七月 肆 [ 日 ] 贰拾肆號 4. Juli issue 24
本期艺术家 The Artist
蕭涵秋 | Xiao Hanqiu
1986 年生于北京 成长于英国 现工作和居住在北京和沈阳 联系方式：xiaohanqiu@gmail.com 学历 2010.10 - 2011.9 切尔西艺术与设计学院，伦敦，英国 Chelsea College of Art and Design 美术与艺术史硕士学位 2005.9 - 2008.7 利兹大学 , 利兹，英国 University of Leeds 现代艺术荣誉学士学位 展览 2014 大声展，北京，中国 萧涵秋公寓个展，北京，中国 2012 Lights in the Dusk，群展，Frameless Gallery，伦敦，英国 2011 亮点 群展，外滩十八，上海，中国 切尔西艺术设计学院 2011 年硕士毕业展览，伦敦，英国 2009 From Zero to Hero, 群展，星空间，北京，中国
Born 1986 in Beijing, China, raised in the UK Currently lives and works in Beijing and Shenyang Contact xiaohanqiu@gmail.com Education 2011 MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London 2008 BA Fine Art, University of Leeds, Leeds Selected Exhibitions 2014 'Get it louder' Group Exhibition, Beijing Solo Exhibition, Yifan’s apartment, Beijing 2012 Lights in the Dusk，Group Exhibition，Frameless Gallery, London 2011 Spotlights, Group Exhibition，Bund 18 Gallery，Shanghai MA Fine Art Postgraduate Show, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London 2009 From Zero to Hero, Group Exhibition, Star Gallery, Beijing
" 我的布面丙烯作品里面包含很多静物和细节，我在试图用它 们来阐述我的逻辑，比如：石头是一种花，花是一种石头。"
"My acrylic works contain various still lifes and details. I try to use them to interpret my logic, such as: stone is a kind of flower and flower is a sort of stone. "
肆 x 蕭涵秋
採訪記錄
肆：涵秋最近在装修工作室吗，现在工作室在哪？ 萧：在沈阳。其实就是装修了一个破超市，准备住、 画画一起用。 肆：一般艺术家都会往大城市扎堆，比如北京、上海， 像你这样从北京出来的很少，能聊聊这个吗？ 萧：因为北京太贵了我消费不起啊，回国两年一直有 计划搬离这个城市。机缘巧合来到了沈阳。我也不太 喜欢北京的艺术氛围和人文生活，一部分也是因为我 经济条件不是那么优越，另一部分我认为确实无法和 欧洲比如我之前生活学习过一段时间的伦敦相比。总 体来说，我认为北京性价比很低。不愿意非得住在那里。 我觉得展览是要和尽可能与自己认可的机构合作的， 这种机构国内来说肯定是北京和上海。但创作和生活 不需要。还是不能享受北京真正的城市生活。 肆：现在在沈阳的生活怎么样，开心吗？生计如何维 持？兼职吗 ? 萧：在沈阳目前很开心。现在用积蓄以及在展览上销 售作品得来的钱为生。 肆：工作室是你一个人的还是有小伙伴？在沈阳时间 是怎么安排的呢，全职画画么？ 萧：我和我男朋友一起。基本上我都不太出门，在家 画画或者做自己喜欢的事，比如看电影、做饭菜等。 出门会去自然环境。 肆：那为什么你不爱出门？不是很喜欢人？看你的作 品中也很少出现作为社会一员的人。人基本是作为局 部或者器官存在的。 萧：我觉得我的世界是一步步有人的，慢慢就会有人了。
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 30x40 cm, 2014
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x70 cm, 2014
肆：这是一个自然生长的过程？ 萧：我画不好人，先画画别的…… 肆：你人画得挺好的呀，你觉得自己画不好的阻碍在 哪？ 萧：觉得太具象了，传达太多信息，我还没法把握。 肆：具体的一个有身份的人，还是作为人类的人？比 如“我的爸爸”和“中年男人”。 萧：有区别吗？对我来说一样太复杂了，传递太多信 息了，但我很喜欢人！我会画人的。 肆：记得你作品里有出现一点人，不过更像是人偶。 萧：是的。 肆：那画中的物品呢，也没有具体身份，代表某种意向？ 萧：我觉得我是在试图阐述一种逻辑吧…… 肆：比较难用语言表达？ 萧：对，不太会用语言表达的，不过绘画也是一种语言。 肆：是的，你怎么理解作为语言的绘画？ 萧：是一种通用的语言，因为太容易掌握了吧。 肆：其中也会有修辞手法么？你比较喜欢哪种？ 萧：肯定有。我觉得我还在摸索，就跟说话一样吧。 首先要熟练使用这种媒介，然后当然期待可以随意切 换、组合各种修辞方法。 肆：所以绘画就是你和外界的交流工具？ 萧：不是，是我生活的一部分。我目前认为最有意义 的事，同时也是一种表达方式。 肆：表达之后需要有反馈么？ 萧：表达就是因为有反馈，但没有特别期望何种反馈。 肆：你是怎么决定开始画一幅画的？ 萧：有时候是一瞬间有灵感，有时候是理性的发展曾 经有过的灵感，去表达。 肆：看你的画风挺统一的，甜美的色彩包裹着怪诞的 图像。你介意我这么说么？ 萧：不介意。你可以对我的作品做任何评价。那估计 是我现在的一种状态吧。
肆：任何评价都不介意么？ 萧：任何都不介意。别人评价我也没法管啊。最好是 批评和建议，总之都可以。 肆：你作品里的反差总让我想到一些歌。旋律很甜美， 内容小诡异，“让我搭一班会爆炸的飞机”。 萧：我是对反差比较感兴趣。 肆：这种兴趣从什么时候开始的，在英国么？ 萧：可能从十几岁就开始了。 肆：先于开始画画？ 萧：我三岁就画了。 肆：之前都是凭本能画画，到了后来变成工具了？其 实我们也是一两岁就开始画画，后来……后来变成考 学工具了，不过你应该是本科就出国读了吧？ 萧：对，不过我也一直没有受过什么系统绘画训练。 肆：你也喜欢做饭，也写诗，这些和画画在你的生活 中都扮演什么样的角色？ 萧：做饭为了画画，画画为了吃饭。 肆：那写诗呢？ 萧：在写诗上我是一个真正的儿童，我觉得我真的想 好好发展。我下一个计划是：在公园门口卖矿泉水， 或者冰棍，一边写东西。 肆：哈哈，好棒。田明（[ 肆 ] 编辑之一）上大学时候 的职业规划是开出租。 肆：你难过的时候会画画吗？ 萧：不会，会喝酒。 肆：为什么？是喜欢喝吗？ 萧：对，我很喜欢适量饮酒，有益身心。 肆：碰到令你无语的人或事然而你又不能绕开你会怎 么办？ 萧：不太会有。如果实在不能绕开估计是我自己的问题， 就坚持解决问题吧。 肆：你家人应该很爱你，总的来说他们是否很支持你 现在的艺术事业？ 萧：对，我家人都很爱我，也对我适当的支持和要求。
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 40x40 cm, 2014
肆：你说过在英国留学期间，学校对你的影响其实不大， 能具体说说对你影响大的是什么吗？还有你觉得现在 回国以后和英国的生活状态有何不同呢？ 萧：我觉得年龄、时间、地点这种大因素的改变都会 对一个人产生巨大的影响。但最重要的还是一个人本 身的主动性和看待事物的方式。我在英国生活的时间 大部分无法真正做到独立生活，基本依靠父母的帮助， 这比起我现在相对自主的生活、在国内的特别是决定 搬到东北以后的生活，现在的更自如，也更能学到东 西，塌心做事，当然也是因为我成熟了，诉求不同了。 但是西方的生活质量很高，文化人文生活更丰富，西 方人开放主动平等，社会环境好，让我在年幼的时候 受到了很多优质的影响。在精神、物质如此丰富的世 界生活实在是一种幸福！相对来说，国内精神、物质 方面都很贫乏。但我同样还是认为，艺术家不一定就 要混迹艺术圈，灵感也不一定非要从所谓的展览和文 化生活里去寻找，有意思的东西到处有，中国很野生的， 很有意思。 肆：可能有概念上的偏差，你说国内精神、物质都很 匮乏的标准和定义是什么？ 萧：是和英国相比，北京和伦敦相比。物质上的贫乏： 产品的缺乏；精神上的贫乏：文化生活的缺乏。我并 不是想说，与西方，比如伦敦这样的大都市，去相比， 我的家乡北京“物质和精神匮乏”是一种不堪，但确 实是“相比”“匮乏”许多。文化生活尤其匮乏，也 很正常，历史造成的问题，不管是在当代艺术这个小 环境内，还是人们生活质量这个大环境上。但我没有 觉得中国“无聊”、“不可救药”…丰富的地理、历史、 有意思的人文景观等在中国遍地都是。 肆：嗯，这个同意。中国的体制和系统还有待启蒙， 但其实整个环境恰恰又很适合艺术家，野生的这个说 法我很喜欢。 萧：嗯，中国很野生，各有利弊。毕竟西方发达资本 主义国家发展这么多年了。 肆：谢谢涵秋你的回答 ! 今天的访谈非常愉快！ 萧：也谢谢大家，辛苦了！
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x70 cm, 2014
当有美的好的东西的时候 和你爱的人分享 这是自然赋予的机会 比如暴雨倾斜的瞬间 天使精心装扮下的普通人 沐浴着尘世之火 的无悔笑颜
爱情故事就是恐怖故事
人们用结婚 来庆祝下雪
梦里的计划 我喜欢你轻松地舔我的脸 就好像在挖掘一片坟墓 就好像服从于一些真理
春天是六个饺子：梨花 杏花 梅花 海棠 樱花 桃花
真想用枪扫射你们 深夜里彼此思念对方的爱人 你们的爱和百灵鸟对玫瑰花的爱比起来 简直就是真的垃圾
山 这个世界上所有的醉酒天使 他们喝醉以后都会去天上的小池塘边坐着 他们围住池塘 一笑就开始刮风
>> 萧涵秋诗选 / collection of poems from Xiao
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x70 cm, 2015
INTERVIEW SĂŹ x Xiao Hanqiu
Si: Hi Hanqiu, you've been constructing your studio, aren't you? Where is your studio now? X: It's in Shenyang. Actually it was a broken supermarket, I plan to live and work there. Si: Generally, artists prefer to move in main cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai. It's rare to see artist like you who moved out of Beijing, can you talk about this? X: Because the living expenses in Beijing is too high for me. I had been planning to move out of the city since I came back to China two years ago. It was a coincidence that I came to Shenyang. I don't quite like the art environment and civil life in Beijing. Part of the reasons is my economic situation which isn't that good, the other reason is I do think it cannot compare to Europe, especially to London where I lived and studied for a while. As a whole, I think I don't have to live in Beijing in terms of its high living expenses but low quality. I think, for the exhibition needs, I have to collaborate with my approval institution as much as I can, and those institutions are definitely based in Beijing and Shanghai. But for living, it doesn't have to be there. I can't really enjoy the city life in Beijing.
Si: How's the life in Shenyang, are you happy? How do you earn a life? By doing part- time job? X: I enjoy the life in Shenyang very much. Currently I rely on my savings and the sale from exhibitions. Si: Do you own the studio or with somebody else? How do you manage your time in Shenyang, fulltime painting? X: I am with my boyfriend. I don't get outdoors much, just stay at home painting or do whatever I like, such as watching movie and cooking. If I go out I would go to natural environment. Si: Why you don't like hanging out? Not much fond of human? It is also rare to see human show up as society members in your paintings, human is appearing mostly as parts or organ. X: I think my world is having human step by step, gradually, they'd come. Si: Is this a natural growing process? X: Well‌I couldn't paint human very well, so I paint something else first‌ Si: Your human is painted quite well, what made you think that you can't paint very well? X: I think it's too concrete and carrying too many information that I couldn't handle it. Si: Is it a specific person or a general one? Take 'my farther' and 'man in middle age' for example. X: Any differences? It's too complicated for me anyway, too many information. But I like human! I will draw them.
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x60 cm, 2015
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x70 cm, 2015
Si: The human appear in your painting is more like puppets. X: Yes. Si: Then how about objects in your painting, without any specific identity or are they representing some kind of intention? X: I think I am trying to interpret a kind of logic‌ Si: Something that hard to depict by language? X: Yes, I can't really describe in words, but painting is a language too. Si: Yes, how do you see painting as a language? X: It is a universal language, because it's very easy to use. Si: Including the rhetoric? Which one do you prefer? X: Absolutely included. I think I am still exploring, same like speaking, first have to use skillfully, then to be able to switch over or assemble various rhetoric ways freely. Si: So is painting a tool for you to communicate with the outside? X: No, it is part of my life, and the most meaningful thing so far for me. Meantime it is a way to express. Si: Do you need feedback after expression? X: I express because of feedback, but I'm not expecting a specific one.
Si: How do you decide to start a painting? X: Sometimes I'm inspired from a moment, sometimes I express based on developing a previous idea rationally. Si: Your painting has a united style that is sweet colour covering strange image, do you mind if I say so? X: I don't mind. You can comment anything on my works. It might be a kind of my current condition. Si: You don't mind any comment? X: Any comment is fine. I can't control other people's thoughts. It better is critique and suggestion, just anything. Si: The contradiction in your works reminds me some songs, which have sweet melody and strange lyrics, for example, 'let me take a flight that is going to explode'. X: I am interested in contradiction. Si: When did it start, the time in the UK? X: Maybe from teenage. Si: Prior to painting? X: I started painting from three years old. Si: So you painted instinctively at first, then painting became a tool? We started painting at the age of one or two, and then it became sort of tool for entering university. However you went to university abroad? X: Yes. But I haven't been trained systematically.
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 30x40 cm, 2015
Si: And you like cooking and writing poem. What kind of role is cooking, writing and painting playing in your life? X: I cook for painting, paint for eating. Si: Then how about poetry? X: Speaking of poetry, I am a real child; I think I really want to develop it more. My next plan is to sale mineral water or ice-cream, at the same time writing near the entrance of park. Si: Haha, that is brilliant. When Tianming (one of the editors of Si) was in the uni, his plan for career was to become a taxi driver. Si: Do you paint when you are sad? X: No, but I drink. Si: Why? Do you like drinking? X: Yes, I like to drink in appropriate amount, well for healthy. Si: What will you do when you meet some annoying people or things that you couldn't avoid of? X: It doesn't really happen. If I couldn't avoid that might be my own problem, I will try to solve it. Si: Your family must love you very much, and they support your art career, don't they? X: Yes, my family loves me very much, and gives me supports and has appropriate demand on me.
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 60x60 cm, 2015
>>untitled, acrylic on canvas, 30x40 cm, 2015
Si: You have mentioned that when you studied in the UK, the school didn't leave much influence on you, can you talk about what affects you most? And what do you think of the differences between living in China and the UK? X: I think the changing of age, time, and location‌such big factors affects one person hugely. But most importantly is the way how the person looks at things and his/her initiative in things. I couldn't live independently when I was in UK, I mainly relied on my parent's help. Compare to the life now in China, especially after moving to the North-East, I live more liberally, and be able to learn more things, and do things realistically. Of cause this also because I am more mature, and my desire is different. But the life quality in the West is very good, the cultural life is richer, the West people are more open-minded, active and equal, luckily I had well affected by the good social environment when I was little. It is really blissful to live in such a rich spiritual and material world! Relatively, the spiritual and material world in here is poor. However I think, it’s not necessary for artists to only hang around in the art community, inspirations have not to be seeking for in the so called exhibition and cultural life. Interesting things are everywhere, China is wild, very fascinating. Si: There might have some deviation upon the concept. What is the standard and definition regarding to your thoughts of 'the spiritual and material world in here is poor'?
X: This is to compare with UK, Beijing compares London. What I mean by material's poor is the lack of products; spiritual's poor is the lack of cultural life. I don't mean that, compares to the West, such as metropolitan city London, my hometown Beijing is a shame in terms of 'poor material and spiritual', but just relatively poorer. Especially the cultural life is very poor, no matter in small environment as the contemporary art circle or big environment as people's life quality. But it's quite normal because of the historical problem. I don't think China is 'boring' or 'hopeless', because in China, rich geography and history, fascinating cultural landscape are everywhere. Si: Yes, we agree. The system in China needs to be enlightened, but the whole environment is just perfect for artists' creation. I like the 'China is wild' sentence. X: Yes, China is wild, the coin has two sides. After all the art has well developed in western Capitalism countries for so long time. Si: Well, thank you so much for your time, Hanqiu. We had a delightful interview! X: Thank you for your work!
-end{English translated by Wendi Xie}
{zine-designed by Minqi Sun}
关于 > 肆 SI< 隶属 > 草乙載萬殊 <zoewanshu.com 之微杂志 介绍活动于欧洲的亚洲青年艺术家 About SI micro conceptual magazine, part of Zoe(zoewanshu.com) introducing young Asian artists who are based in Europe
front cover / 封面 >>part of work "untitled" by Xiao Hanqiu
editor / 編輯 孫 敏祺 Minqi Sun 謝 文蒂 Wendi Xie 鄭 田明 Tianming Zheng 应 梦婷 Mengting Ying
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SĂŹ 4. Juli 2015 No. 24
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