Artist: Nan Qi

Curator: He Yongmiao

Duration: 2024.3.23 - 4.28 

Venue: Renke Art, No.1 North Zhongshan Rd., Hangzhou

Renke Art presented the latest solo exhibition "Nan Qi Nan Qi" by the artist Nan Qi from October 15th to November 15th, 2023. This exhibition marks Nan Qi's first solo exhibition at Renke Art, featuring a selection of over 30 works created by the artist from 1999 to 2023. Nan Qi began contemporary ink painting in the 1980s, and after decades of artistic exploration, he developed three distinctive ink techniques: "Nan Qi's Ink Blurring," "Nanxi's Brush Path," and "Nan Qi's Three-Dimensional Ink," which pioneered a new visual space where rice paper, water, color, and ink blend together. Through meticulous blending, Nan Qi achieves unity of the brush and the self, constructing a rich and diverse three-dimensional artistic landscape.

Interview with Nan Qi


 
Curator He Yongmiao:
Your landscape works created in the 1990s, using geometric shapes as forms, are extremely stark and oppressive, with a strong sense of power and unreality. They deeply impress me, evoking thoughts of surrealism, futurism, constructivism in art history, as well as the cyberpunk aesthetics and future retroism beloved by young people today. Additionally, the overall tonality of the images in this series is filled with a peculiar sense of fantasy, akin to the visual effects obtained after post-color correction in photos and videos. Therefore, did photography and cinematography techniques influence you during the creation process?

Artist Nan Qi:
In the 1980s, I copied the landscape paintings of Song dynasty artists like Fan Kuan and Ming dynasty artist Gong Xian, studying traditional Chinese landscape painting techniques. In 1985, I was admitted to the Department of Fine Arts at the PLA Academy of Arts, where I received systematic training in figure sketching and gained a profound understanding of Western painting techniques. Consequently, in my early landscape painting creations, I consciously integrated both Eastern and Western painting languages, such as Fan Kuan's "raindrop texture" and the three-dimensional realistic techniques found in oil painting.

From 1978 to 1988, during my ten years of military service, I served as a cultural soldier and a film projectionist. At that time, I had the opportunity to watch many excellent foreign films due to the high level of the unit I was in. Through prolonged exposure to images, the visual aspects of cinematography indeed had a potential influence on my creative process. I integrated the accumulated visual experiences from films into my landscape depictions, thereby creating unique and unconventional landscape scenes.

From 1986 to 1988, I participated in the national exhibition competitions held by the China Artists Association at the National Art Museum of China for three consecutive years with this series of works. Some judges at the time commented on their novelty. Over those three years, I won three awards, which was quite rare and made me both excited and honored at the time.

Curator He Yongmiao:
In addition to your ink wash landscapes that focus on geometric patterns, you also created a series of ink wash works using the sea as a motif. When it comes to the depiction of water, the Southern Song dynasty painter Ma Yuan's "Twelve Views of Water" is very famous. However, your approach is completely different from Ma Yuan's; the lines are soaked in a wash of ink, almost as if they have disappeared. The irregular circular images and the blank spaces representing the sea together create an artistic world that is profound and poetic. Why did you become so fascinated with depicting the sea at that time?

Artist Nan Qi:
At that time, artists held a strong sense of artistic responsibility and mission, exploring and pursuing innovation in their works on different levels. In 1989 and 1990, I had the opportunity to visit Beidaihe, Hong Kong, and Thailand. As someone from an inland region, being near the sea deeply captivated me. The vast, deep, and ever-changing sea stirred my emotions and sparked a desire for expression. Therefore, I kept pondering and experimenting, aiming to create an ideal world of the sea that was ethereal and transcendent with fresh brushwork.

Curator He Yongmiao:
Entering the new millennium, you created the "Where Is My Home" series, with the tiger as the main motif. The tiger in the paintings is trapped amidst modern urban skyscrapers, conveying a strong sense of alienation. In this series, why did you choose to use the tiger instead of other animals? What thoughts are you expressing by juxtaposing animals with modern skyscrapers in a single frame?

Artist Nan Qi:
Starting from 1995, I lived as an expatriate in Hong Kong until 2003. Being detached from my familiar living environment and entering into a completely alienated urban landscape overshadowed by modern concrete skyscrapers, I felt like a "tiger in a flat plain," as if my mind and body were confined in a cage, sinking into depression. It could be said that the tiger in the painting represents myself at that time, lost and bewildered in the modern "concrete jungle," seemingly without a place to thrive. Just like a fierce tiger in the deep mountains imprisoned by massive and ruthless skyscrapers, it reflects the emotions I experienced during that period.

Furthermore, the vibrancy of Hong Kong broadened my horizons. Beyond the flourishing scenes, I noticed a series of social and ecological issues brought about by rapid urbanization. These overlooked hazards, ignored by mainstream media, were what I, as an artist, felt compelled to reflect and disclose. Therefore, the "Where Is My Home" and "Lost" series carry a dual sense of critique, expressing not only my personal predicament but also a rational examination of urban development. Several works from this series participated in the first to fourth editions of the Beijing International Art Biennale held at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, and some pieces were collected by collectors in Singapore, Hong Kong, and other places. The recognition from both society and individuals brings me great joy.
 

Curator He Yongmiao:
After 2005, you made a complete shift to 3D ink painting, diverging entirely from your previous creative paradigm, and pioneered a highly distinctive artistic language that is both recognizable and of significant artistic value. Could you elaborate on this shift in your creative approach?

Artist Nan Qi:
An artist without a unique and personalized artistic language is often said to have wasted their efforts over a lifetime, and I understand the truth in this sentiment. The pursuit of, and ultimately establishing, a distinct and personal artistic language is no easy feat. In modern Chinese art, we have seen unique individual styles like Huang Binhong's "Five Brushes and Seven Inks," Li Keran's "Backlit Landscape Method," and Chuan Baoshi's "Loose Brushwork and Splashed Ink."

After 2000, I engaged in numerous experiments, constantly striving for innovation. On one hand, in terms of medium and materials, I continued to pursue the aesthetic ideal of achieving the jade-like quality of ink paintings, continually exploring the various possibilities of Chinese brushes, rice paper, and water-based pigments in my artwork.
 
Curator He Yongmiao:
Apart from your "Nan Xi Ink Wash," various artists throughout history, both in Chinese art with the "Mi Dian Cun" technique representing Mi Fu's Yunshan paintings, and in Western art history with artists like Seurat, Lichtenstein, and Yayoi Kusama, have employed the use of "dots" in their artistic creations. Have these artists' works inspired your exploration of self-expression language? How do you view the academic comparison between your ink wash works and Lichtenstein's works?

Artist Nan Qi:
Roy Lichtenstein's works are truly remarkable, and I admire them greatly. His early works were influenced by the pointillism technique of Post-Impressionist artists, notably Georges Seurat. His later works, created in the 1990s, were influenced by Chinese Song and Yuan dynasty landscape paintings. As long as successors read the books and observe the paintings of predecessors, good art is bound to influence or inspire future generations.

Regarding my "Nan Xi Ink Wash," it originates fundamentally from traditional brush and ink techniques and traditional visual experiences. It can be traced back to the "raindrop texture" of the Northern Song painter Fan Kuan and the "Mi Dian Cun" technique of Mi Fu, as well as to the game of Go, which has been around for over four thousand years, where the black and white stones resemble the pixelated enlargements in today's computer graphics. I studied Go in the 1980s and even possess an old Ming dynasty Go manual. In my series "Portrait of the Go Master Li Changgao," the patterns in the portraits perfectly match the patterns in the Go board. Therefore, while my dots strive for novelty, they also adhere to tradition, emphasizing brushwork, aesthetic appeal, and artistic conception.

 
Curator He Yongmiao:
In your series of 3D ink paintings, you have created many works featuring portraits of female soldiers and leaders. Besides being related to your personal experiences, do you feel influenced by the prevailing trend in the art world at that time to deconstruct political authority when creating these politically charged expressions?
 
 

Artist Nan Qi:
In 1985, I was studying at the PLA Academy of Art. At that time, contemporary trends were quite prevalent, and the works published in newspapers like the “Chinese Art Newspaper” were very avant-garde. Although some of my works were published there, the forms I used were not very contemporary, and the ideas conveyed in my works did not have strong political connotations. The difference between my works and those that were trying to be trendy lies in the fact that, although I was relatively independent, I couldn’t shake off the traditional elements. I didn’t participate in any circles then or now, nor did I follow trends. I mainly combined my own life experiences and personal observations to carve out a creative path unique to myself, hoping to create artworks that would provoke thought among viewers.

Curator He Yongmiao:

What are the underlying creative concepts behind your use of your own 3D ink technique to reshape traditional Chinese masterpieces?

 

Artist Nan Qi:

I admire and learn from the artistic experiences of past masters, and I disdain those who use techniques without creativity. Works like "New Journey to the West" and "New Early Spring" are my reinterpretations and tributes to masterpieces by artists like Fan Kuan and Guo Xi using the "Nan Xi three methods of ink." At the same time, they also mock and criticize artistic creations that are imprisoned by the painting language of predecessors. This reinterpretation of famous works differs from the playful treatment of the "Mona Lisa" by figures like Dali and Andy Warhol in Western modern art history.

 

Curator He Yongmiao:

In your coin series, you juxtapose the US dollar with the Chinese yuan, which makes me curious whether you have considered applying your 3D ink treatment to Western masterpieces, thereby initiating a discussion on cultural differences between East and West?

 

Artist Nan Qi:

In 2008, I directly juxtaposed half of a US dollar with half of a Chinese yuan, offering a judgmental interpretation of the new order in international politics and economics. The era I lived in influenced some of my actions, but even today, more than a decade later, these reflections and judgments from the past remain relevant. 


Curator He Yongmiao:

Why do you prefer to use pink and green colors in your works instead of choosing other colors?

 

Artist Nan Qi:

Pink is a very sensual and emotional color. Even if one's heart is as solid as a rock, seeing pink can soften and gentle one's disposition. Artworks should have moments that open people's hearts. When hearts are open, one can truly engage with art and feel the world around them.

 

Green is the color of life, vibrant and full of vitality, filling people with strength and anticipation.

 

Ink, in fact, is the most "rich" color. It is a classic in Chinese painting and a typical characteristic that distinguishes ink paintings from works in other mediums. The gradations and richness of ink can evoke endless associations, allowing viewers to feel the traditional Chinese culture within ink and search for their own colors and stories.

 

Curator He Yongmiao:

Currently, AI technology is rapidly advancing, triggering a series of scientific and technological transformations, adding many fantastic elements to the future society. Faced with the accelerated pace of the times, how will you approach your future creations?

 

Artist Nan Qi:

In my painting art, AI digital technology serves my contemporary artistic creation along with the "Nan Xi three methods of ink." I have a metaphor for the quality of ink paintings:

The low-level ones are like bricks made of mud, the ink is like ordinary pigments, it's for the masses. The intermediate level is like a piece of rock, superior to bricks, suitable for teaching basic ink painting classes. The advanced level is like rare minerals, the level of ink painting ability has already influenced local areas. Unique ink colors are like jade, clear and translucent...

Only with the craftsmanship of ink as fine as jade can one qualify to climb the peak of ink painting artistry, akin to ascending Mount Everest at 8,848 meters.

Of course, ink craftsmanship is one aspect; for an outstanding contemporary artist, artistic concepts, social critique, artistic reflection, and personal integrity are all equally important. 

 Nan Qi

 

 

 

1960 Born in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, China.

1986 Graduated from the Chinese painting Course at People’s Liberation Army Fine Arts Academy, Beijing.Currently Lives and works in Songzhuang Art District, Beijing.Full-time artist and member of the Chinese Artists’ Association.

 

 

Solo Exhibitions

2017 “Ink.Dot.Pop the Art of Nan Qi Exhibition”, The LUXE Art Museum, Singapore.

2016 “Art Home: Power of Dots” Private Viewing Exhibition. Basel, Switzerland.

2015 “What's In A Dot? NanQi's Post-Pop Experiment”,  G-Dot Art Space,  Midtown Pop, HongKong.“Retrospective Show Of Nan Qi : The New Era Of Chinese Ink ”, The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore. “Nan Qi Contemporary Ink Exhibition”, Art Plural Gallery, Singapore.“Art Car: Car, Power, Sex” Pop-Up Exhibition, Green Art Asia, Hong Kong.

2014 “Source Point: Nan Qi Contemporary Ink Exhibition”, Shanghai Dingyi Fund.

2013 “Power. Sex. Money. A Solo Exhibition by Nan Qi”, Art Plural Gallery, Singapore.

2012 “London 2012: China Art Exhibition”, Royal Academy of Art, London.

2011 “Digital Ink Images: Art by Nan Qi” , Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai. “Eerie 3-D: 3-D Ink Fine Art by Nan Qi”, G-Dot Art Space, Songzhuang, Beijing.

2006 “Ink and Sex Series: Works bu Nan Qi",Yisulang Art Gallery,Singapore. 

1998“Landscape and Seascape: Nan Qi Ink Painting Exhibition”, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong.

1997 “Ink Paintings by Nan Qi”, Xianggena Gallery, Shanghai. 

1989 “Landscape Paintings by Nan Qi”, National Museum of Art (Confucius Temple), Beijing.