Ancient Folk Houses At Urban Corners —— An Interview With Landscape Painter Li Yaolin?By Zhang Xing Art

Dec.16,2014

Abstract: It was Dec.16,2014, sunny yet a little bit cold in Beijing. I could feel a strong cultural atmosphere from the aged who were practicing operas in the park in the early morning. But in next moment the rushing young people between subways and high buildings draw me back to the fast-paced urban life.  

An interview with landscape painter Li Yaolin by Zhang Xing Art

Zhang Xing Art correspondence (Article/Hu Ying)  It was Dec.16,2014, sunny yet a little bit cold in Beijing. I could feel a strong cultural atmosphere from the aged who were practicing operas in the park in the early morning. But in next moment the rushing young people between subways and high buildings draw me back to the fast-paced urban life. Only when the sunlight shines on the antique dwelling complex and the dignified stone lions at the gates of the houses can people feel the irresistible cultural charm of the profound ancient capital.  Today, correspondents from Zhang Xiong Art had an interview with folk house painter Li Yaolin. 

Li Yaolin was born in 1959 in Beijing. He graduated from Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is Director of China Artists Association, Vice-president of Beijing Artists Association,  Deputy Director of Comprehensive Painting Committee of China Artists Association and Secretary- General of Chinese Painting Art Committee of Beijing Artists Association. The subjects of his Chinese painting and oil painting are mountains and rivers and folk house landscapes. He used to hold “A Baptism of City Soul” and “Dream of Hometown” themed ink wash painting and oil painting individual exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, U.S., Italy, France. Representatives include The Source of the Yangtze River, The Source of Life, The Juyongguan Great Wall  and Eastern Sunrise. His individual philosophy is Chinese painting should have the momentum of mass galloping and the attitude of regretting not able to draw the state of soaring passion. 

Li Yaolin’s painting

Li Yaolin’s mountain-and-river paintings present the splendid landscapes of our country and the most precious cultures of human being through his profound study on science and culture as well as thoughts that are full of wisdom. As the land are overwhelmed by modern vehicles and cement buildings, folk villages in Yunnan and Guizhou, riverside folk houses, arch bridges and fishing islands under Li Yaolin’s brush are all full of sunlight and primitive flavor.  

Li Yaolin’s painting

The beautiful and natural colors of Li Yaolin’s ink wash landscape paintings are really refreshing. The bright and romantic color ink painting is not as empty and lonely as traditional literati landscape painting or as unified and stylized as light crimson or bluish green landscape painting. The visual impact of the colors in his paintings which approximate to that of oil painting leaves the audience a deep impression on its realistic-looking quality. I prefer to describe his landscape painting with watercolor-like transparence and illusion.   

 Li Yaolin believes painting is primarily a formative art instead of a game, to reflect the nature scientifically. The audience can see three breakthroughs in his art creation. Firstly we can feel the  dimensional relationship between mountains and trees. A three-dimensional and complicated natural conception is built up by contrast of light and shade. Secondly, we can feel the spatial relationship between objects and change of time and space. He breaks the plane and distant visual sense of traditional Chinese painting and creates a greater visual impact of three dimensions. Thirdly, as for colors, he believes life and artistic conception are far more than white and black. In the history of painting, there have been no interpretation on color composition in  Chinese painting. Contemporary artists should stand in situ and refuse to make progress. Li Yaolin makes a brave creation on this in priority.

Li Yaolin’s painting

 Li Yaolin is a thinker first and an artist who paints with thoughts second. Thoughtless paintings can not touch the hearts of contemporary people. In his comprehensive view of painting, apart from the painting itself, the more he wants to present is the cultural connotations and consideration.