The Versatile Master Artist

Basically, among the most famous contemporary art masters, many favor this kind of cross-disciplinary technique.

Tycoons like Picasso and Andy Warhol, whose works often fetch over hundred million in auctions, love to create pieces that combine printmaking and drawing.

The market response has been very positive.

Gu Weijing pondered for a moment.

Thinking outside the box.

This is not easy; to provide the judges, who have seen it all, with a fresh impact while ensuring the beauty of the artwork is quite challenging.

”Innovation is merely a bonus. Don’t ignore the fundamentals. If you don’t know what to paint or lack a foundation in other types of painting, traditional oil painting is always a safe choice.”

Anna added on the side.

She was somewhat afraid that Lady Detective Cat would propose some gimmicky painting knife painting at this moment.

Perhaps when painting knife painting was first invented, it met the standard of being refreshing.

But nowadays, the reputation in the industry drags down this painting technique.

Very few can actually master it.

”By the way, there’s one last point... this is a request from the Singapore government — they hope the final exhibition can have a Singaporean style.”

”What does Singaporean style mean?”

This puzzled Anna.

Singapore is an emerging city-state in the past century or two, with merely one or two generations of history, making it hard to define a mature native art style.

”Probably means the artwork can tell a story related to Singapore.”

Tangkis shrugged.

Actually, he didn’t have a clear understanding of this, either.

This is just an official requirement.

After all, it’s the Lion City Art Exhibition, and the committee would inevitably give preference to works with local imprints during evaluation.

”If you ask me, maybe skyscrapers, financial CBD?”

Tangkis shook his head.

These traits are too mundane; they are common to almost all international cities, making it difficult to find innovative points.

At most, using Singapore’s iconic landmarks as the theme of the painting.

But this would seem somewhat deliberate.

”Singaporean style, Singaporean style... is it—fusion?”

A thought occurred to Gu Weijing.

If Moscow’s style is grand and ancient, New York’s style is decadent, Tokyo’s style is elusive.

Then when mentioning Singapore, the first impression is fusion.

Since the very moment of its birth, this city has been a hub for the collision of Eastern and Western art cultures, possessing an innate quality of blending.

It is both conservative and open, both classical and modern, both reserved and radical.

East’s bones and West’s charm, that is Singapore.

When it comes to art... this suddenly reminded Gu Weijing of a painting technique — Gongbi oil painting.

Combining Chinese painting and oil painting, this wasn’t just a sudden idea from Gu Weijing.

In fact,

Looking from the time of invention, it might not even be considered a modern painting technique.

Oil painting for the Eastern continent isn’t considered a very modern affair.

As far back as the 17th century, when Western Jesuit priests came in large numbers to the Dongxia court, oil painting was already becoming familiar to the traditional scholar-official class.

Exchange of cultures between East and West was not closed off, at least at higher levels.

Not only Emperor Kangxi was exposed to a whole set of Western learning, astronomy, and mathematics from a young age, many traditional Eastern court painters were also aware of Western art.

Likewise, many Jesuit priests were conquered by the beauty of Chinese painting.

From the first contact between civilizations, the clash and fusion of art inevitably happened.

Chinese painting focuses on philosophical depth, emotions, humanistic value, which in popular terms is the charm of ink and brush, using form to depict spirit.

Western oil painting pays more attention to composition, perspective, and physical structuring.

The two are not incompatible.

Broadly speaking, the most widely recognized court painter, the famous Italian Lang Shining, pioneered the fusion of oil painting techniques and Chinese aesthetic, creating a genre known as ”New Style Painting,” representative of fusion art.

During the Republic and modern times, the strict structure of Gongbi painting and the color science of oil painting became more closely integrated.

Though niche, this Gongbi oil painting style has never been extinct in the art market.

The reason Gongbi oil painting is niche is different from why painting knife painting is niche.

It’s purely because this painting technique is quite difficult, requiring a high level of proficiency in both Chinese painting and oil painting.

Two different techniques, two different genres, blending well is called East-West harmony.

Failing to blend well is called adding feet to a snake, gilding the lily.

If painting knife painting is the art of the dubious masters in martial arts novels using judge’s pens, then artists skilled in Gongbi oil painting are the orthodox masters wielding double swords.

Almost any painter capable of blending Eastern and Western art with insight is without exception a master-level artist.

In the past, Renoir and Van Gogh and other painters have had experiences learning Eastern art.

More recently, Dongxia’s great painters Zhao Wuji and Wu Guanzhong, who love incorporating the different aesthetic styles of Chinese painting and oil painting into their works, are all legendary artists commanding millions, tens of millions in US dollars.

”Lady Detective Cat... are you still there, is there a network issue?”

Anna’s gentle inquiry came to Gu Weijing’s ears.

His prolonged silence had drawn the attention of the other two within the virtual meeting room.

”Oh, it’s nothing, I was just a bit lost in thought.” He came back to his senses, shaking his head.

In the past, Gu Weijing had never considered the possibility of painting Gongbi oil paintings.

This painting technique is quite challenging.

It’s not just that if you can paint Gongbi and oil paintings, 1+1 equals 2, this simple.

His grandfather, Gu Tongxiang, can paint Gongbi and oil paintings, but he never dared claim he could paint Gongbi oil paintings.

Much like Zhou Botong teaching Guo Jing the Left and Right Hand Fighting Skill in ”The Legend of the Condor Heroes.”

If the two cannot operate in harmony and connect seamlessly by touch, it would only affect each other.

This technique is difficult, yet so perfectly fitting for this theme.

It can both provide judges with an invigorating impact and deeply resonate with Singapore’s city spirit.

If he could truly paint a decent Gongbi oil painting, he wouldn’t dare say he’d win a big prize. As long as it’s not too shabby, some small award at the art exhibition should be fairly certain.

”By the way, before ending this recording, Lady Detective Cat. Since you like Impressionism, can I ask, who is your favorite painter?”

Across the screen, Anna hesitated multiple times, still couldn’t resist biting her lip and asking.

”Is it Degas, Monet, or Cézanne?”

The most famous Impressionist painters are these three.

Renoir is not as well-known to the public and in the art market as these big painters. The main reason Anna didn’t mention the name was, she didn’t want to give herself too much hope.

With great painters sparkling like stars around the world, finding oneself liking the same art genre as a chosen artist is a curious coincidence.

Being rational, one shouldn’t hope too much.

”Actually, it’s Renoir. I’ve always liked his paintings.”

Gu Weijing answered without hesitation.

”The Dance at the Moulin de la Galette is my favorite.”

Anna’s fingers tangled with force, her slender fingertips slightly pale from the pressure: ”Can you tell me why? Renoir, this is quite an uncommon choice. In terms of fame or market price, aren’t the other three painters supposed to be a bit higher?”

Now she was becoming more nervous.

Everything seemed to develop towards an incredibly harmonious direction, yet she sought perfection.

Lady Detective Cat, why do you like Renoir?

Was it just a casual remark,

or perhaps... did you, like me, feel the passionate emotions in that painting?

”Because this painting is both warm and bright, the sunlight dances lightly like cotton.”.

Gu Weijing noticed Mr. Tree Sloth seems quite curious about him.

He still explained in a sentence: ”It has a strong Impressionist quality. If you ask me what Impressionist quality is—”

”—The so-called Impressionism, is essentially about the inner emotions and pure visual enjoyment. We do not depict gods, we merely record sunlight and air. We do not adhere to doctrine, for beauty will remain, and pain will eventually fade away.”

Gu Weijing switched to French, using a tone of Renoir in his mind, like reciting poetry.