Qu Daner is a 2017 doctoral graduate. She was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in 1985. Qu was admitted to the High School Affiliated to CAFA in 2000, recommended for admission to CAFA in 2004 and graduated from the 2^nd Studio of the Department of Oil Painting in 2008; she studied for her doctoral degree at the Institute of Plastic Arts at CAFA in 2014 with Prof. Ding Yilin and Prof. Yi Ying as her tutors. Qu Daner’s work “Weizhou Fishes” is on display in CAFA Art Museum now.

Interview Time: May 24, 2017

Interviewee: Qu Daner (hereinafter referred to as Qu)

Interviewer: Zhong Yuwei (hereinafter referred to as CAFA ART INFO)

Editor: Lin Jiabin

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

“This part of thinking is finished following experiments, because the ontology language of oil painting has almost lost the space of exploration, sot I reversed inward, started from the self, with the self-contradiction corresponding to painting methods, and combined with painting methods, trying to find a balance in the contradiction, the process of experimenting is like a fight or game, finally I find that this balance is not a simple harmony, but the balance with a force produced by mutual hedging, containment or contraction. (The exploration of this part of oil painting language has been finished in three paintings including “Weizhou Fish – Heaven and Earth”, “Weizhou Fish – Day and Moon”, “Weizhou Fish – Red andBlack”.)

Qu: During the period of doctoral study, I went to Weizhou Island in Guangxi Province to sketch, and I found the fish particularly interesting in that place, unconsciously I took a lot of photos, and later I felt it was necessary to finish a series with this creation. During the period of doctoral study, I had to find a topic and I chose the direction of the exploration of ontological language and concept of painting; I hope to create a combination of both, and the combination is related to the concept, so that I considered “Weizhou Fish” as the theme. For example, “Red and Black”, the red and black represent two images, representing two expressions of the language of painting, with a strong sense of collision.”

Qu: It is a long process which is in need of continuous overturning. It is luckily that I chose fish as the medium, the color and shape of fish are always changing, which combines with my previous learning of the composition of painting, to create a more coordinated state.

Qu: For example, the coordination process of the freehand and figurative style. It is a contradictory process that needs to be constantly explored.

“Whether it is the painting, literature or images, there are many interpretations of fish in the past, but the fish that I painted are not natural fish, but 'artificial', 'literate' fish and even fish from the ‘landscape’. These connotations will collide with the images in my paintings and the knowledge of the spectator again, tocreate the possibility of new connotations."

Qu: Seen from a conceptual exploration, the fish is particularly good carrier which does not only represent me but also other sides of people. When I saw the fish, I viewed the world from an objective perspective, the fish in the market are like people, crowded in baskets, distinguished depending on size and price... fish is a theme worthy of exploration in both the form and concept.

Qu: I don’t hope the audience will see my paintings with a direction. When I saw the fish, I did not see them from the perspective of God, and I hoped that the fish and I were equal; I hope the audience will have their own thought when they see my works and I will gain pleasure if they can see things that I have never thought of in my painting.

Qu: When I painted, it is greatly different from the usual state. When I faced the creation of doctoral students, I also needed to consider my doctoral thesis, so that the state is the intertwining of bitterness and pain. Especially when I painted “Travelling Companion”, the other parts of the screen are successfully conducted, but I still stopped for a long time because I was afraid that I would fall into a state of excessive shaping, I did not finish the red block until it was close to the deadline, then finally I relaxed. This painting is not only filled with artistic conflict, but also filled with my inner contradictions, perhaps it was the most difficult time that I had encountered since I started painting.

“It is a new question and power that drove me to continuously create this series of work. I have a question on whether the painting can create a field of communication, whether the painting can create a field that is not dominated by the image during the process of the creation and presentation, and whether this field can happen to be presented through the image.”

Qu: I have always been in a stable state, until the doctoral stage, which is a big change for me. Because I have done a lot of theoretical studies during the period of doctoral study, I have a certain accumulation, which helps the expression of the concepts. Of course, it does not mean that the theory guides the practice, but the theory is an imperceptible process for me.

Qu: The painting is not a problem affecting me any longer. I have painted since I was an elementary school student, I use painting to live and consider painting as a way of thinking. Painting is my life, I might not take it as my career in the future, but it will always be with me throughout my life.

Qu: I will keep creating. I hope to hold a solo exhibition in 2 years time which is not actually determined, but the most important thing is that I hope to be able to advance the ideas and concepts that I would like to express through a collection of creations.

Photo courtesy of the artist