A Preface to Xinsheng Wang Solo Exhibition

张子康

Zhang Zikang

  从艺术成功学的角度去讨论艺术，第一步是创造符号，第二步是创造地位，第三步是创造历史。现代艺术社会越发关注与当下社会发生关系的视觉符号，就是与美或视觉冲击力有关系的视觉符号，通过制造某种人造奇观，从而满足观众对刺激的追求。其作品的符号化就会淡化，艺术家的面目就会变得模糊，所以大部分艺术家会努力保持其一贯的符号化风格；要么就是艺术家把自己变成一种符号，这是另一种做法。当然，最好的作品还是那些令人感动的作品，涉及一种关乎时代的共同情感。

  王鑫生无疑正是这样一位关注当代社会，有着丰富情感的艺术家，其意象化的艺术作品形成了鲜明的视觉符号，关乎时代的共同情感，令人感动。

  离开中国的十八年中，王鑫生将灵魂深处对中国传统文化，中国艺术的朴素情感自然揉进其油画的世界中，形成了意象与写实相结合的艺术风格。此次展出的作品有这些类型：爵士乐系列，西藏系列和草根系列。爵士乐风靡全美，去年刚好是爵士乐20周年纪念日，王鑫生通过前任的中央芭蕾舞团的首席黑管吴大轸结识了美国的爵士乐俱乐部，在这个俱乐部里他感受到美国爵士乐不同层面的一种激荡人心和震撼灵魂的力量。乐手们个个技巧娴熟，没有乐谱，即兴发挥，音乐已然成为他们生命中的一部分，他们的表演技能和表演形态令人动容。西藏是离天最近的地方，在世界各国人民的心目中永远是一个谜，令人向往，透过西藏系列可使更多的美国人了解中国。在这样一片圣洁的土地上，艰苦的生存条件，恶劣的环境，但处处是虔诚的信仰和顽强生存的力量。草根系列，基本上反映了美国社会下层人的生活，如失业工人，街头浪人。这些画作触目惊心，令人看到美国的另外一面。

  让我们对旅美画家王鑫生的艺术拭目以待！并预祝其成功！

2011／意向•蜕变 ／今日美术馆／北京／中国

When discussing art from the perspective of success, to create symbol is the first step, reputation the second and history should be the third. Visual symbols closely associated with contemporary society are being paid more attention to in modern society. These visual symbols are connected with aesthetics or visual impact and they satisfy people’s pursuit of excitement through creating some manmade spectacle. Yet if artists constantly create new visual symbols, the symbolization in their artworks would be weakened and feature of them would become fuzzy; therefore most artists would prefer trying to keep to their consistent symbol style, or transmit oneself into another kind of symbol, which is another approach. Undoubtedly, the best works should be those touching ones containing a kind of common emotion of the age.

Needless to say, Xinsheng Wang is exactly such a passionate artist who pays close attention to contemporary society. His artworks formed up bright and vivid visual symbols which are about the common emotion of this age, impressive and affecting.

During the 18 years living abroad, Xinsheng Wang naturally integrated his unadorned emotion hidden deeply in his soul into the world of his oil paintings and thus established his artistic style combining both realism and imagery. Works selected into this exhibition include these types: Jazz series, Tibetan series and Homeless series. Jazz is popular all over America and last year was the 20th anniversary of Jazz music. Through the former principal clarinet Wu Dazhen of the National Ballet of China, Xinsheng Wang made acquaintance with the peoples in Jazz clubs of America, where he sensed the exciting and soul shocking energy on a different level in American Jazz. All jazz players are delicate in skill and could play extemporaneously without a score; music has been integrated into their life. Their artful performance and expression are really touching. Tibet is the highest point in the world closest to the sky, which is forever a wonderland in the heart of people all over the world. Everyone dreams of standing on this land. Through Tibetan series, more American peoples could know China better. On such a holy land, although the living condition and natural environment is arduous, yet faithful believes and tenacious power for survival could be found everywhere. Small Potato Series reflected the life of the lower class peoples in American society, for example the unemployed and street wonderers. In these shocking paintings, we could see another aspect of America.

Let’s wait expectantly for the art of artist Xinsheng Wang and wish him a great success!

2011 / IMAGERY • EVALUATION / Today Art Museum / Beijing / Chin