Wang Lifeng 王利丰

　　记忆分享人

　　一个能够在中国生存30年的画廊真的是不多的，一个能与一家画廊合作三十年的艺术家也是不多的。这就是我和红门画廊联手从1991年到现在合作还在继续着……

1983年，正在进行木雕创作的王利丰

　　我与红门合作30年，认识布朗35年。1986年夏在澳洲朋友陶步思的帮助下我在友谊宾馆他的寓所举办了为期两天的一个小型木雕展，展出的第二天来了一个斜背绿军挎一头黑发的澳洲小伙就是布朗·华莱士，之后又多次在朋友们的各类展出活动上相遇便多了联系，我当时在北京人艺上班有一间小工作室搞木雕和油画创作，记得布朗来我这里看过我的绘画以后有点兴奋，说想开一个画廊可以展出我的作品也可以卖，我当时听了以后满怀一种冲动和兴奋，虽然当时对画廊的概念还很模糊但已经感觉到一个新的希望来临了。在那个年代还有什么能够听到有一个地方即能展示自己的作品，又可以卖掉的消息让人兴奋不已的，“没问题我的画一定会有人买的”我随口说道，“嗯，肯定会有人喜欢的”能看出当时他也是信心满满的。如果说我们看到今天布朗遇事的淡定以及处变不惊的坦然，那也许就是他骨子里久已积蓄的自信所渗出的性格。

青年时期的王利丰（左）和他的木雕作品

1986年，王利丰的木雕作品被收藏

　　应该说在上世纪80年代布朗就有了对自己未来的规划和设想，正如他讲“决定了在中国 开一家画廊并且开始了准备和努力”。我不得不佩服他远离本土文化和生活习惯刚来中国才几年时间就能做出这样决定的勇气和胆量。

　　八十年代中后期正是中国艺术迅猛兴起的时候，每个从事艺术的人都抱着一颗纯粹的理想认为艺术是神圣的崇高的是可以改变世界的（当年我也有过像塔皮埃斯说过我要创作出一幅可以改变世界的作品的冲动）种种迹象如无名画会、星星画会、朦胧诗、圆明园画家村、及摇滚音乐等等热血与激情已经打开了艺术这个神圣而崇高的大门，那时人们鄙视拜金视金钱如粪土，艺术品可以赠送不可买卖，艺术无价艺术崇高论甚嚣尘上，在那个尴尬的年代我认识了布朗并参与加入了我们后来毕生为之努力的工作。

20世纪90年代，王利丰作品收藏于澳大利亚驻华大使馆

　　1991年7月五个彼此不熟悉的年轻人（王鲁炎、王利丰、大弓、吕佐耕、张亚杰）在布朗·华莱士的邀请下把自己的画作汇集到北京建国门外东便门角楼一座有着六百年历史的古建筑的三层开始了红门画廊的第一个展览。

　　我的七件作品放在三层楼梯左侧的拐角处光线有点暗，在厚厚的灰墙里不太引人注意。记得展览期间经常去画廊 不停地上下那六十四级台阶的马道目的就是看看墙上的画是不是少了一两幅。那时布朗话语不多，中文障碍是一原因，但我想他还是更希望看到来的是藏家吧。

20世纪90年代，红门画廊在中国大饭店展出王利丰作品

　　应该说1993年在中国大酒店红门画廊为我举办的第一次个展是布朗最开心的日子吧！展出期间二十四幅作品全部卖出。记得开幕式下午三点半至五点半两个多小时卖出六幅，布朗高兴得对我说“不卖了、不卖了，我们还要展很多天呢！”他高兴的像个孩子，一边把我介绍给每一位藏家一边穿过各种语言的人群忙着贴红点 。的确红门画廊给我做的第一次个展如此成功是我始料未及的好像也超出了布朗的预期，原定开幕晚餐只是一家小餐馆的，当几十人停留在国贸二层长长的走廊上我正不知该如何跟大家解释时，布朗告诉我一位藏家非常喜欢我的作品在使馆区东湖别墅餐厅已经准备好了自助餐，欧买咖！此时我真真感觉到了艺术的魅力以及对自己作品超重的自信，多好的藏家买了一幅画还预定了几十人自助晚餐，当我们来到餐厅傻眼了所有的餐食码放整齐有二三十位服务员整齐地站在门口迎接我们，此时还有什么更能肯定华莱士布朗的工作能力及良好人际关系！再一次欧买咖~与老布握手干的漂亮！

　　坚信了布朗的能力便坚定了与红门画廊合作的信心！

Wang Lifeng at Red Gate Gallery Exhibition Invitation

红门画廊历年王利丰个展请柬

　　There are not many galleries that can survive in China for 30 years， and there are not many artists who have cooperated with a gallery for 30 years.

　　Wang Lifeng， Dynasty， 1997

　　I have known Brian for 35 years and worked with Red Gate for 30 years. In the summer of 1986， my Australian friend Bruce Doar held a small wood carving exhibition in his apartment at the Friendship Hotel， where I met Brian， who I met again many times in various exhibitions held by my friends. I worked in Beijing People‘s Theatre Company where I had a studio for my sculpture and oil painting. I remember Brian was a little excited after coming to me to see my paintings. He told me that he wanted to open a gallery where my works could be exhibited and sold.

2008年，挪威国宋雅王后以私人身份访问红门画廊，观看王利丰作品

　　Queen Sonja and Wang Lifeng at Red Gate Gallery， 2008

　　Although my understanding of a gallery was vague at that time， I was excited with the prospect， and felt there was hope in the future. Then， an artist wished to have a place to exhibit his works， and I knew that my works would be liked. “Well， I’m sure that someone will like them！” - Brian was very confident as well.

2012年，体验中国--文化艺术展，前澳大利亚总督参加开幕式讲话并在王利丰作品前合影

　　It was a heady time in the middle and late 1980s， when Chinese art took off. As well， there were other initiatives such as No Name writers group， the Stars group， Hazy Poetry Society， the Yuanmingyuan Art Village， and the new rock music scene， all opening the sacred door of art. Everyone who loved art held that art was sacred and noble and could change the world. I also had the idea of creating a work that could change the world！

　　At the invitation of Brian， in July 1991， Wang Luyan， Da Gong， Lv Zuogeng， Zhang Yajie and I brought our paintings to the 4th floor of a 600 year old a corner building of Dongbianmen， for the inaugural exhibition of Red Gate Gallery. My seven works were placed at the corner on the left side of the stairs. The light is a little dark and didn‘t attract much attention on the thick gray wall. I often went to the gallery during the exhibition to see if one or two paintings on the wall were missing. At that time， Brian was fairly quiet， the language barrier being one reason. I think he was a bit disappointed and wanted more collectors.

左起：盛奇，王利丰，布朗，Tony Scott， 关伟

　　My first solo exhibition at the China World Hotel in 1993 was a happy day for Brian！ I remember that six pieces were sold in the two hours of the vernissage. Brian was so happy that he said to me “we have to extend the show for many days！” During the exhibition， all 24 works were sold. Indeed， I didn’t expect my first show to be so successful！ Everyone was overjoyed. Usually the opening dinner would be in a small restaurant nearby， but this time a patron had organized a buffet dinner at the East Lake Villas restaurant， OMG！ I really felt the charm of art - and Brian‘s popularity！ Who was this great person who bought a painting， and then invited everyone to dinner？ When we arrived at the restaurant everything was well prepared， complete with twenty or so waiters standing at the door to greet us. OMG！ I shook hands with Lao Bu again. It was a good job！ I firmly believed in Brian’s ability， and this opening strengthened my confidence in cooperating with Red Gate Gallery！

Wang Lifeng 王利丰， Decadent Garden No. 5 颓苑之五， 2020， Woodcut transfer on paper 纸本木刻转印， 65 x 154 cm

　　We can understand Brian‘s character in the way he deals calmly with things today - even back then， Brian was confident about opening a gallery in China. I still admire his courage to make such a decision after only a few years in China！

　　Brian’s Memory

　　布朗想当年

　　正如王利丰所说，我们的友谊可以追溯到80年代中期，那时我还在人民大学读书，就在朋友住的友谊宾馆附近。这个酒店有一个奥运会规模的室外游泳池和一个位于主楼的大型屋顶酒吧--是外国专家和学生们的聚会中心，他们大多分散在北京西北部的大学校园里。这里离圆明园很近，很多刚毕业的艺术生就在周边的农村找房安了家，开设自己的工作室。还有很多诗人、作家、摄影师、导演也住在这片波西米亚风的飞地，就在慈禧太后行宫的废墟之上。

　　很多在中国搞当代艺术和前卫艺术的体制外艺术家涌入，就在这个“改革开放”之地，寻找机会展示他们对周围正在发生的事物的看法。但是，在哪里展览呢？这个时期，并没有“画廊”一说，但是有进取心的艺术家开始推动这些。国家美术馆是不会容纳这些超前艺术的。机会就在历史中--北京散落着大量的明代古迹，诸如万寿寺、智化寺、古观象台、国子监、日坛公园这些，其中很多都有长期闲置的大厅，且没有被用做公众旅游场所运营。令人称奇的是，艺术家们把这些地方租来作为临时展览空间。他们分摊宝贵的人民币，租上三四天，开始了一个个非常不正规的艺术“展”。

　　就是在这期间，我和王利丰结下了友谊，请他参加30年前，红门第一个展览。那时起，我们举办了很多成功的展览，记录了他的艺术实践和职业生涯。我们一起见证了中国艺术界从不起眼的“明”开启，到进入21世纪20年的发展历程。从1993年第一届广州艺术博览会、引入拍卖公司、开发798、中国当代艺术的全球化，太多的历史涵盖其中。一路走来，身为艺术家的王利丰和身为画廊主的我，都如坐上了过山车，起起伏伏。

　　大大的感谢，感谢王利丰一直以来的全力支持！

　　As Wang Lifeng has well-described， our friendship goes back to the mid-80s when I was at the People‘s University which was close to the Friendship Hotel where friends lived. The hotel also featured an Olympic-size outdoor swimming pool and a large roof-top bar over the main building - it was Party Central for the mix of foreign experts and students scattered across the university campuses of northwest Beijing. It was also close to the Old Summer Palace where many of the recently graduated art students made their homes and studios in farming villages. Poets， writers， photographers， directors also populated this Bohemian enclave in the ruins of Empress Cixi’s palace of perpetual pleasure.

　　This is where China‘s non-establishment contemporary and avant-garde artists poured forth looking for chances to exhibit their take on what was happening around them - in this realm of ’reform and opening up‘. But where to exhibit？ Then， there was no gallery scene so it was the enterprising artists who had to get things moving. The National Gallery didn’t accommodate this avant-garde. The future was in the past - sprinkled across Beijing were many historical Ming sites such as the Temple of Longevity， the Temple of Wisdom， the Ancient Observatory， the Confucian Testing Center， Ritan Park， many of which housed long unused halls， still not really operating as public tourism venues. Amazingly the artists were able to rent them as temporary exhibition spaces. Pooling their precious renminbi they would be able to rent for three or four days starting off a very informal art ‘scene’.

　　It was during this time that Wang Lifeng and I forged our friendship and led to him being involved in Red Gate‘s very first exhibition 30 years ago. Since then we have held many successful exhibitions documenting his art practice and his career. Together we have witnessed the development of the Chinese art scene from its humble ’Ming‘ origins to what it is 20 years into the 21st century. From the first Guangzhou Art Fair in 1993， the introduction of auction houses， the discovery of 798， the globalization of Contemporary Chinese Art， a lot of history has been covered. Throughout this period Lifeng， the artist， and I， the gallerist， have stuck it out through some roller-coaster times.

A big thank you to Wang Lifeng for all his support！

　　Wang Lifeng Memory Wall

　　王利丰记忆墙

Asian Art News， 1998

2006年，红门画廊日本之行

2006年，红门画廊日本之行

红门画廊蒙古之行

　　图片及资料由王利丰提供。

　　Wang Lifeng王利丰

　　艺术家

　　1962年 生于内蒙古

　　1979年 开始木雕和油画创作

　　1986年 毕业于中国戏曲学院-北京人艺舞美班

　　1983-1993 就职于北京人民艺术剧院舞美处

　　现为职业画家

　　1962  Born in Inner Mongolia

　　1979  Began Oil Painting and Wood Sculpture

　　1986  Graduated in Stage Design， Central Academy of Theatre， Beijing

　　Stage Designer， Beijing Peoples’ Theatre of the Arts

　　Present： Lives and works in Beijing

　　Wang Lifeng at Red Gate Gallery

　　王利丰先生在红门画廊的展览经历：

　　1991 Inaugural Exhibition开幕展

　　1992 Ku Xueguang Benefit 资助库雪光的展览

　　1993 Wang Lifeng Mixed Media Paintings 王利丰综合材料作品展

　　1995 Wang Lifeng Recent Mixed Media Paintings 王利丰新作品

　　1996 Recent Mixed Media Paintings by Wang Lifeng 王利丰作品展

　　1997 Wang Lifeng Dynasty Series 王利丰 “朝”系列新作展

　　1998 Wang Lifeng Brilliance Series： Recent Mixed Media Paintings 王利丰：“煌”系列作品展

　　1998 Retake： A selected exhibition reviewing Red Gate Artists‘ Signature Works 再现

　　1998 Through the Gate III： Involvement and Eschewal 再现 - 红门画廊精选作品回顾展

　　2000 Wang Lifeng Spring and Autumn Series 王利丰春秋系列

　　2001 CLUES TO THE FUTURE Red Gate Gallery’s 10th Anniversary 迹象未来--十周年纪念展

　　2003 Great Han Series by Wang Lifeng 大汉系列王利丰作品展

　　2005 Great Song Series by Wang Lifeng 王利丰大宋系列

　　2006 15th Anniversary - To the Watchtower 角楼15周年纪念

　　2007 The Great Ming Dynasty by Wang Lifeng 大明 - 王利丰个展

　　2008 A Different Take 不同的视角

　　2008 Red Gate Stars 红门群星

　　2010 Mongolia ： Mongolia  蒙古蒙古

　　2011 Two Generations， Red Gate 20th Anniversary 红门二十周年-两代艺术家

　　2012 Tous Mes Voeux！ 行 · 我所愿

　　2012 The Luxembourg Embassy Residence‘s Sculpture Garden

　　2013 Wang Lifeng： Ji 籍 - 王利丰

　　2017 Red Gate on the Move！ Last Exhibition at the Watchtower！ 红门·继往开来

　　2018 798 - We Are Back 798，我们来了！

　　2018 Wang Lifeng： Behind the Curtain of the Boudoir 菩萨蛮 - 王利丰

　　2018 Cracked - Six Porcelain Artists 碎片

　　2020 Backlighting 逆光

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