. Its successive column managers are to the Western art world what Chanel's art directors are to the Western fashion world. And they can't just be ordinary art directors, they have to be people of Coco Chanel or Karl Lagerfeld's level to barely be considered important.

Inviting such a person to manage an event at an art festival or a biennial will definitely bring countless attention from both inside and outside the industry, and will also enhance the style of the biennial itself.

but.

Inviting such a person to handle the projects at the art festival is like a landlord inviting a tyrant with a bad temper and arrogance to be a tenant in his house. Once the tenant enters the house, the landlord's own words no longer count for many things, and he has to serve the tenant carefully like a servant, serving tea and water.

Once Oil Painting magazine had taken over the Esplanade, Tonks's comments on most matters at the forum ceased to count.

Old Master Cao Xuan is very smart.

At the airport, he wanted to arrange an interview for Gu Weijing, giving him a chance to stand under the spotlight and face all doubts about his thesis openly and clarify himself. He also asked if the interview could be given to Anna, which would be like killing two birds with one stone.

Firstly, it was easy for Gu Weijing to get an interview in an oil painting magazine column.

Secondly, the old man knew very well that once Miss Elena herself led the interview, the off-site variables that could affect the outcome would be reduced to a minimum.

In addition to the paper itself, many of the personal connections that might have shaken the curator's position and could not be avoided were ineffective in front of Anna.

It was like a filter that filtered out a lot of bubbles and impurities from the boiling soup pot.

He tried his best to give Gu Weijing the most clear and true result.

Gu Weijing approached the curatorial assistant Bonnie and proposed to meet Tonks. If he intended to impress her and put pressure on her during the interview, he was probably wrong.

Tonks knew that she didn't have the ability to do that.

Face Anna.

All he could decide was whether to smile with 32 teeth or to smile with 24 teeth with dignity.

There was no need for him to tell Gu Weijing about this. In front of the young man, Tonks could still easily control herself so as not to show a single tooth, and act like the master of an exhibition.

If there really are some connections and resources behind Gu Weijing.

Can provide him with high-quality "wool".

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Tonks could use the legitimate privileges of a curator to find a way to squeeze out an extra booth for Gu Weijing. This would be much easier than influencing Oil Painting magazine.

"Young man, you know... the spots at art exhibitions are always in high demand." The uncle licked his lips, "Very high demand. Giving you a little more opportunity means that others will have a little less opportunity."

"I heard from Bonnie that you have been looking for an extra booth. So... do you have any convincing reason why you must have this booth?"

Tonks asked expectantly, rubbing her palms.

Gu Weijing thought for a moment.

The young man in front of Tonks looked into the night, hoping to get some kind of answer in the night in the distance. The curator waited for a while and began to feel impatient.

He glanced down at his watch.

I've been away long enough, Tonks thought, is it time to go back?

At this moment, the young man's calm voice appeared in his ears: "Mr. Curator, I have a very good painting."

The British uncle frowned slightly.

This answer is not smart.

He thought Gu Weijing would mention the resources he could bring or the hidden connections behind him.

I have a great piece of work?

——This was not the answer Tonks wanted to hear the most at the moment.

This is not the case.

He had just told the other party that there were twelve standard processes in planning an art exhibition from beginning to end, and only one or two of them were related to the art itself.

Every artist who is shortlisted for the main exhibition area of ​​the Singapore Biennale and appears at the official dinner has excellent artistic abilities.

If you want special attention, then you have to show yourself in other places.

Every application for a government grant that arrived at that office in Scotland was from someone who claimed to have a brilliant artistic idea.

Funds are tight at the foundation, and among the hundreds of urgent applications, why would the top leaders of arts projects sponsor you instead of the Scottish National Opera? Or why would they be willing to give you a little money while supporting the Scottish National Opera?
You have to give people a reason beyond art.

Biennale booths are also in high demand.

The artists shortlisted for the main exhibition area can fill up an entire banquet hall. There are artists promoted by Intercontinental Gallery, hot topics that have become famous in the art world, and potential newcomers whose parents are well-known in the industry and have their own resources.

Why should Tonks allocate the little resources she has to you?

He also has to give himself a reason other than "a very good work".

Everyone in this world is so hungry. Even for a drop of water or a drop of resources, they will fight for it with all their might and ask for it with all their might.

Even if you want to get close to the water cup, you may have to stand in the sun for fifty hours.

Those who can do everything they can to find water to drink will survive, have the opportunity to succeed, and perhaps get more opportunities in the future and eventually become big names in the industry.

Those who cannot adapt to all this and do not find ways to find water to drink will die of thirst and turn into dry bones in a corner where no one cares.

People don't care about these dead bones, whether they once had some great ideas burning in their hearts.

Survival of the fittest.

Survival of the fittest.

Gu Weijing agreed so readily just now that he thought the other party understood the hidden meaning in his words.

It turns out that I still didn’t understand.

"Everyone who can come here draws very well and works very hard, young man." Tonks impatiently slapped her palm with the edge of her palm. "Hard work is the passing line for success. Having an excellent work is the threshold to stand here -"

"But I really have a very good work that is very suitable for this Biennale." The young man still sounded a little obsessed.

OK.

Tonks had completely lost interest in the conversation.

Damn it.

How could he have the patience to talk to this guy for such a long time and pass on his valuable experience from his youth to him?
Your kindness is really taken for granted.

Regardless of whether the other party really doesn't understand the situation or is just trying to be clever and stupid, the result is the same.

Being so stupid, Tonks was too lazy to continue giving advice.

"waste time."

He hummed in his heart.

A curator is very busy at a social dinner! Whether he rushed to wait to lick Miss Elena, or held champagne and waited for others to gather around and lick him, Tonks had too many more valuable things to do.

"understood."

Tonks nodded casually without even saying hello, and without even taking the empty champagne glass on the balcony, she turned around and wanted to go back to the banquet hall.

"Mr Tonks -"

The young man's voice came from behind him as he turned around.

"Well, you should hang out here and socialize more, it will be good for you. I remember that I have something to do and I have an appointment." Tonks did not stop and lifted a corner of the thick curtain beside her.

The noise of the crowd and the bright lights of the banquet hall leaned out through the gaps in the drawn curtains.

"—What if I only have one good piece of art?"

At the moment when Tonks was about to walk out of the balcony, a voice came from behind her, "You said that more than 20 years ago, you were holding a briefcase, waiting at the door of someone's office. You had no experience, no connections, and no background. You could do nothing except waiting silently, standing there day after day, waiting for others' sympathy, waiting for a kind person from the office building to stop and talk to you."

"You said you have nothing except your artistic dream."

Gu Weijing looked at the flying insects that were buzzing and flying around the chandelier. From time to time, they would crash into it with a desire and yearning for the bright light, and then turn into ashes in the warm embrace.

"I know what answer you want to hear most. You want to hear that I will pay a price that you can't refuse and that makes you feel excited."

“The submission deadline for the Biennale has passed. The new booth is an extra favor from the curator. It’s an extra opportunity in exchange for extra benefits that are hard to refuse.”

"I think it's a fair request, nothing to complain about."

"If I have connections that can be used for exchange, I am willing to use my connections. If I have an identity that can impress you, I am willing to use my identity. If I have resources that you cannot refuse, I am willing to use my resources..."

Gu Weijing wanted to say something, but I had nothing to say.

He hesitated.

He eventually changed his tune.

"Well, to be honest, I do."

(End of this chapter)