How can the first bloom of tender leaves and delicate flowers be so majestic?! - Prof. Lin Chun

I was surprised--

Such large-size of the paintings!

Such large-quantity of them!

Wenqin brought me into a space of about 30 square meters, and what would be greeted with was an overwhelming splash of paint. It was like a color spraying-baking booth, which could not be formed in a day.

What's going on?

"My son paints here."

Wenqin began to talk about his son Chen Zequan's painting experience.  He began to paint with oil or acrylic at the age of five.  Now he is 11 years old, and so on......  I glanced at the young child who stood not far way with a nonchalant expression on his face.  In my heart, in addition to a big exclamation mark, I also made a big question mark.

From ancient times to the present heroes are all from teenagers, and so has art.  Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song Dynasty was 18 when he painted the picture of 《thousands of miles of rivers and mountains》.  Bernini, the representative figure of Baroque art, was 9 years old when the Pope was surprised by his artistic talent: another Michelangelo was born.  Indeed, the Pope's judgment is correct.  It can be seen at a glance only by comparing their artistic life track: Michelangelo 17-year-old has 《Madonna of the Stairs》, Bernini 18-year-old has 《Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence》, Bernini 24-year-old has 《Pluto and Proserpina》, Michelangelo 24-year-old has 《Pietà》, Michelangelo 29-year-old has 《David》, and Bernini 26-year-old has 《Apollo and Daphne》 ......  Bernini  designed the front square and ambulatory of the Vatican, and Michelangelo designed the Vatican dome.  They are really equal.  Whether it is Song painting, Renaissance and Baroque art, their artistic aesthetic standards can be followed, that is, highly accurate and summarized realistic skills.  Especially before they were 20 years old, the skill of the latter two had reached perfection, which made the latecomers never reach.  This is called talent.

However, Zequan's painting is not realistic.  It is an abstract painting.  How to evaluate the abstract children's painting?

Preschool children's painting is pure and simple, doodle boldly.  Can this kind of painting be taught?  Can it be learned?  Can it be appreciated?  The first two are absolutely impossible, but the third is feasible. Looking at children's paintings is to awaken your childhood pleasure.  In fact, you are looking at yourself.

I can understand Zequan's paintings before the age of 7 in 2018.  Cars, houses, birds and people, like most children, are crooked and bold in both color and composition.  From the age of 8 after 2019, pure abstract paintings have appeared, which has continued to this day.  Wenqin called it "Hitting Painting" or "Action Painting".  The method of he makes painting is to beat the canvas and let all kinds of color beads jump and run on the canvas.  At the same time, he also uses various methods of scraping、sweeping and splashing with row brushes、sticks、broom and various tools that can be obtained.  "Play by yourself without guidance.  As soon as the painting is over, I always gave him an approving look.  Because I clearly see his concentration and passion when he was painting, and know that continuous practice is his best teacher."

I asked Zequan, "why do you paint like this?"

Zequan answer: (no answer).

Q: "It is interesting, is it?”

A: (nodding).

Q: "did you learn it from an art book?"

A: (no answer).

Abstract performance painters Pollock, De Kuning, Riopelle, Klein, Zhao Wuji etc.  These are self-conscious, automatic, purposeful and ambitious, trying to break through all kinds of pre modernist art.  Zequan is not.  We should be particularly vigilant here.

Borges said, "reading any work requires some kind of cooperation, even conspiracy.” Cooperation is difficult, conspiracy is not allowed.  But in fact, the cooperation and conspiracy is already in progress.

When the morning light appeared, it was like a scorching sun.

The trembling earth is steaming with heat.

How can the first bloom of tender leaves and delicate flowers be so majestic?!

                   Department of art, Xiamen University

                   Important member of Xiamen Dada in 1986

                   Professor Lin Chun

                   2022.5.10

                   Tian quan