Part 02： New Beyond

——Appreciation of Liu Youju's New Illusion Paintings

(1)

Liu Youju is an artist who regards the perfection of art as a religious belief and continues to explore it. Whether it is his calligraphy, poetry, artistic criticism, or his refreshing illusionist paintings, they have always been rooted in tradition and constantly formed new breakthroughs. Perhaps it is precisely because he regards perfection as a pursuit, a yearning, a spirit, a practical goal and purpose in life, a perpetual pursuit of truth, goodness, beauty, and great love in the world that his works exhibit the characteristics of "infinite mystery, full of wit, and ever-changing illusions" in this pursuit process.

In March 2015, Liu Youju exhibited dozens of new works at the Today Art Museum in Beijing, showcasing a shift in artistic style from abstraction to Impressionism. This part of the work has reached a new level in terms of ink, color, and visual appeal, and can be said to be a new symbol of Liu Youju's illusory painting art's maturity.

In terms of artistic tendencies, we can classify artists into four categories: one is aimed at reproducing the object, that is, they are passionate about exploring the world of the object. In other words, an artist can not focus on themselves and do not mind how much they reflect in painting, but they must maximize the reproduction of the object, present the object they see and move them, and regard this goal as the first essence of their painting, which is realistic painting, or representational painting. This type of artist pursues and presents objects as their highest goal. The second type is that the artist regards the subject as the goal of presentation. That is to say, the world of the object is not his intention, and it is not important how he behaves towards the object. The value of the object to him is only "played by the question". What is played by this "question"? It is the painter's own inner emotions, and ultimately what they want to express is the 'self', a state of mind and a reflection of themselves. This type of artist is a type of expressive artist, and the true theme of this type of expressive artist is only one, which is "self". As Shi Tao said, "Even if the pen is not in use, the ink is not in use, and the painting is not in use, there is always me." Nothing else is important, but rather "there is me". Having oneself and the spirit of being the subject are his highest goals. This is the "subjectivity" emphasized by expressive art. No matter what theme he paints, the most important thing is to present himself as the 'subject'. The third tendency of artists is to pursue neither the object nor the subject, and they are more concerned with the "essence" of painting. Special attention is paid to the improvement of the painting language itself, emphasizing the purity and expression of the painting language. As for whether there is "me" in the work, it is not important to fully express the "object". What is important is the painting itself, with the "essence" of painting as the primary meaning, that is, to return the painting to itself. At this point, the cold abstraction in abstract art has reached its extreme. The fourth tendency is that the first three are not important at all. The most important thing is to express an idea, that is, to make the expression of "idea" the first essence of one's art and the highest goal that one's art aims to pursue. So, technical issues (referring to the traditional technical aspects of the college) are nothing to him. As long as he can achieve the presentation of ideas and the goal of expressing ideas, it is his highest demand.

From the object to the subject, then to the ontology, and then to the concept, although we can roughly see the evolution of human art in this process. But there is no distinction between these four types, and each type can produce its classic works. From the perspective of visual art, the 'object world' will always be the source of inspiration for artists. In terms of art, the road to the world of objects has no end.

Liu Youju's illusion painting pursues' noumenon '. At the same time, it is also a breakthrough and expression of "self", and his new work incorporates the expression of "concept". If his works purely depict the objective world, then the function of this "depiction" is far less convenient and realistic than photography and photography. The advantage of calligraphy and painting lies in its ability to express people's subtle feelings about the objective world. What is the objective world? Is what we see, hear, and smell truly the true nature of the objective world? Philosophers and artists are skeptical about this. Ancient Chinese philosophy believed that the universe was a field of energy, constantly evolving and constantly changing, and everything was in a state of change. What we can perceive is an illusory fact, a judgment made by humans based on already known knowledge. Only by fully realizing the "illusory nature" of the world can one understand its entity. Chinese calligraphers and painters, especially literati painters, are greatly influenced by the concept of "illusion" and are more or less reflected in their calligraphy and painting works. This is also the core value of his artistic pursuit of "illusionist painting".

Liu Youju is nostalgic and values tradition, but not limited to it. He strives to seek a modern transformation of tradition. He always explores new changes in fantasy painting under this tension. From a certain recognition of modern art, Liu Youju's exploration has always focused on the expression of formal language and color, including freehand brushwork, structure, modeling, ink, color, and corresponding media materials. Specifically, his paintings include freehand brushwork in ink and wash, color rendering, and freehand ink splashing. He values plane composition, increases abstraction, and avoids the "scientific" realistic mode. He is good at using plant colors and also emphasizes using mineral colors and acrylic pigments. In short, he always strives to break away from classical patterns, while also preserving important classical factors and striving to unify them.

From his new work, we can see that the brilliant colors and abstract lines of calligraphy are the main formal language of the painting, and they are extremely capable of being thick and colorful. Its tone seems to be as solid as lacquer painting, as magnificent as embroidery, as transparent as jade, full of verdant color, but never too thin or flashy. He pursues the novelty of materials, but always values the basic language of Chinese painting, which is transparent and brushstroke oriented. In short, his exploration greatly enriched the color language of Chinese painting.

From works such as "Desire", "Beautiful Jiangnan", "Mountain Soul", "Green Daisy Still", and "True East", it can be seen that these works are clearly influenced by Impressionist art. Using a loose pen, the colors are varied and clear, often emphasizing the sexual characteristics of the scenery. Clear handwriting, thick stone color, strong acrylic color, elegant traditional Chinese painting color, rich contrast and resonance, resembling polyphonic music with rich multi tone colors.

Liu Youju's exploration involves various relationships between China and the West, between classical and modern, and between form and emotion, all of which are a dilemma with great tension. These difficulties can be summarized in one point and can be included in the big topic of "deconstruction and reconstruction". Liu Youju's landscape paintings largely deconstruct traditional landscape imagery, landscape structural patterns, and landscape realm forms. The term "deconstruction" often refers to the phenomenon of postmodern art and is also used to illustrate the development characteristics of Western modern art, that is, from classical art to modern art, through romanticism, impressionism, expressionism, structuralism, abstractionism, and then, pursuing ideas, formally turning to comprehensive materials, new media, and so on. It is a continuous process of self negation, that is, continuous deconstruction and innovation. The abstract ink and conceptual ink that emerged after the 85 wave deconstructed character, landscape, and flower and bird paintings as a genre. He deconstructed the traditional landscape image and realm to a certain extent, highlighting the independence of composition, brushwork, and color language. If there are any shortcomings, firstly, the relatively independent formal factors still lack organic integration; Secondly, the composition of planarity is relatively simple; The third aspect is that the realm of mountains and rivers and their poetic connotations need to be further explored and sublimated. Of course, this is a demanding requirement, the highest requirement for constructing a new style of painting. It is not Liu Youju alone, but a common issue faced by contemporary landscape painters.

(2)

What is the value of Liu Youju's exploration of illusion painting art?

Since the May Fourth Movement, there have been several different directions for the transformation of Chinese painting. Another school that borrows the past to open up the present includes Wu Changshuo, Huang Binhong, Qi Baishi, Pan Tianshou, and others. The school that integrates the East and the West includes Xu Beihong, Jiang Zhaohe (who emphasizes the integration of Western realistic traditions), Lin Fengmian, Guan Liang (who emphasizes the integration of Western modern art), and others. Do Fu Baoshi and Li Keran belong to the school that borrows the past to open up the present or the school that integrates the East and the West? It seems to be in between these two. No matter which school, the masters in the history of modern Chinese painting are all driven by changes and inspired by modern civilization. The integration of China and the West is an irresistible trend, and the Chinese painting system is increasingly demonstrating its independent value and making itself more complete and adaptable to the needs of the times in this world art revolution trend.

Liu Youju's illusion painting is in the same lineage as Lin Fengmian, Guan Liang, and others. Unlike them, he is facing more drastic changes in Western modern thought, and the positive achievements of Western modern thought have also been more clearly demonstrated. If senior artists only borrowed from early modern schools, then Liu Youju's generation has become very interested and infatuated with abstractionism, abstract expressionism, and surrealism. Liu Youju did not lean against a particular faction. He extensively researched and used whatever he deemed suitable for his performance needs. However, while drawing on Western painting concepts and practices, he always adhered to the tradition of literati painting. What is the true essence of traditional literati painting? In the words of Chen Shizeng, painting is "a spiritual person," while literati painting is "just about unleashing their spiritual and emotional abilities. Scholar painting places the first emphasis on spirit, not on form. Scholar painting emphasizes the personality and cultivation of painters, and is free from all thoughts of dirt. Of course, the concept of "literati" also has its historical significance. Modern literati, unlike feudal literati and officials, should have a modern consciousness. But the basic requirements of literati - to express their spirit and emotions - are still applicable today. Liu Youju deeply understands that "image is greater than thought, intuition is greater than reason, and human nature is greater than education". He draws mainly based on intuition, spirituality, and the impulse and consciousness of life. This is not to say that Liu Youju does not think or think before painting. On the contrary, he has deep and broad reflections on history, society, life, and art. For Liu Youju, he puts practice first. All concepts and thoughts are temporarily forgotten when facing canvas and paper. What he respects is his sensory function. He seems to have a plan in mind, but he has no plan at all. He draws solely based on his own feelings, emotions, and inner needs. He chose unique media and techniques, and he adapted to the situation, using whatever media and techniques were needed for the scene at that time, even resorting to "unscrupulous means" to unleash his imagination and reflect his creative desires. At this point, he had no time to consider the Chinese and Western aspects of painting. In fact, there is a distinction between Chinese and Western art systems, but Chinese and Western art communicate with each other. The most important aspect of artistic language is to reflect human emotions, and good works of art, whether in China or abroad, express strong emotions. Liu Youju places individuality first. Everything else seemed secondary to him. Perhaps it is for this reason that Western artists also appreciate Liu Youju's paintings like Chinese people do. The reason why foreigners appreciate it is because they understand Liu Youju's artistic language, which can communicate with Western painting. They probably appreciate it also because they can increase their understanding and understanding of Chinese literati painting through Liu Youju's paintings.

The world of artistic creation is infinitely free and vast, but for every artist, there are many rules that must be followed. This is the contradiction and balance between freedom and law. I think the artistic creation of Liu Youju's new works is becoming more and more free and unrestrained. He seems like a fish invited to swim in a big river, like a crow flying in the vast sky, but still consciously follows the laws of artistic creation.

Yes, the entire contribution of Liu Youju's creation lies in its enhancement of our sensory function. In fact, the reason why humans need art is largely to improve and develop their sensory abilities and functions. The reason why humans are different from other animals is also because they have special sensory abilities and functions. Chinese people are facing the world and the future in the wave of reform and opening up. They urgently need to use art as a tool to promote the transformation of their own thinking: artists like Liu Youju, who have the spirit of originality and fearlessness, are urgently needed to contribute more and better artworks to China and humanity.

(3)

Real artists always have a unique quality, that is, they like to find their own way to find the paradise in their hearts. In fact, the bright peach blossom paradise in the artist's mind only exists in the hidden depths of the jungle. The process of exile experienced by Liu Youju in his painting art is not external, but rather self exile, originating from his desire for artistic freedom. In this process of exile, he was a wanderer in the wilderness; During this journey, he was a self exile; During this exile, he was also a seeker of art.

Wang Anshi said in his "Journey to Baochan Mountain": "If the barbarians are close, there will be many tourists; if the danger is far, there will be few." Without danger, there is no way to explore; Without seeking seclusion, there is no Range Rover. What he wants to reach is a rare place, which may be a barren jungle, a clear lake, or a "clearing in the forest" surrounded by seclusion. As a wanderer wandering in the wilderness, he has experienced a loss of artistic direction; As a traveler exiled from afar, he experienced the dangers of artistic exploration; As a seeker who breaks through the path of seclusion, he has gone through the difficult hardships of his artistic mind. Picasso once said, "I don't search, I only discover." But Picasso also said another sentence: "Art is a lie." All artists with practical experience will "discover", but what they secretly discover is often exactly the process they are searching for. When the artist understood this, Picasso's sentence, as a shackle to artistic creation, truly declared its breaking. Liu Youju's art proclaimed his discovery, which was precisely what he sought. He jokingly turned Picasso's ironclad principles about artistic creation into a lie that contradicts the law. In fact, what is even more paradoxical is that 'discovering oneself in search' is actually logical, not only logical but also a reality of artistic creation. The process of discovering what is being sought reveals a procedural significance, which is no longer satisfied with the discovery in the sense of formalism, but always at the level of ontology. Its significance is always on the way, and for artistic creation, the path that an artist travels is an endless journey. Only by understanding this point can we explain the inherent meaning that Liu Youju, as a self exiled wanderer, always pursues in artistic creation.

What kind of art can move people? Throughout history, many works that have been passed down in various fields of art such as literature, music, and art have been able to exchange ideas and resonate with contemporary viewers, creating touching emotions and making art immortal! Genuine creation is the source and driving force of artistic creation. To make people moved, artists must first move themselves; To move oneself, one must first have a personal feeling. This feeling either comes from nature, or from life, or from the perception of the soul

Why do the Chinese culture and art that have been around for thousands of years still fascinate and move us today? Because it is accompanied by a relatively stable and lengthy history of Chinese social development and civilization development, there is a philosophy of life that integrates with nature and a detached humanistic spirit in various artistic works of different periods. If briefly summarized, this may be the "context" of Chinese art tradition! In ancient landscape painting, the consistent cultural style and artistic conception of emptiness, remoteness, and stillness, as well as the diverse brushstroke styles, interpret the artist's spiritual sustenance and emotional emotions. Similarly, it has resonated with modern people exploring the mysteries of history and humanities. Although we are in this highly developed and rapidly changing material society, through these works, modern people and ancient people still have spiritual communication and comfort.

In the development of Western painting art, from the simulated depiction of religion, history, nature, and events, to the influence of light, shadow, structure, materials, etc. on painting, it has always been accompanied by the continuous transformation of production methods and the historical process of its civilization development. In classical art, the storyline that moves us may have gradually become blurred, but what we admire is its superb technical expression and scientific analytical spirit; In modern art, it also allows us to appreciate the inseparable relationship between art and scientific development, as well as the diverse forms of expression and visual styles that complement each other, truly reflecting the extraordinary creativity and intellectual vitality of humanity. These all moved us and allowed us to enjoy the endless charm and charm brought by art.

True works of art transcend time, space, and boundaries in this way. Whether in the past, present, or future, they will be moved and appreciated! It embodies the spirit and ideas of each era, as well as the artistic style, while also showcasing the unique emotional charm of artists in each social environment of each era.

Entering the 21st century, the development of art can be said to have been unprecedentedly prosperous, with new expressions and forms emerging endlessly. The stunning multimedia, new materials, new technologies, and more have expanded the existing artistic media. Contemporary is a diverse and open era, where constantly enriching forms of artistic expression can unleash their respective strengths and functions. The form of painting is no longer the best artistic medium for truly recording natural and social events, and the level of recording and depicting our world through images far exceeds the capabilities that painting can achieve. So, as one of the most essential forms of art, painting should return to its essential function - the expression of human emotions and the pursuit of beauty. However, there are fewer and fewer works that can truly move people like Liu Youju's illusion paintings!

Nowadays, there are many impetuous phenomena in the art industry. Some image productions that have been hyped up by the art market are ugly, vulgar, and cater to the distorted values of some Western people; For example, some painters replicate images based on photos and depict so-called "real life"; Another common phenomenon in the Chinese painting industry is that the style and mode of expression have remained unchanged for decades, with some material combinations being tossed and turned over, or legends and folk stories being replicated in the form of illustrations and comics for a long time. These ordinary art products, which are similar to "going up and down the factory assembly line", are expensive, making ordinary people hesitant. These phenomena can to some extent mislead the aesthetic views of the masses.

An excellent work of art will guide the public's aesthetic taste, rather than cater to it. In other words, works that sell well in the market are not necessarily valuable art. Because this may involve human factors and self hype. A work without creativity has no vitality, and it needs to be tested by history and time.

The traditional spirit of culture is not immutable, it keeps up with the times. In today's open and diverse international perspective of global integration, it is even more necessary to continuously inject new vitality and vitality to reflect the spirit of a strong country and promote Chinese culture. Because this era requires exploration and innovation, continuous integration, and surpassing oneself. Not only should we seek the rebirth of traditional cultural spirit in art, but we also need to absorb the excellent traditions and fresh elements of other cultures around the world, and create high-quality works with Chinese style, era characteristics, and world level. This is the direction that every outstanding contemporary artist strives for.