- Qin Fengling
- works
- bio
- essay
- press release
| Interview with Qin Fengling - Sunday, March 05, 2006, Beijing
Lee Ambrozy |
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QFL: They do. My paintings are edible; they are spiritual nourishment. They aren’t only thick, but they seem carved from cream. My works are somewhere between painting and sculpture. LA: Why did you start painting? Was it the painting process that drew you in or the joy of creating?QFL: I like painting, it brings a pleasure that cannot be reproduced in any other form. LA: How did you think of the method? QFL: I used my imagination. LA: What was your first painting and when did you make it? QFL: I’m always thinking of and waiting for new paintings. LA: One series of paintings is titled “Social Pattern." Can you explain what you mean by that? QFL: In my opinion social structure is merely form and pattern. LA: How did you choose the different personages for your patterns? QFL: Any social element that conforms to social standards can be a “social pattern.” LA: Does your personality have a little bit of a sociologist hidden within? QFL: I am a member of society, I participate so therefore can express these ideas. LA: Do you fancy yourself a pessimist or an optimist? QFL: No matter how serious, or how heavy a topic, the moment you step into my paintings those topics are no longer serious or heavy. That is because I am an optimist. LA: Do you like living in noisy cities or in the quiet countryside? QFL: I like them both. LA: Some art commentators have called your art “folk painting,” do you think that this is an accurate description? QFL: If people are interested in categorizing my paintings, I’m happy about that. LA: In your opinion, what is “fine art?" QFL: Art doesn’t exist in conclusive categorizations. LA: Do you believe artists have a responsibility to society? QFL: No. Art is a lifestyle, it's an appreciation, self-expression. LA: Your paintings look like cartoons, they look innocent. Have you put in some secret meaning? QFL: The people in my paintings definitely have cartoon-like traits. Following the ceaseless advancements of science, society and peoples’ individual characteristics are gradually disappearing. We are becoming increasingly like cartoons. Lee Ambrozy is a writer based in Beijing and this interview appears with her kind permission. Her blog is sinopop.org. |