The Image of 'Qi', Acrylic, Mixed Techniques on Canvas, 180cm×210cm, 2014-2020
Why do we need to summarize one’s past? Is it because of the poor ability in observing things to make oneself always feel bored? Therefore, is it necessary to change oneself? In fact, it is not due to the poor ability, but because of too much covering. Nor is it the fault of knowledge itself, but because I thought knowledge is fixed and I regard specific knowledge as the whole, forgetting that knowledge is only a process of discovery. It is far from being saturated. The process of discovery is the process of knowledge construction. The premise is to remove the cover and not to restrict the past knowledge. Concealment is used in the wrong place. In art, there is no overthrowing and repeating, but different relationships that tell various things.
I neither want to deliberately dig out nor give intentional meaning to art. Art should be logical, rather than being forced to endow any meaning. The reason is retained. Therefore, the visual appeal ranks first, the name is created and the concept then follows. The various differences in vision are used to inspire ideas and further allow a vision to have an independent value. The concept “The Image of ‘Qi’” is not Taoist enlightenment, but from the outside to the inside, to explore the root of the image. This root is called energy for the time being. It is understood that the energy of all things in nature take shape.
Turbid Wave Crushing into the Blue Sky, Acrylic, Mixed Techniques on Canvas, 110×210cm, 2017
Ten years ago, I entitled this piece “Ice Wind”. I neither finished it nor exhibited it at that time. Ten years later, I feel like I thought it through. I should regard works over the previous days as the basis and background, rather than modifying them. Therefore, “The Image of ‘Qi’ does not appear without any foundation. Instead, it does have a form of accumulation. The accumulation, whether “right” or “wrong”, will merge into a new “Image”. Each level of stubbornness requires us to find the rationale for it. The finding is discovering. And we discover new stuff in the overlap.
Clear the Delusion, Acrylic, Mixed Techniques on Canvas, 110cm×210cm, 2017
Ma Lu graduated from the Department of Oil Painting, CAFA in 1982, and graduated from the Department of Liberal Arts, Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg, Germany. He was one of the candidates of Wu Zuoren Art Award—Plastic Arts Prize in 2006, selected to support the Planning of Excellent Talent in the New Century by the Ministry of Education in 2008, he won the Better Life Cup Chinese Art Contribution Prize at the 2010 World Aesthetic Conference.
Professor Ma Lu is the former Dean of the School of Fine Arts at CAFA, Director of the Oil Painting Department at CAFA.
Selected Publications
“Ma Lu On the Other Side”, M - Art Space, 2012
“Ma Lu 2010”, Yuan Art Museum, 2010
“CAFA Teaching Materials—Oil Painting Teaching—the 4th Studio”, Peking University Press, 2007
“Ma Lu 2006”, Lingnan Fine Arts Publishing House, 2006
“The Road of Innovation—the Western Modern Painting”, Lingnan Fine Arts Publishing House, 2003
“The Sketch Manual of Contemporary Artists—Ma Lu”, the Hebei Education Publishing House, 2000
“Artist Talks About the Master Rouault”, Lingnan Fine Arts Publishing House, 1999
“The African National Costumes”, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, 1998
“The Chinese Contemporary Artists—Ma Lu”, Guangxi Fine Arts Publishing House, 1996
“Drawing Techniques of the Masters of the World—Kollwitz”, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Publishing Company, 1992
“Drawing Techniques of the Masters of the World—Seurat”, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Publishing Company
Selected Exhibitions
2020 CAFA Annual Fine Arts Nomination Exhibition 2020: Qi Xiang/Zhi Xiang—Ma Lu & Lv Pinchang, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing
2014 Perception of China, Headquarter of UNESCO in Paris / Beijing Dadu Art Museum
2014 Ode, Shanghai M - Art Space
2013 Fantastic Ink and Color, Exhibition of Selected Works of Chinese Painting and Oil Painting, Venetian Gold Convention and Exhibition Center
2013 Colorful China, Milido Art Institution, Beijing, China
2013 1978—First Session of the Department of Oil Painting Launched an Exhibition to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Graduation, CAFA Art Museum
Image and Text Courtesy of the Artist.
Edited by Sue and Emily
