坚守一隅的“软现实主义”
王洁/文 孔莉姮/译 伍方斐/校
批评家们也许会说，“别再搞另一种现实主义了”。但当下一些艺术反叛者却提出，现在是重新发现中国艺术之根的时候了。他们在推动一股新的潮流，这一潮流恰恰是以“软现实主义”来命名的。
现实主义普遍存在于中国的艺术当中 —— 诸如政治现实主义、空想现实主义、后现实主义、玩世现实主义等。因此，当广州两位风格迥异的画家最近提出“软现实主义”时，一些批评者们颇感厌倦，以为这只是“另一种现实主义”。
对于批评者们无奈的叹息，“软现实主义”的一位倡导者，现年33岁的罗奇回应道：“男性都不愿意被别人称作是‘软’的，但我们并不介意。尽管‘软’这个词常常与软弱和女人气联系在一起，但对我们而言，它代表的是一种态度。”
这一态度是画家拒绝向业界权威妥协的体现。为了推动这一新风格在绘画和思想领域的兴起，罗奇和37岁的同事赵峥嵘走到了一起。
罗奇的绘画表现的是普通人生活的常态。他说，这些普通人在社会中通常被称作“小人物”，亦常常被“精英文化”所忽略。罗奇进一步解释说：“我与当代中国一些画家不一样。他们采取一种残忍与极端的方式在自己的绘画中努力表现出一种煎熬。而我并不乐于向公众展示我自己内心的痛苦。我设法控制我的感情使其不影响他人的情绪。”
在某种程度上，罗奇试图通过他画笔下的人物来淡化他的痛感，使其绘画变得柔和。他有意选择明亮的色调和简单的技法来营造一种情境，这种情境的中心是表现一种与周边环境无关紧要的关系。罗奇说：“你可以说我的画不能给人以美的享受。然而，那才是我的目的。我的画并不想带给观众任何愉悦抑或内心的宁静。”
赵峥嵘与罗奇持有相同的哲学观点，但是他比罗奇走得更远，他的作品也更难以解读。他的油画中有些中国书法影响的痕迹，在化用水墨笔法的同时，也参考了西方风格的光影结合，不过他的作品并不存在一个确定和清晰的主题。
简而言之，他的绘画在别人眼中是粗砺的，甚至有点不引人注意。赵峥嵘说：“我所画的世界并不是那个有着阳光和空气的世界。如果所有的东西都能以好和坏来衡量，那么生活就会变得十分单调。然而，就我所知的这个世界，它是充满紧张和骚动的。”接着，他补充道：“我的作品表面上并没有赋予侵略性的表述，但它们在无意之中会巧妙地传达我内心的痛楚和压力。”
目前，赵峥嵘和罗奇都任教于广州美术学院，生活在校园里，而且是邻居。
罗奇说：“你可以说我们是‘另类的’。我们不希望被作为主流加以分类。我尤其不喜欢目前当代美术创作的氛围。现在的创作仅仅是不断地重复从西方学来的一套现代风格，在它们当中鲜有独到的创意。”他说：“艺术家们常常被迫黯然退位，将其作品交予策展人来评判。”罗奇和赵峥嵘所指出的正是当代美术界中热烈争论的一幕 —— 艺术品已经被艺术家、策展商、批评家和收藏家们鼓吹为一种商品了。
软现实主义的倡导者们坚信他们的作品受到东方文化的激发更甚于对现代西方艺术的崇拜。他们认为在中国有太多的政治波普和卡通艺术，并且它们对待艺术的态度也都过于偏激。
广州美术学院教授、评论家谭天说：“看到他们在自己的画中所努力‘捍卫’的东西，我感到十分兴奋。他们是严肃而真诚的思想者。虽然他们的力量在美术界显得微不足道，然而却提醒了我们，反思和推动中国当代艺术向前发展的时机到了。”
赵峥嵘说他们将不妥协也不批判，他们的态度是独立于主流艺术圈子之外的。
罗奇说他们的工作在开始的时候尤为艰难，因为很少人能真正理解他们的想法。“但是，我们相信软现实主义有将来，这就是我们坚持不懈倡导它的原因。也许，要充分发展和完全达到我们的理论目标需要再过5年甚至10年，但是我们对此有信心和耐心。”
这两位倡导者说，他们明年将在北京、广州和上海举行软现实主义的巡回展。可能的话，届时还会有其他认同软现实主义的艺术家们共同参与。
（原载《上海日报》英文版2008年4月9日，人民网英文版、新华网英文版转载）
王洁/文 孔莉姮/译 伍方斐/校
批评家们也许会说，“别再搞另一种现实主义了”。但当下一些艺术反叛者却提出，现在是重新发现中国艺术之根的时候了。他们在推动一股新的潮流，这一潮流恰恰是以“软现实主义”来命名的。
现实主义普遍存在于中国的艺术当中 —— 诸如政治现实主义、空想现实主义、后现实主义、玩世现实主义等。因此，当广州两位风格迥异的画家最近提出“软现实主义”时，一些批评者们颇感厌倦，以为这只是“另一种现实主义”。
对于批评者们无奈的叹息，“软现实主义”的一位倡导者，现年33岁的罗奇回应道：“男性都不愿意被别人称作是‘软’的，但我们并不介意。尽管‘软’这个词常常与软弱和女人气联系在一起，但对我们而言，它代表的是一种态度。”
这一态度是画家拒绝向业界权威妥协的体现。为了推动这一新风格在绘画和思想领域的兴起，罗奇和37岁的同事赵峥嵘走到了一起。
罗奇的绘画表现的是普通人生活的常态。他说，这些普通人在社会中通常被称作“小人物”，亦常常被“精英文化”所忽略。罗奇进一步解释说：“我与当代中国一些画家不一样。他们采取一种残忍与极端的方式在自己的绘画中努力表现出一种煎熬。而我并不乐于向公众展示我自己内心的痛苦。我设法控制我的感情使其不影响他人的情绪。”
在某种程度上，罗奇试图通过他画笔下的人物来淡化他的痛感，使其绘画变得柔和。他有意选择明亮的色调和简单的技法来营造一种情境，这种情境的中心是表现一种与周边环境无关紧要的关系。罗奇说：“你可以说我的画不能给人以美的享受。然而，那才是我的目的。我的画并不想带给观众任何愉悦抑或内心的宁静。”
赵峥嵘与罗奇持有相同的哲学观点，但是他比罗奇走得更远，他的作品也更难以解读。他的油画中有些中国书法影响的痕迹，在化用水墨笔法的同时，也参考了西方风格的光影结合，不过他的作品并不存在一个确定和清晰的主题。
简而言之，他的绘画在别人眼中是粗砺的，甚至有点不引人注意。赵峥嵘说：“我所画的世界并不是那个有着阳光和空气的世界。如果所有的东西都能以好和坏来衡量，那么生活就会变得十分单调。然而，就我所知的这个世界，它是充满紧张和骚动的。”接着，他补充道：“我的作品表面上并没有赋予侵略性的表述，但它们在无意之中会巧妙地传达我内心的痛楚和压力。”
目前，赵峥嵘和罗奇都任教于广州美术学院，生活在校园里，而且是邻居。
罗奇说：“你可以说我们是‘另类的’。我们不希望被作为主流加以分类。我尤其不喜欢目前当代美术创作的氛围。现在的创作仅仅是不断地重复从西方学来的一套现代风格，在它们当中鲜有独到的创意。”他说：“艺术家们常常被迫黯然退位，将其作品交予策展人来评判。”罗奇和赵峥嵘所指出的正是当代美术界中热烈争论的一幕 —— 艺术品已经被艺术家、策展商、批评家和收藏家们鼓吹为一种商品了。
软现实主义的倡导者们坚信他们的作品受到东方文化的激发更甚于对现代西方艺术的崇拜。他们认为在中国有太多的政治波普和卡通艺术，并且它们对待艺术的态度也都过于偏激。
广州美术学院教授、评论家谭天说：“看到他们在自己的画中所努力‘捍卫’的东西，我感到十分兴奋。他们是严肃而真诚的思想者。虽然他们的力量在美术界显得微不足道，然而却提醒了我们，反思和推动中国当代艺术向前发展的时机到了。”
赵峥嵘说他们将不妥协也不批判，他们的态度是独立于主流艺术圈子之外的。
罗奇说他们的工作在开始的时候尤为艰难，因为很少人能真正理解他们的想法。“但是，我们相信软现实主义有将来，这就是我们坚持不懈倡导它的原因。也许，要充分发展和完全达到我们的理论目标需要再过5年甚至10年，但是我们对此有信心和耐心。”
这两位倡导者说，他们明年将在北京、广州和上海举行软现实主义的巡回展。可能的话，届时还会有其他认同软现实主义的艺术家们共同参与。
（原载《上海日报》英文版2008年4月9日，人民网英文版、新华网英文版转载）
大傻B
这些字我都认得，但我不明白说些什么。
很另类啊～～～～～ [s:322]
好大的门面～～～～～～欣赏欣赏
请多多指教～～～～我也想出名～～～～～～～
请多多指教～～～～我也想出名～～～～～～～
一定要坚守,吗的
无聊贴
有种连老师的职位也辞掉吧
什么了东西
有人有精神去做一些事情总是好的，干嘛要骂人家，楼上的人有种也扯杆旗出来溜溜。
楼上干嘛要扯旗，画画就画画，搞艺术就搞艺术，说那么多写那么多干嘛？
[s:322]
艺术不是一种单一的行为，是需要视野，需要广泛的研究，也需要碰撞。不是作坊里的技术，请楼上的三思。
越说越不明白 这也许是这二人给人下的套
雾里看花 水中望月
逼逼文章！傻傻话题！
要真诚
此文章从发表于《上海日报》英文版，我见过，不错的。
这两个人究竟是何方神圣 [s:327]
咳！ [s:323]
守处女身吗？
你可以说我的画不能给人以美的享受。然而，那才是我的目的。
好！
好！
我看好软现实主义
恩饿呢 [s:323] [s:325]
“男性都不愿意被别人称作是‘软’的，但我们并不介意。尽管‘软’这个词常常与软弱和女人气联系在一起，但对我们而言，它代表的是一种态度。”
牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛 [s:328]
牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛牛 [s:328]
棉花糖也能塞进洞,
这种过分强调软现实的态度其实已然很硬了 [s:327]
Hardliner softies paint themselves into a corner
By Wang Jie 2008-4-9
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-- Advertisement --
Critics might say "not another realism," but a couple of artistic rebels say it's time Chinese art rediscover its roots. They are pushing a new style and the only thing soft about it is the name, writes Wang Jie.
Realism is ubiquitous in Chinese art - political realism, fantastic realism, post-realism, cynical realism. So when the latest "soft realism" style was unveiled by two very different Guangzhou artists, some critics wearily sighed: "Again? Another realism?"
"No man likes to be called 'soft,' but we don't mind," says 33-year-old Luo Qi, one of the two representatives of the new style. "Although the word is usually associated with weakness or femininity, I think it stands for a kind of attitude."
Such an attitude is his refusal to compromise when confronting might and power in the art community. Luo and his 37-year-old peer Zhao Zhengrong have banded together for this rise in new style, both on canvas and in spirit.
Luo's paintings depict ordinary people going about their daily lives. They are the so-called "small potatoes" in society, often ignored by the "elite culture," he says.
"Unlike some Chinese contemporary artists who ruthlessly and violently reveal suffering in their artworks, I am not willing to reveal my innermost pain to the public," Luo explains. "I try to control my emotions in order not to affect the mood of others."
In a way, Luo attempts to soften his pain through the characters under his brush. He purposely chooses light hues and simple brushstrokes to create a situation where subjects appear indifferent to their surroundings.
"You can say my paintings are not aesthetically pleasing. But that's my purpose. I don't want to give any pleasure or peace of mind to my viewers," Luo says.
Zhao shares the same philosophy as Luo, but goes even further. His work is much harder to decipher. Often there is not a single identifiable subject on his canvas, although sometimes there are traces of Chinese calligraphy, ink-wash painting or even reference to the light and shade of Western style.
In short, his paintings can appear abrasive to the eye, even unattractive. "The world I paint is not one of sunshine and air," Zhao says. "If everything could be judged by good or bad, then life would be simple. But the world I know is filled with tension and disturbance.
"There is no aggressive expression on the surface of my artworks, but they unwittingly and subtly reveal the pain and tension in my heart," he adds.
Now Zhao and Luo are both teaching at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, living in the dormitory on campus as neighbors.
"You can call us 'alternative.' We don't want to be categorized as mainstream," Luo says. "I especially don't like the air of current contemporary art. There is hardly any originality except repetition of modern styles from the West."
He says artists are often "forced to take a back seat leaving curators to have the final say." What Luo and Zhao point out is a matter of hot debate in the contemporary art scene - that art has become a commodity that is promoted by artists, curators, critics and collectors.
These advocates of soft realism believe their artworks are more inspired by Oriental culture than the worship of modern Western art.
In their eyes there are too many political pop and cartoon style in China and the attitude towards art is too extreme.
"I am quite excited to see what they 'defend' in their paintings," says Tan Tian, professor and critic at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. "They are serious thinkers with sincere hearts. The power of the two might seem trivial in art circles, yet it is time for us to rethink how Chinese contemporary art should move forward."
Zhao says they will not compromise or criticize, but their attitude means isolation from the mainstream art community.
Luo says their task, especially in the beginning, was tough as very few people really understood their idea. "But we believe in the future of soft realism and that's why we will stick to it. Perhaps it will take another five or even 10 years to fully develop our academic goal. But we have confidence and patience."
The pair say they will have a touring exhibition of soft realism in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai next year, hopefully with a number of other artists who have embraced the style.
By Wang Jie 2008-4-9
Change font size:
-- Advertisement --
Critics might say "not another realism," but a couple of artistic rebels say it's time Chinese art rediscover its roots. They are pushing a new style and the only thing soft about it is the name, writes Wang Jie.
Realism is ubiquitous in Chinese art - political realism, fantastic realism, post-realism, cynical realism. So when the latest "soft realism" style was unveiled by two very different Guangzhou artists, some critics wearily sighed: "Again? Another realism?"
"No man likes to be called 'soft,' but we don't mind," says 33-year-old Luo Qi, one of the two representatives of the new style. "Although the word is usually associated with weakness or femininity, I think it stands for a kind of attitude."
Such an attitude is his refusal to compromise when confronting might and power in the art community. Luo and his 37-year-old peer Zhao Zhengrong have banded together for this rise in new style, both on canvas and in spirit.
Luo's paintings depict ordinary people going about their daily lives. They are the so-called "small potatoes" in society, often ignored by the "elite culture," he says.
"Unlike some Chinese contemporary artists who ruthlessly and violently reveal suffering in their artworks, I am not willing to reveal my innermost pain to the public," Luo explains. "I try to control my emotions in order not to affect the mood of others."
In a way, Luo attempts to soften his pain through the characters under his brush. He purposely chooses light hues and simple brushstrokes to create a situation where subjects appear indifferent to their surroundings.
"You can say my paintings are not aesthetically pleasing. But that's my purpose. I don't want to give any pleasure or peace of mind to my viewers," Luo says.
Zhao shares the same philosophy as Luo, but goes even further. His work is much harder to decipher. Often there is not a single identifiable subject on his canvas, although sometimes there are traces of Chinese calligraphy, ink-wash painting or even reference to the light and shade of Western style.
In short, his paintings can appear abrasive to the eye, even unattractive. "The world I paint is not one of sunshine and air," Zhao says. "If everything could be judged by good or bad, then life would be simple. But the world I know is filled with tension and disturbance.
"There is no aggressive expression on the surface of my artworks, but they unwittingly and subtly reveal the pain and tension in my heart," he adds.
Now Zhao and Luo are both teaching at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, living in the dormitory on campus as neighbors.
"You can call us 'alternative.' We don't want to be categorized as mainstream," Luo says. "I especially don't like the air of current contemporary art. There is hardly any originality except repetition of modern styles from the West."
He says artists are often "forced to take a back seat leaving curators to have the final say." What Luo and Zhao point out is a matter of hot debate in the contemporary art scene - that art has become a commodity that is promoted by artists, curators, critics and collectors.
These advocates of soft realism believe their artworks are more inspired by Oriental culture than the worship of modern Western art.
In their eyes there are too many political pop and cartoon style in China and the attitude towards art is too extreme.
"I am quite excited to see what they 'defend' in their paintings," says Tan Tian, professor and critic at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. "They are serious thinkers with sincere hearts. The power of the two might seem trivial in art circles, yet it is time for us to rethink how Chinese contemporary art should move forward."
Zhao says they will not compromise or criticize, but their attitude means isolation from the mainstream art community.
Luo says their task, especially in the beginning, was tough as very few people really understood their idea. "But we believe in the future of soft realism and that's why we will stick to it. Perhaps it will take another five or even 10 years to fully develop our academic goal. But we have confidence and patience."
The pair say they will have a touring exhibition of soft realism in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai next year, hopefully with a number of other artists who have embraced the style.
