2018 “异想 · 天开” 李泽嵩专访 | Interview with Li Zesong
2018
5月26日晚，艺术家李泽嵩在其个展开幕酒会中与嘉宾们一起分享了他的艺术创作过程及其灵感。现奉上详细专访内容。
Artist Li Zesong shared his inspirations with our guests on 26 May night. Please check out his interview.
1. 您的“黑白”系列在今年三月的香港“2018 Art Central”（香港中环博览会）亮相后，这是您在上海举办的第三次个展。与前两次的个展相比，本次个展有何不同和突破之处？
李：前两次个展的主题与内容都比较统一，是我对中国古代传统哲学思想—“天人合一”的致敬与向往。而此次个展恰逢我的职业绘画生涯走到了第十个年头，故而想以此次展览作一个小小的总结。在内容上几乎涵盖了现今所有的绘画系列，在形式上则突破了以往的仅用黑白色来表现视觉画面的特点相比前两次个展而言，此次个展的突破之处在于能更好更全面地表达我的艺术创作的多元化以及如何通过艺术来表达我的作品所要体现的观点有了更深层次的理解。
N: This is your third solo exhibition in Shanghai，since the latest “Black and White” Series show at the Art Central in March, in comparison with those previous exhibitions, what are the differences and new changes?
L: The themes and the content of the past two solo exhibitions are quite unified by the ancient Chinese philosophy of the co-existence of man and nature. This solo exhibition is more like a summary of being a professional artist in the past decade. It covers a complete collection of my various series since the beginning. Comparing to the previous exhibitions, the breakthrough of this exhibition is having a better understanding of the diversity of my art and how to convey my idea through my artwork in a better way.
2. 您的家乡大理有着得天独厚的自然人文景观以及丰富浓厚的历史，这些特质对您的艺术创作有影响吗？
李：一定是有的，而且影响很大。我从小生活在有着高山流水，小桥人家，民风民俗比较淳朴的大理，得天独厚的自然人文景观以及丰富浓厚的历史无形地熏染着自己的气韵与心志，给了我无限的遐想。
N: Your hometown Dali is embraced by its unique nature and culture as well as the rich history. Do they influence your art creation?
L: Yes, they do have a great influence on my art. I am raised in Dali, where is surrounded by the high mountains and flowing rivers. We have a very simple and happy life here. The magnificent nature and the rich culture have nourish my mind and soul and have inspired me with great imagination and artistic creation.
3. 我们注意到这次个展中的“图腾系列”、“佛系列”都是首次与上海的观众见面，是什么灵感使您的创作主题转向了中国的图腾文化和佛教文化？您是佛教信仰者吗？
李：首先，我画佛但并非想表达佛教；其次，我崇尚佛教中的处世哲学和智慧，但我并非将佛教当作一种宗教信仰来对待。无论是中国的图腾文化中的“龙”还是源自于古印度的“佛”，我个人觉得他们很了不起，都是很酷的大英雄，是我的偶像们。他们拥有着无穷的魅力，受到千世万代的传颂和敬仰。我希望通过东方的哲学思想和价值观来看待西方的现代文明进程对当今世界和人们的生活所造成的各种影响以及人类历史发展中的各种对立冲突与和谐统一。
N: We have noticed your “Totem Series” and the “Buddha series” from this exhibition are unveiled to the Shanghai public as the first time. What inspires you to create these series relating to the traditional Chinese spiritual totem and Buddhism culture? Are you a Buddhist?
L: First of all, I paint the Buddha with no regard to Buddhism. Secondly, I believed in the wisdom and philosophy rather than a religious belief. Regardless of the Dragon from China or the buddha from ancient India，I consider them as the greatest heroes. Their images and stories seem so cool and interesting to me and their extraordinary kindness, charm and power have conquered generations after generations and have won the great respect. I intend to look at the various impacts from western modern civilization on today’s world and the way we live through oriental philosophy and values. I also want to interpret the conflicts and opposites as well as the co-existence and unity.
4. 在您的“图腾”和“佛”系列中，我们看到了坦克与起义军。这暗示了什么？想给观者们传达何种想法与启示？
李：我想要对观者说，作为现代物质文明的产物——高科技武器即使拥有再强的摧毁力，也很难摧毁和战胜人类的精神文明和信仰。 战争的胜利并不意味着人类文明的胜利。我希望全人类应该在彼此尊重的基础上增加不同文化间的沟通与交流，珍爱和平！
N: We see some tanks and rebels from your Totem and Buddha Series. What kind of messages you want to convey to the viewers?
L: I want to say no matter how powerful the modern military weapons are, it is unlikely to destroy or conquer human’s spiritual culture and belief. The victory of the wars doesn’t mean the victory of human’s civilization, so that I hope communication, respect and understanding are extremely significant for all of us on this earth in order to live in Peace!
5. 恭喜您添了一位闺女，成为了一名父亲！初为人父的您与最新创作的“孩童系列”有着怎样的密切联系？能与我们分享一下“孩童系列”背后的故事吗？
李：女儿的出现在我的生命中的意义犹如让我漂泊多年的船得以靠岸！自从她嗷嗷待哺到现在牙牙学语的两年多里我体会到了生命的可贵与孩童世界的纯真与美好，与孩子相处多了就会潜移默化的反思成人世界里的纷繁复杂，向往能回到那无忧无虑、纯真可爱的孩童世界，这就是我创作“孩童系列”的切深感受。
N: Congratulations to you for becoming a father! Does this new experience inspire your latest Childhood Series? Do you have any stories to share with us behind this series?
L: The birth of my daughter is a remarkable in my life. It makes me understand the reason why I am living in this world, it’s like a boat finally pulling into the shore after drifting about for many years. I have experienced how precious the life is and how innocent and beautiful the world is through the eyes from a child since she was born. This has led me rethinking profoundly about nowadays world and yearning for going back to those carefree, pure and happy days in the childhood.
6. 这次个展中的所有“彩色”系列作品与您之前的具有一定知名度的“黑白”系列作品之间有何联系吗? “孩童系列”会不会成为您将来的创作重点？
李：有必然联系的。无论是“彩色”的系列作品 、还是“黑白”的系列作品，它们都是在表达我自己的思想感受与精神世界以及我崇尚的东方文化与生活哲学，只是所用的表现形式与手法不同而已。孩子的“世界”我会必然地持久关注的，毕竟自己有孩子后就被孩子无形的带到她的世界里了，但不会成为我创作重点。
N: Is there any connection between all the series in colour and your popular series in black and white from this exhibition? Will you be focusing more on the “Childhood Serious” in the future?
L: Certainly, there are some connections between them. Whether it is the series in colour or the series in black and white, they are all showing my own thoughts, emotions and my mind from my understanding and points of views based on the oriental culture and philosophy in a different approach and techniques. As for the “Childhood Series”, it won’t be the focus of my future creation, however, I will surely carry on working on this new series, as I believe my daughter will inspire me with more ideas!
