A Preface to Xinsheng Wang Solo Exhibition

张子康
Zhang Zikang

  从艺术成功学的角度去讨论艺术，第一步是创造符号，第二步是创造地位，第三步是创造历史。现代艺术社会越发关注与当下社会发生关系的视觉符号，就是与美或视觉冲击力有关系的视觉符号，通过制造某种人造奇观，从而满足观众对刺激的追求。其作品的符号化就会淡化，艺术家的面目就会变得模糊，所以大部分艺术家会努力保持其一贯的符号化风格；要么就是艺术家把自己变成一种符号，这是另一种做法。当然，最好的作品还是那些令人感动的作品，涉及一种关乎时代的共同情感。
  王鑫生无疑正是这样一位关注当代社会，有着丰富情感的艺术家，其意象化的艺术作品形成了鲜明的视觉符号，关乎时代的共同情感，令人感动。
  离开中国的十八年中，王鑫生将灵魂深处对中国传统文化，中国艺术的朴素情感自然揉进其油画的世界中，形成了意象与写实相结合的艺术风格。此次展出的作品有这些类型：爵士乐系列，西藏系列和草根系列。爵士乐风靡全美，去年刚好是爵士乐20周年纪念日，王鑫生通过前任的中央芭蕾舞团的首席黑管吴大轸结识了美国的爵士乐俱乐部，在这个俱乐部里他感受到美国爵士乐不同层面的一种激荡人心和震撼灵魂的力量。乐手们个个技巧娴熟，没有乐谱，即兴发挥，音乐已然成为他们生命中的一部分，他们的表演技能和表演形态令人动容。西藏是离天最近的地方，在世界各国人民的心目中永远是一个谜，令人向往，透过西藏系列可使更多的美国人了解中国。在这样一片圣洁的土地上，艰苦的生存条件，恶劣的环境，但处处是虔诚的信仰和顽强生存的力量。草根系列，基本上反映了美国社会下层人的生活，如失业工人，街头浪人。这些画作触目惊心，令人看到美国的另外一面。
  让我们对旅美画家王鑫生的艺术拭目以待！并预祝其成功！
2011／意向•蜕变 ／今日美术馆／北京／中国
Preface to Xinsheng Wang Solo Exhibition – Zhang Zikang
When discussing art from the angle of success, creating a symbol is the first step, reputation the second, and history the third. Visual symbols closely associated with contemporary society draw increasingly greater attention in modern society. These visual symbols are connected with aesthetics and visual impact, and they satisfy peoples’ pursuit of excitement through the creation of manmade spectacles.  But if artists are to consistently create new visual symbols, the strength of these symbols in their artwork will be weakened and their features will become blurred; therefore, most artists will prefer to keep to a consistent symbolic style, or to use another approach, turn their works toward different types of symbols. Undoubtedly, the best works should be those that touch on the zeitgeist of the age.
Xinsheng Wang is precisely the type of passionate artist who pays close attention to contemporary society. His works form bright and vivid visual symbols that reflect common social sentiments of this age, which are at once both impressive and moving.
During his 18 years living abroad, Xinsheng Wang naturally integrated the unadorned emotion hidden deeply within his soul into the world of his oil paintings to establish an artistic style combining both realism and imagery. The series of works selected in this exhibition include Jazz, Tibetan, and Urban Grassroots themes.   Last year marked the 20th anniversary of Jazz, a genre of music widely popular in America.  Through the former principal clarinet Wu Dazhen of the National Ballet of China, Xinsheng Wang was able to meet people within the Jazz clubs of America where he sensed the exciting and soul-shocking energy on a level unique to American Jazz. All jazz players were delicate in skill and could play extemporaneously without a score; music had been integrated into their lives. Their artful performances and expressions were deeply touching.  Tibet is the highest point in the world and closest to the sky, which is forever a wonderland in the hearts of people all across the world. Everyone dreams of standing on this land. Through the Tibetan series, more American people can better know China. On this holy land the living conditions and natural environment are arduous, yet the faithful continue to believe, and the tenacious power for survival found everywhere in sight. The Urban Grassroots series reflects the life of the poverty-stricken in American society, including the unemployed and street wanderers. In these shocking paintings, we can see another aspect of America.
Let us wait expectantly for the Xinsheng Wang’s art and wish him great success in the future!