At nine o'clock in the morning, the sky in the capital was clear, there were not even a few clouds in the blue sky, and the dazzling sun shone the earth.

On a plane to Italy, Chen Li'an's eyes skimmed over Bai Qing's side face, looked at the smaller and smaller buildings through the small window of the plane, and said with some emotion: "From the sky, the capital is so small, it feels like a small city in the fifth or sixth tier." ”

Bai Qing withdrew his gaze from the window, turned his head to look at Chen Li'an and said, "If you go and look at the fifth- and sixth-tier small cities, you will know how big the capital is." ”

"I know, it's just an analogy." Chen Li'an took out the blindfold from his bag and was about to sleep for a while, but after taking out the blindfold, he was stunned, how did it become lace?

Bai Qing glanced at it and couldn't help but scold: "I know you didn't do anything good yesterday!" ”

Chen Li'an took advantage of the fact that no one saw it, and hurriedly stuffed the blindfold back, this must be a good thing done by Gong Li! She shouldn't have been asked to help pack her things!

Chen Li'an, who didn't have an eye patch, could only take out his sunglasses and put them on, let's talk about whether there is a victory, sleeping on the plane is not particular!

This trip to Venice will be very hurried, Chen Li'an can't sleep even when he puts on sunglasses, and his mind is still thinking about the itinerary for the next few days.

If Huo Jianqi doesn't change the script, he will go back to filming in July, and the Art Biennale can only let Bai Qing stand up to it here.

However, the first month or so will be busy, and the artists who will continue to exhibit in the future will not have to stay there all the time.

Chen Li'an thought for a while and was about to go to bed, when he felt someone touch his arm.

"Hello, it's Chen Li'an, right?" On the other side of the aisle, a man with glasses said.

Chen Li'an opened his eyes, took off his sunglasses and turned his head to look, making sure that he didn't know this person, and said with some doubts: "That's right, may I ask who you are?" ”

The man with glasses leaned over and stretched out his other hand while holding on to the handrail and said, "Liu Zhangming, a businessman who is very interested in art, is fortunate enough to have seen your paintings and your reports. ”

Chen Li'an also reached out to shake him, adjusted his posture and asked, "Which of my paintings have you seen?" ”

"The one at the National Art Exhibition, I heard later that you also exhibited new works in Paris, but unfortunately I didn't have time at that time, I don't know if I have a chance to see it when I go to Venice this time?" Liu Zhangming spoke very gently, and he was only in his thirties, so he knew a lot about Chen Li'an.

Just as Chen Li'an was about to speak, the stewardess came over with a cart and asked with a smile, "Do you two need drinks and drinks?" ”

"No, I don't." Chen Li'an and Liu Zhangming said at the same time.

After the stewardess left, Chen Li'an said to Liu Zhangming: "Is this time to Italy for business, or to see the exhibition?" ”

"Yes, mainly for the exhibition." Liu Zhangming pushed his glasses and said with a smile.

Chen Li'an nodded and chatted with Liu Zhangming for a while on this topic before he figured out what Liu Zhangming was doing.

The standard big yard disciple went to business in the eighties, and now the company is listed, and he is a proper rich man.

Chen Li'an said with some emotion: "I really didn't expect you to be in the rear compound, I remember that when I was in junior high school, I always wanted to go to the football field in your courtyard to play, but I couldn't get in." ”

"Haha, there is only one football field and the second auditorium to talk about." Liu Zhangming said with a smile and said teasingly: "The people in our courtyard always joke that everything is backward after the last. ”

"Don't say this in front of me, you guys are much better than us when you come out of the compound." Chen Li'an crossed his legs and said, not interested in Liu Zhangming's self-ridicule at all.

"Well, don't talk about it, you think I'm deliberately showing off." Liu Zhangming replied with a smile, and then asked curiously, "What are the works you exhibited this time?" ”

"The one that won the National Art Exhibition, as well as the work that was exhibited in Paris last time, is that, there are no new works yet." Chen Li'an yawned and felt a little sleepy, turned his head to Liu Zhangming and said, "Let's talk again, I didn't sleep well last night, I'll squint for a while." ”

Liu Zhangming nodded, then found a magazine and read it.

Just when Chen Li'an put on his sunglasses and was about to sleep, Bai Qing suddenly asked in a low voice, "Aren't you going to create this year?" ”

"I'm a little inspired, I'm still thinking about it, I'll talk to you later." Chen Li'an muttered and fell asleep.

More than ten hours later, the plane landed in Milan, Chen Li'an looked at the sunny Milan, and his mood was particularly comfortable, it would be night in China, Milan was still daytime, and his life was extended on this day.

"Six more hours to live." Liu Zhangming, who had just gotten off the plane, also expressed such feelings behind Chen Li'an.

Chen Li'an glanced back, and then asked, "Are you going to Venice now?" Or in Milan? ”

"I'm going to take care of business in Milan before I go to Venice the day after tomorrow." Liu Zhangming said with a smile.

"See you then, I'm going to Venice today."

After Chen Li'an and Bai Qing came out of the exit, they went to buy tickets to Venice, and then sat in the waiting hall and waited.

Bai Qing took a sip of water, looked at Chen Li'an, who was looking around, and said, "You had a good chat with that person, I thought you would chat with a woman." ”

"What is this called?" Chen Li'an glanced at Bai Qing, and then said: "I wanted to talk casually, but he said that he was from the compound, so he chatted a few more words." ”

"I don't understand the plot of your capital people about the compound." Bai Qing shook his head.

Chen Li'an: "It's just boring to talk casually, and I always feel that this person will definitely be useful in the future, so I should develop my network." ”

Bai Qing didn't continue the topic, turned his head and asked, "What was the inspiration you said on the plane?" ”

Speaking of this, Chen Li'an immediately became interested, sat up straight and said, "Do you know how to sculpt?" ”

"I've been studying for a while, but I'm not very proficient." Bai Qing replied before he reacted, and asked with some surprise: "You're not going to do sculpture, are you?" ”

"You guessed it!" Chen Li'an said with some excitement: "I had this idea when I visited Paris last time, sculpture is the best carrier to show the beauty of the human body!" ”

Bai Qing was not very interested in sculpture, and said with some interest: "You can make it up yourself, I won't get involved." ”

"Whatever you want, but you'll have to teach me back."

"Let's get back to it."

In the evening, Chen Li'an and Bai Qing arrived in Venice, both of them for the first time in this water city.

"The air here is humid, but it's really beautiful." Bai Qing looked at Venice in the sunset, and the red sunset sprinkled on the buildings, draping them with a red veil.

Chen Li'an looked at the rivers and boats running through the city, and said excitedly: "Let's go take a boat, and now we have nothing to do when we go back to the hotel." ”

"Okay."

The boat gently swayed on the water, and the sunset reflected on the water was suddenly shattered and turned into speckled starlight.

Bai Qing and Chen Li'an, who returned to the hotel at night, had not yet put down their luggage, and Ji Fa said angrily: "You two ran to play by yourself, and let me wait in the hotel alone for a few hours!" ”

"Isn't this coming back?" Chen Li'an was lying on the sofa, unconcerned about Ji Fa's accusations.

Ji Fa looked at Chen Li'an's lazy appearance with a little headache, and couldn't help complaining: "You don't know, in order to make your and Bai Qing's works selected for the Biennale, what kind of busy I am, you guys are good, you come and run to take a boat." ”

"Thank you for your hard work." Chen Li'an said lazily.

Hard work for your size! There is no sincerity! Eat you sooner or later! Ji Fa glared at Chen Li'an hatefully.

Chen Li'an looked at Ji Fa's inexplicable eyes, and subconsciously shrunk his toes, how could he feel that his feet and necks were cold.

Although Ji Fa has a lot of opinions in his heart, he is still very concerned about Chen Li'an and Bai Qing's affairs, and pulls them to tell them a lot about the Venice Biennale, and explains the itinerary for the next few days.

"There will be a lot of art salons and two art forums in the next few days, you all have to go and talk to other artists, it will be helpful to you."

"Well, I also want to have a good chat with artists from abroad." Chen Li'an does not resist such an arrangement, the artist is lonely, but not closed.

In the next two days, Chen Li'an and Bai Qing had to go to the exhibition hall every day to explain their works, and the rest of the time was almost always in art salons and forums.

This time, there are a lot of artists who come to participate in the Art Biennale, and almost all artists from all over the world gather here, which is the most lively thing in the art circle.

Chen Li'an and Bai Qing, as one of the few Chinese artists, are still very popular among these artists, and they may not be so popular politically, but there is not much prejudice in art.

Therefore, Chen Li'an naturally received the task of leading the team of the China Pavilion

"Li'an, there are not many painters from China this time, and most of them are not well-known internationally, so you have to take responsibility." Deputy Director Qian patted Chen Li'an on the shoulder and said: "Art knows no borders, but artists have national boundaries, and they must establish a positive, correct and good image." ”

Chen Li'an naturally understands this truth, there are relatively few means of domestic cultural export, and it is difficult to establish an international image, and he will cherish any opportunity very much.

Just like the support for the film industry, there are special people in China who lead teams to participate in various film festivals every year, and these are all with tasks.

"Director Qian, rest assured, I understand this, international artists still like China very much, otherwise there would not be so many foreign artists in Beijing." Chen Li'an responded, and then said: "It's just that I won't stay here for too long, and I'll return to China in a few days." ”

"Well, then I'll work hard for you in the past few days, and publicize a lot, the influence of these artists is still not small." Director Qian admonished, and then patted Chen Li'an on the shoulder and said, "If your work can win an award this time, it will also be beneficial after returning to China." ”

Chen Li'an looked at Director Qian's meaningful smile, nodded lightly and said, "I understand." ”

What benefits can there be, it is nothing more than to give some names and some support, such as what association to enter and give a nominal establishment.

But he will never be given any position, how old is Chen Li'an, and it will not be his turn to rank seniority.

Art is often not only related to business, but also to politics, and this is the underlying attribute that modern society has brought to art again.

The reason why many artists in China have been ostracized by the mainstream and often face the embarrassment of being banned is not because of their bad influence on the political front.

Chen Li'an understands the truth very well, why the sixth generation of directors have been making underground movies, don't just say that the environment is not free, the policy is not free, you also have to look at the background of the times and the impact of the works.

In the following days, Chen Li'an's discussions with foreign artists often extend from modern art to the Middle Ages, then to Chinese art of the same period, and finally to the differences and commonalities between Eastern and Western art.

"There are great differences between China and the West in terms of art forms and artistic concepts, but the commonalities are also obvious." Chen Li'an paused with the microphone and said: "At first, it was all religious, and then it began to evolve into the pursuit of beauty. ”

"The most interesting thing is that the development of art in the East and the West is reversed, in the past, Eastern classicism pursued freehand and focused on mental art, and in modern times it has transformed into the pursuit of realism, while in the West it is the opposite, and now Fauvism and Surrealism are pursuing intention."

After Chen Li'an finished speaking in one breath, he added: "This is the change brought about by the collision and absorption of the two cultures, the earth is round, and the two cultures may collide with more sparks in the future." ”

After these words, both the audience and the artists who participated in the discussion applauded and recognized Chen Li'an's statement, and even many artists expressed their intention to learn about Chinese art.

Faced with such a result, Chen Li'an was naturally very welcome, and said with a smile: "I very much welcome everyone to learn about Chinese culture, which will bring you a lot of different feelings." ”

The most direct manifestation of cultural differences is actually in the field of art, but with the development of the times, this difference is gradually narrowing, there is a bottleneck in artistic creation, and exposure to different cultures will broaden the artist's horizons.

Just like Matisse, Miró, Klimt and others, the freehand flatness absorbed from Eastern culture was integrated into Western painting, breaking the stylized constraints of realism.

After the forum, Bai Qing couldn't help but say to Chen Li'an: "You are about to become a Chinese cultural propaganda ambassador." ”

"Huh?" Chen Li'an was stunned for a moment, and then said, "Is there this thing now?" But even if I had, it wouldn't be my turn, I didn't study Chinese painting. ”

Bai Qing nodded and said, "That's right, but you are so energetic, you can try to get in touch with it in the future and learn Chinese painting and calligraphy." ”

"It takes a good teacher, but now that Chinese painting and calligraphy are about to be broken by some people, it is difficult to find a good teacher." Chen Li'an was a little embarrassed, it was relatively better in the nineties, and in a few years, Chinese painting masters and calligraphy masters would emerge in an endless stream, and there would be any kind of comical operation.

It's really my own people who have played their own culture badly.

What makes Chen Li'an feel helpless the most is that among the nearly 100,000 art candidates every year, very few of them study Chinese painting, and all of them go to learn oil painting and sketching.

The artistic atmosphere in China is really interesting, everyone is abandoning traditional culture, and they are about to sweep traditional culture into the garbage heap of history.

Not only Chinese painting and calligraphy, but also music and drama, drama and opera are the symbols of the high, a ticket is still in short supply, but the traditional opera is not even able to send tickets.

Foreign culture quietly slapped traditional culture to death, Chen Li'an didn't understand and didn't think about these problems before, but now he finds that these silent invasions are really terrifying.

(End of chapter)