The Way Home
Wang Chunchen文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
As a native of Hebei, I am finally able to hold an exhibition of my father’s (Jizi) paintings at Shijiazhuang Art Museum in the capital city of Hebei Province. I am often asked how I embarked on the journey of art. To be honest, it was not my original plan. When I was in high school, my father (Jizi) advised me not to take up fine arts as my lifelong career. I was told that if I were to choose painting as my major, I would not be able to support my own life unless I could become a student of the Central Academy of Fine Arts or work in a public institution subsidised by the government. That couldn’t be truer as he’s been a living example of what was described to me when I was young. I took my father’s advice and majored in English literature at Hebei University. After graduation, I was appointed to a job working as a translator in a joint venture. Given that, the idea of pursuing art as my career never crossed my mind. My only connection with art was my interest in reading, most of which was related to art. Whenever I travelled to or from Beijing, I would go to the Wangfujing Bookstore. During my spare time at home, I would discuss art with my father and friends. For me, it was nothing other than a personal hobby.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
But for my father, things were completely different. Although he did not want me to pursue art as my career, he himself was quite stubborn about his choice. However difficult things became, he never abandoned his pursuit of art. Short of classroom instruction at school, he taught himself by reading or going to the Palace Museum to appreciate paintings. With money saved from odd jobs, he bought books or painting collections. In his lifelong pursuit of art, books were both his mentors and dear friends. Later, when he concentrated on creating his own art, it lifted him out of his mundane daily life. He did not care too much about public exposure to his art. His only interest was exploring the language and thoughts of his paintings. This gave birth to the Landscape of the Tao of Ink, the concept he adopted to describe his works, which was further developed into his book, The Tao of Ink, to elaborate on his painting theories. He was aware that painting in this life was no easy task. Without good social connections, he could only work extra hard, not for a day, but for his entire life. All the meaning of his life, or his boundless energy to live, was more than evident on the pure, white Xuan paper. Through the versatile inks and the vivacious water, he saw the boundless sky, the distant time and space. That was where the future rolled out for him.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
A friend of mine said only when one’s parents were gone could one come into his own. Indeed, it was not until my father got sick and passed away that I came to understand who he was and started to know him better. I can’t forget his last days in hospital. Lying in bed, he murmured “I’m not done yet. I’m not done yet”. He knew that he was approaching death. But he also knew that he still had a lot of plans to be realized, and his perfect painting had not been delivered yet. In his last few seconds, tears fell from his eyes...文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
I understood his wishes, knowing that through the difficulties in his life, it was his painting that had supported him. Influenced by my father, I finally embarked on the journey of art and have been engaged in research, criticism and curation ever since. One day suddenly it was as if everything disappeared, only to see my father standing alone, going farther and farther into the heavy ink.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/13200.html
Then I knew that only in that distant space and endless time he depicted could I truly meet my father again.
（郑洵、Elyn Maclnnis 译）
