An old friend of mine strongly recommended me to see paintings of Yang Haifeng. Naturally before I knew it, the morning passed by and we found the time was not enough for us to talk. Since I have spent many times in reading his pictures and relative documents about him, I have had two impressions linger in my mind.

　　The painting Out of Bayan Har painted by Li Bo’an is familiar to me. In this painting, figures and scenes have blended into Mount Qomolangma……and I have found there is a young man behind with a painting folder on his back walking closer and closer into the boundless central plains;

　　A sea far away can be seen with a corner of iceberg with gradually revealing ice crown which has been paid attention by a growing population.

　　Those two body visions in these two images are exactly the impression of painter Yang Haifeng gave to me.

　　Is it too much for me to say and think like this about a young painter? Or did I magnify a normal people due to my little knowledge about painting industry.

　　I kept asking myself about this and denying what I asked.

　　Although only in his 30s, Yang Haifeng has only spent about ten years in paintings and cut a figure in painting industry. But in my eyes, he has figured out some basic problems that should be figured out by an artists, problems such as how to master the world, art and oneself, so I think he can “move forward boldly without looking back”, then achieve great success and be famous.

　　In terms of mastering the world, artists are said to “have far-reaching ambitions”. What’s good for reading ten thousand books and walking ten thousand miles? The answer is not just as simple as wild mind; it is the desire to master the world. Yang Haifeng has traveled in Tibet and Europa, though not the whole universe, but “the world gets smaller as you has travelled a lot”, so Yang Haifeng had the feeling that one has to travel a lot before really getting to know the real world. Though he just went inside in a certain sense, but he has created more possibilities in the outside; for he can have the whole world in view, also look down underfooting. The real feeling of mastering the world is the first pass before entering into art palace. Having the world in your mind, then you can paint something excellent. The so-called integration of subject and object can happen naturally only when the expression target is put under the context of grand familiar background.

　　The key is to master art. The real value of artists is work, whose life foundation lies in ways to master the world artistically. The pluralistic ere has provided artists with enough space and freedom for choices to make, as well as impendent challenges. The path of pursuing art of Yang Haifeng starts from the obsession in Song Yuan, who is the cradle of many inspirations about paintings of Yang Haifeng; then he was shocked by “the gluttonous feast of” European classic art. But as Yang Haifeng is a “thinker”, an “author” who dares to “set his own style”, so in comparison, he realized that there are great masterpieces in every kind of paintings and it will be fun to integrate them together, which means “mix together” as said in Henan rural dialect. In terms of art, he insists in using western art spirit to learn western painting skills and western tools and materials and take compatible attitude and incorporate things of diverse nature so as to enrich and optimize his panting language, and to create Chinese works embodying Chinese ideas and Chinese aesthetic spirit which are different from western countries. Yang Haifeng has never covered up his strong “Chinese complex”. He kept saying that he prefers Chinese art works and is wiling to return to traditional Chinese art, especially after coming back from Europe. The heaven and land in China are the perfect source and driving force of endless art creation. It is in here that can he “find out his value and feeling”, can he achieve his art goals.

　　These opinions are not looked as that “edgy” and “fresh”, but as they are originated from his art practice and independent thinking. It can be said as self-awareness as he has taken root in art life. It is immeasurable for the creative power of an artist who once has Artistic consciousness.

　　The critical factor is to master oneself. As a witty remark in literature trend in the middle of 1980s put it: I was driven out by creation dog so I do not even has the time for pee. In fact, the world of art never lacks of creations and ideas and competition, but it is artists who have definite opinions and consistent ability that can stand in the world of art. It is known to all that Yang Haifeng is born to paint, he has not only creative spirit, but also the dedication spirit for art, like his teacher Li Bo’an, there is something called “pureness” in their spirit, which make the eyes of Yang Haifeng are shinning with miraculous brightness and his works are sparkling with poetic brilliance. The spirit mentioned here means the spirit of soul. Such kind of pureness can make eyes and souls of artists have the force of penetration and the power to strike others’ souls. Such kind of pureness can make people tranquil and focused, and willing to sacrifice everything for art, rather than defined by reputation and fame brought by art. I appreciate that Yang Haifeng uses one sentence said by his teacher Li Bo’an as his motto, which is: Give up those skin deep things in life and quit fighting with others; one should has his own life dream and work for it. I am convinced that Yang Haifeng can make it, just as his teacher did, for his lofty art dreams.

　　When reading “red sailboat” of Yang Haifeng, it seems that I can see after Li Bo’an “walk out of Bayan Har”, there comes another huge creation “walk into China’ great plain”. Start from “the most instantaneous moment” in rural life——wedding, and integrate with various kinds of figures close-up, fragments of folk customs, with urban life, mountains and rivers, people so as to combine them and run through ancient times and modern times……this is a masterpiece which can be compared with “Out of Bayan Har” and “Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival”, a new peak in Chinese oil paintings or Chinese watercolor in the 21st century.

　　I believe that Yang Haifeng, who often draws small paintings, has the makings to draw big paintings. The big painting I dreamed about mentioned above is “red sailboat” painted by Yang Haifeng.

　　At last I want to conclude with two ancient poems, which are: “Person of intellectual or erudite tastes in every generation, whose fame will outlive them by centuries”; “I strongly advise the monarch to keep up spirit and recruit able people without overstressing qualifications.”

　　By Sun Sun in Yixin Room in Winter of Xinmao year

作者：孙荪