Chen Weinong
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> > From Impression to Ink and Brush to
Expression
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Most people think the sought-after quality in a painting is reality.
That¡¯s
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Through the maneuvering of the brush, the artist is free to create
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painting, a world of its own with everything in it.
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> > Nature
provides me with an endless source of inspiration. I am inspired when
> > I see the
changes in lights, the unraveling clouds, the movements of water,
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ceases in a tree or the cracks in a rock. And then there are stains
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streaks on the wall, the flowers in blossom, the withering lotus, the
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ducks in the sky, the greenish blue silhouette of the distant
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sunrise in the mists, reflections in the water, wild grass in the
> > wind, the
tangling vine, the heat and humidity of the summer and the cold
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silence of winter. A healthy rigid tea leaf, the endless drizzle of the
> > monsoon
season, the scribble of a child and the stars in the dark sky¡ All
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things in nature seem to stare at me and propels me to pick up the
> > brush to
paint and splash, to jot down my impressions of them. Impressions
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things that exist between ones subjective state of mind and
> > objective
reality. It is within this middle ground between physical truth
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imagination where the artist finds the most spacious room for his
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experiments.
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> > ¡°A painting is
a song from the heart.¡± By holding a brush on a bamboo stick,
> > the artist
when inspired by the world around him can freely create images
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to his perception of the environment. Thus, a few vertical strokes
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inches can represent peaks of a thousand feet, and several feet of
> > horizontal
ink washes can indicate the entire terrain of a hundred miles.
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thickness of a forest, the inviting depth of a narrow valley or gorge,
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overlapping peaks and the permeating mists and clouds constitute both
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substantial and the insubstantial elements in a Chinese landscape to
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space. The traditional medium of ink and brush has made it possible
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artist to paint expressively, at his or her own will while still
> > following
the basic laws of nature such as Yin and Yang, open and enclosure,
> > void and
substance.
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> > My urge to
paint bursts at the moment of enlightenment, usually after a long
> > period of
accumulated understanding of things. Once the painting process
> > begins, I
forget the existence of the object as well as myself. I do not see
> > the paper
as a substrate to paint on and am not aware of the fact that I am
> > holding a
brush with ink in it. All I am aware of is the progress of the
> > painting,
which keeps going by itself, freely, purposefully, and
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determinedly. Such a process usually ends quickly with spontaneous results.
> > ¡°Grand views
have no definite shape.¡± With an emphasis on achieving
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atmospheric effects, a ¡°perceived view,¡± as it is known, is best created in
> > the realm
of imagination and free expression, with little representational
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restrictions. Loaded with ink and water, the Chinese brush is capable of
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fantastic marks even in a single passage over the rice paper. Sky
> > and land,
space and water, grand vistas on earth and heavenly bodies in the
> > cosmos,
rain and snow, wind and frost, the possibilities are endless.
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> > ¡°The
medium of choice is ink.¡± The intense black of soot ink and the pure
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white of the rice paper are two extreme opposites representing exceptional
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philosophical interpretations. Ink has chromatic possibilities and is used
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color. Compared with colors however, it shows a sincere serenity and
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elegant simplicity. With its various shades, the richness and versatility of
> > ink
surpass any other color media. In a scale from one to five, ink can be
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briefly divided into five grades: burnt, thick, dark, light, faint, and of
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course with numerous gradation in between. The blending and interaction of
> > ink
and water often results in images that are refreshing and unaffected.
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> > The
term brushwork and ink work is unique to the glossary of Chinese
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painting. It is used to explain the brush strokes and ink marks, to record
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various movements of the brush as it travels on the rice paper, to
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express the feelings of the artist and to study and evaluate the different
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qualities seen in lines and strokes such as long vs. short, thick vs. thin,
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straight vs. zigzagged, smooth curves vs. abrupt overturns and twists,
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circulations vs. repeats and breaks vs. connections. When discussed
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separately, brushwork concentrates in the manipulation of the brush. The
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principle ¡°structural use of the brush¡± calls for a well-mannered execution
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each stroke with the use of such techniques as center stroke, side
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stroke, split-tipped stroke and reverse stroke. Ink work on the other hand,
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deals with the application of ink shades which calls for variety in terms of
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light and dark, airy and heavy, concentration and scatter, opacity and
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luminosity, expansion and contraction, overlapping and penetration. My most
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frequently used ink techniques are splash, infusion and accumulation.
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Contemporary Chinese paintings rely heavily on the rediscovery of the
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expressive power of the various ink shades and lines to achieve well
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synchronized visual effects in their imagery.
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> > In
composition-a chess game between the artist and the painting itself, all
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possible dual opposites constituting the principles of composition are
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contemplated throughout the painting process, namely, black and white,
> > Yin
and Yang, distant and near, substantial and insubstantial, existence and
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non-existence, positive and negative, high and low, left and right¡
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Nature inspires me in many different ways; movement and rhythm, structure
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tension, mobility and immobility, transience and permanence, process and
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episodes. These are the governing laws in nature. In my paintings, I place
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great emphasis on the unity of these opposites. I try to convey all that I
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felt or understood through careful observations of landscapes and
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natural phenomenon or whatever that sparked my imagination. I also like to
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cultivate a positive spirit and draw inspiration from within. When it comes
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expression, the inner spirit of Qi helps to unleash great creativity and
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often gives my images a rhythmic vitality, a life-like quality known as
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Qi-Yun. Qi is the continuously operating field of life whereas Yun reveals
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life¡¯s different forms and facets. The result is a very rewarding and
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satisfying or even intoxicating experience.
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> > To
Chinese artists, it is important to realize that we can not blame our
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tradition for the lack of expressive power, nor for any limitation in the
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tools and media employed. What we should do is to utilize what tradition has
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us with and make improvements to reestablish and transform tradition.
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our efforts today in gaining a better understanding of the potentials of
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Chinese ink brush painting and technical breakthroughs in our daily practice
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the medium can help promote the use of this art form as an accepted
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vehicle for contemporary expression, then, this ancient art form, rooted so
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deeply in the Chinese cultural tradition, would have completed its
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self-revitalization process. It would keep its position as the mainstay of
> > all
Oriental arts and would therefore remain among the top in the arts of
> > the
world. That¡¯s where we are at between the past and the future.
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(English Translation by David Shen, March 2002)
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