Great awakening Great implicit in the city
Sanzi Gave interview with China Art and Culture Magazine:
C: When did you develop the hobby of painting?
C: Does the artistic concept in your work reflects your personal understanding towards the connection between man and his outside world?
C: Once you said a man before 40 hold faith in Confucianism but believe in Taoism after that. Is that a kind of utter enlightening to life?
C: The vice president of Hong Kong Art Development Council Li Weiming once commended your work “ Sanzi incarnates Lao Zi reborning in modern society and floating among the struggling secular world and the peace of mind.
C: When did you sign with the Taglialatella Galleries?
C: The former U.S president’s counselor Mr. James Jameson once collected one piece of your work?
(C for China Art and Culture Magazine, S for Sanzi)
S: Since I remember things I started to like graffiting around without expertise skills. I did not have a good family background and the only thing I was interested in was graffiti. Besides, I had this neighbor who got great talent for painting but with mental disease, he was a big inspiration for me to become liking painting.
S: Exactly. You can notice that in my art of work the figures seem so trivial compared with the splendid great nature. Through the size comparison between the man and the nature, I try to express the insignificance of human being compared to the earth, solar system and even the whole galaxy. It’s just like the Lao Zi inspect the individual and the secular society through universe perspective and reached a far more specific comprehension towards the relationship of man and nature. This is called the “Zen” and also “Taoism”.
S: As far as I’m Concern, a man may more respect Confucianism before 40, because most of us seek the concept of “self cultivation, family harmony, country management and the finally the accomplishment of world peace.”But we can not always realize those big dreams thus a lot of people become depressed. I myself also had the experience like this. But I became positive and self motivated after I read the work of Lao Zi. He said the experience you went through is what really matters. Since then every time I looked back upon my life, I felt relieved and adopt a fresh new perspective toward my life. The setbacks and the ups-and-down in life is what we all have to get through to grow to maturity. So naturally speaking Taoism took the priority place after one’s 40 years old.
S: Many Hong Kong and Taiwan friends of mine are exactly like Mr. Li Weiming, they had a strong resonance and inflection with my figure and atmosphere in my work. The little white figure in my painting represent you everyone of us and even an incarnation of Lao Zi, which reminds us to lead a more significant life focused on inspiration level other than just social networking or business profit. Only if we live that way can we develop a fresh new perspective of life.
S: On September 29th at America time. This was a date I especially choose because in Chinese the numbers contains a meaning of “having a very long history”. This art gallery embraces a history of more than 40 years and is the agent signing of famous American artist Andy Warhol and world wide top artist Andrew Wyeth. When Picasso firstly arrived in New York, he also signed with Taglialatella Galleries. And honorably I’m the only signed agent Chinese artist for the moment. The boss of the gallery shows a special interest to Chinese culture and this maybe explains his decision to sign with me! In nutshell, I felt far more contented and lucky when I survived in New York alone in old times!
S: Yes. The consultant of ex-president of the United State James Jameson was once invited to attend an international financial summit in Shanghai and very accidentally he visited my solo exhibition in Shanghai, and instantly he bought one of my new piece of work <Shan Xian> and put it in his saloon is his private manor in Los Angeles. Mr. James Jameson is the U.S ex-president George H. W. Bush’s key commercial and trade counselor and he is also a renowned international scholar. He speaks good Chinese and shows a special obsession to artistic conception in my art of work. Later Mr. Jameson wrote me a letter of thanks to express his affection of having collected the work<Shan Xian>.
C: Where does your inspiration of painting emerge?
S: The word inspiration seems an exclusive word for art. But in my point of view, the inspiration of creation is based on three points: firstly, solid basic skill; secondly, profound culture background and thirdly, a wealth of life experience.
C: Your charity art exhibition in Hong Kong in 2009 was a great hit and among them the gold and silver foil works were extremely popular, right?
S: The charity art exhibition was initially hold to donate for the children who bear weak sight and many of Hong Kong officials and multination consul socialite have all attended this charity activity. The work in the exhibition were mostly made by gold or silver foil material, including < Lotus Fragrance>, <Endless Melody>, <Morning Light>, and <Lost Myself>etc. With the unsophisticated and ego style, I tried to express the elegance and spirituality, the vast and the small. Those works were highly commended by the attendees and they seem to yearn for the life of the little immortal in my painting and all of a sudden they appeared to understand the essence of Taoism and get to know how to be a true “immortal” in real life.
C: Any works of yours being auctioned this year?
S: On the just finished 2013 Beijing POLY Spring Auction“ Modern and Contemporary Art Performing:, there was a work of the “Natural Taoism” series named <The Sky> which was created in New York in 2008 being auctioned. The painting was finally auctioned and collected by an Italian joint venture company at the price of 1150, 000RMB. This was the first time my works being auctioned domestic but later on, my works will show presence in more famous company, like the British Bonhams, the Hong Kong Sotheby etc.
C: How do you interpret the Lao Zi way?
S: Before the high school time, I was wrongly take the way as the road one is to take, but until I reach 40, I gradually come to realize it means more than the way but Lao Zi’s Taoism! It means the “natural law”, “action through inaction” etc. The good things and the bad things they are a mixed blessing if you see it in another way! There exits both the heaven and the hell, just like the balancing theory of Lao Zi. Sometimes I really felt the emotion to draw the hell scene but with the consideration of the audience feelings, I took the positive side and opt for painting the heavens. As a natural consequence, you can find a pile of vegetables and fruits planted in my domestic house. I find enormous happiness in caring them and it is also a shallow attitude towards the understanding of Taoism as well as infinite respectful feelings for Mr. Li Er!
C: How do you appreciate the modern art? Any artist you extremely admire?
S: For the contemporary times, I think the “Art” is just like the other jobs. It’s a noun and a kind of career which I feel lucky to adopt, because I can’t do anything else. Concerning with my admiring artist, that’s countless, but I especially respect American artist Wyeth! His works make me feel melancholy and thought provoking...
