Artist Interview | Fu Wenjun
The solo show of artist Fu Wenjun “Between Earth and Heaven” is on display from April 11 to May 23, 2020 at Independent & Image Art Space.
Interviewing with the artist, we find some interesting stories behind his creation, and get to know his recent activities at the current moment facing the COVID-19.
1. Some audiences from different places say they see different things from the same piece of your work. How do you think of it? How do you deal with different art media, different cultures in your creation?
In my Digital Pictorial Photography creation, I intend to place photography in dialogue with ink painting, oil painting or even sculpture, installation. My work is also a place where the spirit of Chinese traditional culture encounters the photographic art that keeps innovating. The two series “Photographic Narrative” and “Misplacement” displaying at the solo exhibition “Between Earth and Heaven” have well described how West and East cultures could meet and how ink painting could integrate with photography, sculpture and installation.
2. In the series “Photographic Narrative” you juxtapose figures, statues from diverse cultural background. Do you believe is there any coincidence between them?
What is considered a coincidence is in fact inevitable. The result is nothing but an inevitable accident. How to look at the whole process is a more challenging matter of personal opinions.
3. Could you please tell us how you were inspired to do the series “Misplacement”?
I take pictures with my camera and also my eyes are also “shooting”. From time to time on quiet nights, the shot scenes emerge in the mind. Different times, different places and different people are intermingled with each other. This disorder makes me feel harmonious and peaceful, which seems to be an essential and deep “beauty”. From my own and others, I have seen too many complexities and contradictions in human nature. There is no straight road in our world. People always come and go with hope and bend around. The so-called correctness is only a relative statement at a certain time and in a certain situation. “Misplacement” is a normal state. Reaction made is only a momentary decision of the human brain. “Wrong” could be “right”, “right” could also be “wrong”. In front of conflicts and crises, pessimists are desperate, and optimists have hope.
4. In this series, we can clearly find you works are closely related to the nature.
I believe, nature can speak, just not in the language created by humans. I like to listen to the sounds of nature, as the ancient Chinese literati who explored the meaning of life among the vast landscapes. Water is invisible, but it can be transformed into many forms; the water is weak, but its accumulation could be powerful; the water reflects the reality, and the illusion too.
5. After decades of art creation, now what do you feel most about art and art creation?
To create a work of art from zero, the artist must innately have the courage and perseverance. At any age, he should insist on excavating the beauty of life, connecting with people by art, touching the mind. I always believe the “beauty” of an artworks is indispensable; it is the key to unlock a world.
6. At the critical moment of COVID-19, How are you staying in touch with your community or supporting other artists? Are you creating new work while social distancing?
In February, I have participated in a charity art event, “Priceless Life, Powerful Art” organized by LIFE WEEK, OWSPACE and Beijing United Charity Foundation, with the aim to support the fight against COVID-2019 in Wuhan. While social distancing, I spent more time doing some new works, trying to reflect on the art history of the East and West.
