2015 “中国男孩” 范士强专访 | Interview with Fan Shiqiang


1. 您的“中国男孩系列”的创作灵感来自于何处?

Where does your inspiration come from for this well-known Chinese Boys Series”?

这个系列创作灵感主要来源小时候看的木偶片,画“中国男孩”这个系列,主要是感觉自己总也长不大,也有想逃离备受束缚的现实世界的意思。

My inspirations come from the puppet show during my childhood. “Chinese Boys Series” is created to show my naivety and to feel being never grown-up. It’s also a way out to escape from the real life.

2. 这次个展的主题延续了“中国男孩系列“,请问在作品的表达上有何变化吗?

This exhibition continues the exploration of “Chinese Boys Series, is there any different with comparison to the former works from this series?

除了以前表现中国传统文化太极、青花和武术之外,这次展览加入了民间舞蹈和宠物元素。在色彩及层次感的表达上,也更丰富了。我想无论中国人或外国人,他们都希望摆脱自己内心压抑的色彩而去寻找真正让自己内心快乐的颜色。

This exhibition’s artworks are involved with our regional dance as well as pet elements apart from traditional Chinese culture of Taichi, porcelain and Wushu. The gradation of colour and the texture are richer. No matter where your roots are, we always attempt to find the real happiness, to find a colourful life and to get away from dull colour and boring life.

3. 您的作品都是以两位以上的一群人出现在画面中的,能告诉我们是为什么吗?

Your paintings appear with two characters or above, could you please tell us why?

构图一般采用多人列阵更容易表现一种气势,也暗示一种集体化意识及现代工业化复制的意思。

My painting is often to depict a group of people to create an overwhelming momentum as well as the implication of group awareness and industrial duplication.

4. 您的作品为何选择用卡通的形象来表达?

Why you choose Cartoonish image to create your works?

画中卡通形象的人物也算是自己的一个变体吧,人物整齐划一的动作可能就是我从小生长的集体环境中无意识的思想面貌的表现。卡通一般大家都能接受,也不会太沉重,因为我们内心都不够强大。

I think the cartoonish character is a variation of my own. The group exercises in good order are the reflection of the unconscious mind state in the collective environment in China since I was a kid. Cartoonish characters are always easier and joyful to accept, it won’t be too heavy, since our inner world sometimes is fragile.

5. 您是来自沈阳的,您的作品中有东北文化的体现吗?能与我们具体谈谈东北的哪些传统文化影响了您的创作?

As an artist from Shenyang (northeast part from China), does your local cultural influences your art creation?

东北文化主要是以民间歌舞艺术为代表,这次展览作品中就有体现这一内容的,比如东北大花袄和二人转等。

Certainly yes! Our local culture is characterized with our songs and dance as well as our signature patterns on the cloth. In this exhibition, you can find “Er Ren Zhuan”and our green/red traditional floral patterns in my paintings.


6. 能与我们谈谈您将来的创作方向吗?

Whats the future direction towards your art creation?

我会仍然延续“中国男孩系列”的创作,但会在构图和形体造型上可能有新的尝试。谢谢喜欢我画的朋友,祝你们每天都能开心。

I will carry on this “Chinese Boys Series, and will explore some new ideas in terms of the structure and characters’ shapes of my paintings.

I would like to thank all of you who like my art and who support my art. I wish you a happy life!