Essay

Preface
Xu Wentao

The Academy has always been inextricably linked to institutions in the Arts First scene. Through the "Limited Free Time" series of projects, it provides a field for active young artists to collide and exchange ideas and show their current practice and creation.

Artists in the academy originally have a strong relationship between teachers and students, but in Hubei Academy of Fine Arts, there are generally very different breakthroughs in the relationship between teachers and students, which is also a very special phenomenon in the academic world. It can also be said that it reflects the spirit of inclusiveness and daring in regional culture, as well as the cultural tension of reform and opening up full of spirit. Such spirit and tension are transformed into their attention and thinking on social changes and multi-dimensional life experience, as well as the reconstruction cognition and expression of painting language brought by the image age. Especially in recent years, more and more artists from different backgrounds in the academy come together to create works with different regional characteristics and life experiences in the domestic society. Their foundation of the academy and broad vision also enable them to have more in-depth thinking on the artistic road based on the academy. The artists in this exhibition may be regarded as a group (group of young teachers) in terms of identity, but they differ greatly from each other in terms of artistic views and styles of expression. To some extent, they are relatively independent, which is the state of their own exposition and free singing. Therefore, the name "solo group" is also a more appropriate expression of the artistic state of this group and the "free activities" of this exhibition.

2022.4.6

The harmony of the "solo group"
Hu Ying

After receiving the organizer's exhibition materials, I routinely scanned the list of personnel: exhibition director, academic host, guest critic, participating artist, no curator? The question popped up. Later, I saw the general situation of the previous sessions of "Free activities" and learned that this is an art project initiated by the Fine Arts Literature Art Center in 2008, which emphasizes the principle of "freedom" and is implemented in the way of "non-theme" and "non-curation". This exhibition is the fifth one. "Solo Group" fits this description.

"Soloist", also "independent advocate", independent advocate, independent advocate; Or chanting alone; It is now more commonly interpreted as a form of vocal singing, sung by a single person. In short, it is a kind of individual and personality behavior. What kind of "harmony" does a solo sing as a group produce? The exhibition gathered 12 young artists from the Academy. In terms of the overall appearance, the most important features are reflected in the freedom of combination and expression. There is no limited theme, so there is no similar theme, so each has its own characteristics. Interestingly, the number twelve seems to be hidden behind this "free time", or an unconscious, coincidental arrangement, such as the time of day, Chinese zodiac and zodiac sign have their own corresponding content, and the twelve artists also have corresponding "singing" methods and characteristics:

There was a high, bright tenor. Such as voice quality strong, good at performance of strong feelings dramatic tenor: li hua to expressive extremely strong painting language and disturb of dimensional administrative levels in the city, refactoring a familiar and unfamiliar scene. Zhang Xianfei has the courage and tenacity to constantly pursue breakthroughs. He creates the illusion of three-dimensional space on the two-dimensional plane with the anomalous picture frame, and extends the dialogue between the picture and the exhibition space, as well as the interaction between watching and being seen.

Bright and poetic lyric tenor: Li Chen Chen integrates contemporary ideas and expressions into the schema and language of classical painting, forming an individual narrative of the juxtaposition of tradition and the present. A light lyric tenor with a gorgeous style, a clear voice and a bright light voice: Ju Teng's picture uses a variety of mixed elements and colors to explain the meaning of "no boundaries" in constant change and blending.

There's a rich, stately baritone. Quantum Ray by Xiang Rencong uses physics theory to start painting. It is rational and abstract. The colorful and rich colors, light and shadow, and the regular color blocks composed of fine lines make people impressed. Tan Dali seems to have always insisted on using lacquer as the main medium. Whether it is utensils or devices, lacquer or a combination of various materials, it all presents a kind of continuous stability and thinking.

There is also a deep, solemn bass. There are many stories behind Yu Yiwen's works, which are derived from the experience and memory of rural life, from the simplicity and heaviness of life background and human concern, presenting a free and real art world. Wang Hengli's We Are All Phubbers group intuitively shows the fact that people rely too much on mobile phones and other electronic products at present, and expresses the concern about the alienation of human beings by tools in the digital age and the reflection on the way of life. Li Hao uses simple forms and vivid daily narration, as well as metaphors outside the painting, to outline the purity of "independence of the world".

Now look at "female solo." Qi Yahong's "Fitness· Sucking" is full of power, dynamic, even contradictory opposition. The complementary and relative breathing, hidden facial features and details of the hand, bold block surface, free strokes and energetic lines, all show the explosive tension, like a strong voice, the performance of strong, excited, complex emotions of the dramatic soprano. Tracing from childhood, history and reality, Fan Chujing opens the door to the vast time and space of memory and future in her internal self-expression. She is like a lyric soprano with a broad and clear voice, expressing full of poetry and inner feelings. Tang Yuhan's installation and behavior video works, truly record and sincerely create the memorial, memory and cognition of existence, life and hometown, and personally arouse the audience's "empathy" and "resonance", like a deep, profound, euphemistic, gentle mellow and touching mezzo-soprano.

The "solos" of the twelve artists, some of them sing loudly, some of them sing softly; Some are strong, clear and high, while others are melodious and cadence. Although the styles are different, they also have some basic commonalities, such as freedom and truth, independence and purity, life and survival, anxiety and reflection, and so on. In short, this "solo troupe", for the art of "independent spirit, free thought", played a beautiful and hopeful harmony in this spring.

2022.4.10