"They trust each other and they domesticate each other."

Gu Weijing pondered Mr. Sloth's words.

It was a view he had never heard before, the mutual trust and domestication of humans and beasts.

This kind of warmth and silent equality of getting along sounds incredible, and it also violates the common sense of biology.

"Doesn't that sound a little too idealistic? After all, this mode of getting along with each other does not conform to our usual thinking habits. ”

Anna said casually: "In nature, the way animals and animals get along is Darwin's law of survival of the fittest. The earliest records of domesticated pets date back to the Stone Age, tens of thousands of years ago. The frescoes on the banks of the Nile show examples of princes and nobles domesticating beasts of prey as hunting tools. ”

"They are associated with the words might, dignity, and absolute control."

"The princes and nobles showed their power by showing that they could support the universe. And one of the elements of this universe is the herd of animals imprisoned in cages. ”

"This domestication is not the same concept as the domestication I talked about earlier. This domestication is based on superiority and power. The relationship between Amy and Tony is a closer emotional bond, and that's what makes them special. ”

Miss Elena pondered the wording: "Pets are friends of man, there is nothing new in this sentence. But friends are always a mirror, and the relationship between people and pets is a projection of their own morality. ”

"Domination and affection, love and abuse, cruelty and kindness. Different choices lead to different results. ”

"I think the relationship between Amy and Tony is probably different from what most people think. Spending time together brings them closer to family and friends in human social relationships, as well as to lovers and partners in a non-sexual sense. ”

So, if you ask me if there is love between Amy and Tony, my answer is yes, love is the noblest and most selfless emotional relationship in the animal kingdom. Pets also love a person. ”

Anna grabbed Auguste's large paw and gently pulled a piece of wool from the blue fabric carpet that was on the soles of its feet. I think back to the tone of my aunt when she carried a portable pet box in the pet store, handed her a small stupid ball of earth dogs inside, and told her to "learn to love something".

"Love makes everything special."

The detective cat repeats what sounds like a short video of chicken soup on Douyin.

It is this unfathomable love that makes all relationships so special. If you think of Amy as a person full of mixed emotions, then it is easy to understand the situation we are facing. Detective Ms. Cat, imagine if someone's good sister 'Amy' died day and night. You can't just go to the street and take someone home, call her Amy, and you can seamlessly replace her position. ”

"So what do you think I should do?" Detective cat asked.

"I think if you didn't approach the task with the mindset of drawing cartoon pets, but with the mindset of drawing portraits of people, maybe the result would have been different."

Miss Elena silently opened her arms.

August jumped into her arms.

The girl hugged the heavy plush dog and turned her head to look at the detective cat avatar in the Zoom chat room on the computer screen.

She didn't rush, and slowly waited for the other party to think.

"Drawing portraits instead of pets, I think I kind of understand it." After a long time, the voice of a middle-aged woman came from the headset.

"Well, that's just my personal opinion, and I hope you can interpret it in a different light."

Anna nodded happily: "On n'a pas deux curs, l'un pour l'homme, l'autre pour l'animal. On a du cur ou on n'en a pas.”

Before hanging up.

She concludes the conversation with a poem from the famous poem "The Lake" by the French poet Lamartine.

It is an important name in the French Romantic art movement, influencing important painters such as Turner and Ruud, and is the person most admired by the current French Grand Chancellor in media interviews.

And the poem translates as "There is only one heart in our chest, and to love animals is to love humans." Exactly what Lamartine said on the epitaph.

Detective Cat Lady probably understood.

A smiley face came from the text prompt in the chat room, and she exited the chat.

"What a mysterious man. It seems that finding this detective cat lady is not as simple as I thought. Anna touched August's ear with one hand and picked up the phone with the other.

Several pages of social messages have already appeared in the chat box on the phone.

It was the chat between Anna and Gu Tongxiang, and the reason why they chose to contact each other at a time close to the Zoom network video conference. She also has a little bit of a check in her heart.

She just started by asking a few casual questions.

The old painter named Gu Tongxiang looked very excited.

Until now, he is still enthusiastically telling himself about the artistic status and painting history of peony flowers in oriental art.

Anna was slightly disappointed.

First, it is difficult for detective cats to participate in online chats while sending these messages, and there is an alibi in time.

Second, from the very beginning of the greeting, she found out.

This old gentleman must not know French at all.

in a word

The Chinese painting painter Gu Tongxiang in Yangon can basically be sure that he is not the same person as the detective cat lady.

"Thank you for telling us, your drawing method is very rare and special, please continue to stick to your own path. It's not that oil painting is bad, it's just that in the cookie-cutter international painting market, if a painter loses his national characteristics, then it will be even more difficult to get ahead. Combining Eastern art with Western style, imitating Lang Shining is a good place to start. Maybe consider participating in some Asian art exhibitions—"

Miss Elena flipped through the news records, and still patiently gave her own suggestions with the professional vision of the former editor in charge of the visual arts section of Oil Painting magazine.

It is not the fault of this old gentleman named Gu Tongxiang who disappointed himself.

The direction of other people's works is still worth encouraging.

To be able to attract the attention of a large first-tier gallery like Mars Gallery from a small place like Myanmar must also contain decades of hard work for this 60-year-old man.

"—I'd like to follow your work for a long time." She replied.

"Thank you, thank you."

The other party looked quite flattered.

The old painter of Yangon seemed to be a little hesitant, and he didn't know whether to say something or not.

Just as Anna was about to turn off her phone's screen, he sent a new message.

"Actually, there are many things in my painting method that come from my grandson's guidance."

"He's probably going to make his debut at an art fair this year, and I wonder if a collector like you will be willing to pay attention to his work. I would appreciate some advice from you. ”

"Is that so? Your grandson is also a painter. He shouldn't be very old this year, what's his name? Anna asked casually.

"His name is GU· WEIJING (GU WEIJING), 18 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR. ”

Presumably, even the old painter realized that it might be a bit too much to introduce an eighteen-year-old painter to a big collector...... It's weird.

Except for a few that exist.

Creators at this age should not be called painters, but perhaps more appropriately called art students or classical art apprentices.

"He's young, but I promise that this kid is a real genius. Look at his paintings, you won't regret it. The old painter immediately added.

Talented.

The girl smiled helplessly.

"Oh, these people." She sighed.

The teacher recommends the apprentice, and the father recommends the son to a well-known collector, which is the traditional embodiment of the social network of art.

Anna has seen too many things like this.

Let's be honest.

She understands Mr. Gu Tongxiang's mood very well.

Pity the hearts of parents all over the world, painters in small places, if you have an opportunity to get acquainted, you can't wait to climb up.

Don't talk about Gu Tongxiang.

Those great painters who have a lot of scenery in art exhibitions and auction houses.

Often when facing the members of the Elena family, they can't help but use a flattering tone to let them appreciate the works of their valued nephews.

It's hard to make money.

Especially in the era when the "Oil Painting" magazine was still in power by the Yelena family.

If you look at the right eye, you can't imagine that you can avoid a detour of ten or eight years.

But Anna can certainly think of a so-called eighteen-year-old "genius" who has a presumptuous level of artistic attainment.

Really good teenage artists are as rare as Arabian horses who don't even have a single motley hair.

And most of the geniuses in the world's mouth are just solid colors that have been painted with paint.

Even Anna herself is just a very mediocre kind of person.

In the depths of her heart, she had both respect and envy for all geniuses.

The premise is that he has to be a real genius.

"Is he a real genius, or is it just a genius in your heart? Forget it. For a painter at this age, it may be more important to practice basic skills than to make contacts in camps or participate in art exhibitions. ”

Anna had already typed this line into the chat box.

In the eyes of outsiders, especially in the hearts of painters like Van Doorne. Miss Elena is actually quite a difficult person to get along with.

Or to put it more bluntly - under Anna's beautiful appearance, she is really poisonous.

Personal cultivation is one thing, art criticism is another.

Art critics should be more formally called art critics, which is originally a profession that makes a living as critics, and is relatively mean and harsh.

For the editors of Oil Painting, scolding is much more frequent than boasting.

Especially with the identity of the Elena family, there are more things to pay attention to.

Even if she is purely out of human affection, she politely and perfunctorily said "This painting is not bad" and "Maybe the talent is okay".

Those painters who want to be famous and crazy are really capable of climbing the pole, and advertise themselves as "highly recognized by the Elena family for their talents" and "the next rising star valued by the Elena family after the stylist Paul Klee". Such exaggerations.

And if you give each other some creative advice.

Then it is not good to be spread by the media, and the other party will become his disciple, or this painting is a work created by the "Elena family".

However, he participated in the exhibition under this name.

Don't think that these things won't happen, there are dirty things in all walks of life, these are the experiences and lessons left by the elders of a world-wide oil painting magazine in the past.

This kind of thing is like shit on the soles of shoes, and it's really disgusting.

The celebrity effect in the art industry is perhaps even greater than that of the entertainment industry.

Legendary.

Larry Gagosian spoke to a budding artist for five minutes at a charity dinner in New York, only to have his work go up to $500 in price.

This kind of artistic meanness is also the protective color that Elena has established for herself in interpersonal interactions.

Anna's liking for Gu Tongxiang's style of work does not mean that the girl has any spare time to look at Gu Tongxiang's grandson's paintings.

But the words were all out.

It suddenly occurred to her that she had broken with the management of Oil Painting magazine, and the likelihood of being climbed was much lower.

And the other side of the chat box may be the heart of a kind old man who treats his grandson.

"After all, it's a little painter in a remote area."

Anna pursed her thin lips.

Connections are so rare for them that the world's art trends are almost completely out of the way that don't get noticed.

Isn't Detective Cat a big sister living in Africa?

Behind her pathetic ten-dollar illustrations on the Internet, has she ever sent her work to some art critic? As a result, I saw that the nameless sender on the package was thrown into the trash without even looking at it?

Whether it's Oil Painting magazine or the offices of major galleries, you receive hundreds of CDs and paintings of these self-nominations every year.

Behind every thing is a heart that is looking forward to Bole's appreciation.

The brutal truth is that more than half of the discs were never played, and more than seventy percent of the packages were not opened at all and were thrown directly into the trash.

Read this verse.

Miss Elena's heart softened a little again.

Anna stared at the note of the chat name [Gu Tongxiang (Yangon, Mars Gallery)" for a full ten seconds, and finally deleted the words that had been typed.

Changed to - "Participate in the exhibition, okay, when his works are ready, you can send them to me, I am willing to give me a moderate suggestion." ”

"I hope I didn't help the wrong person."

Miss Elena grabbed Auguste's big ears and said slowly.

Springer Spaniel stared at the hostess's phone, only to make two blank "Wang" sounds in response.

……

New Zealand and Myanmar are separated by 5 time zones.

When I hung up the Zoom call, it was late at night in New Zealand, and it was still dark in Yangon.

Gu Weijing ended the call.

He sat in front of the computer and thought for a few minutes, then sent a message to Uncle Arley, took off the coat hanging on the wall, and prepared to go out.

Originally, Gu Weijing thought that he would complete all the illustration tasks at home like the sketch of "The Little Prince".

Now he's changed his mind a little bit and has a better idea.

(End of chapter)