和王昌楷老师的忘年交谊差不多始于十年前。我们能一直在艺术上有很多交流，全赖昌楷老师直率的性 格、年轻的心态、对艺术的诚挚和激情、积极乐观的生活态度、充满活力的生活状态…… 正如他在那些唯美、 轻松、明净的画里呈现出来的一样，他是透明、达观、坦诚、活跃的，这使我从未感觉我们之间存在着所谓的 “代沟”。

　　1957年，昌楷老师17岁，中学毕业，考入刚刚成立一年的北京艺术学院，开始预科三年、本科三年的学习 生活。这是一个只存在了八年的学院(1956-1964)，谈不上有什么教学传统，也没有来得及形成或完善自己的教 学体系或风格。但是正是这种“边缘”、“非正统”的背景，使得这个学院在那个艺术被政治制约的时代，相 比中央美术学院那样的老牌名校，少了些被关注和被钳制，多了些自由空间。因此，虽然它也不能例外地要以 主流意识形态认可的、源自前苏联的所谓社会主义现实主义的框架和标准进行基础教学，但同时也可以给像吴 冠中那样有着留法背景、被中央美术学院“排挤”到清华大学建筑系的画家，开设独立的画室，使之重新回到 专门的美术院校中，成为骨干教员。昌楷老师的所有艺术机缘就起始于这样一个学院。

　　预科三年后，昌楷老师正式进入吴冠中画室，与其他十一名同学一起，成为唯一一批吴冠中画室的本科 生。对于这些当时只受过一些苏联式绘画基础训练的年轻人来说，吴冠中无疑相当于他们艺术上的领路人，从开启他们的艺术思考、指引他们的艺术方向，以至确立艺术面貌，都起了至关重要的作用。吴冠中的教学与当 时的主流教学体系最大的不同，就是在于不以造型为第一旨归，而相对更重视色彩、内心感受、形式美感等 等。其结果反映在风景画方面最见成效，也最易形成独特的面貌，而在对造型要求相对较高的人物画、动物画 等方面则较难发展。吴冠中先生是这样，昌楷老师也是这样。但与其说这是局限，不如说这正是他们的特点： 假如他们更多地关注了造型，或许他们的画面就不会这么概括、简练，整体色彩也不会这么和谐又响亮。艺术 上的取舍从来都是难以周全的，不论做出怎样的取舍，都将最终综合造就艺术家的特点，而且常常很难论优劣 短长、得失功过。

　　昌楷老师形成具有个人面貌之后的油画创作，从观念到技法，既是同学中最“神似”吴冠中的，又是他们 中最具个人风格的。能做到这一点是相当难能可贵的。他的画大致可以以退休为分界，分为前后两个时期：前 期，比起吴冠中油画的灵动、秀逸、流畅，更具一种朴实、拙厚、硬朗的气质，姑且可以称之为“硬性吴冠 中”;后期，吴冠中的“影响”逐渐隐淡，自身的形式语言更趋于纯熟，意境更加静谧、隽永和富有诗意，心灵更加放松、少拘束，不难看出其人生和艺术都进入到一种“自由”的境地，有“重获新生”之感。

　　近年来昌楷老师大部分时间居住在海南，间或全国各地游走。外部环境的改变和视野的开阔相当程度地刺 激了他的创作。 他总是努力捕捉对各种景物的新鲜感或第一直觉，并将这种敏感保持到画面的完成，这使他的 画面带有一种整体上的冲动与激情，像一个沉醉的歌者，感动自己也感动别人。

　　他的画是明净的，这种明净感主要是通过一些技术手法达到的：用色的纯、薄、透明和重视亮度、色调的 对比。刮刀的大量使用造成的大面积块面感，构图上以极“整”的面与极“显着”、“鲜明”的线，造成极 “简”的效果等等。 这些手法的运用带给我们明净感，以及与此相关的唯美、单纯和整体感。

　　他的画是安静的。哪怕是涌向岸边的潮水、湿润的山村、华灯绽放的夜城、午后的房舍、人头攒动的古 镇，也仿佛是没有声音的。 这也主要是由一些表现手法造成的：运用笔或刮刀的速度感，尽量简练的取舍，极 少面积的细部处理，即便是细部也大多以“面”的、“虚”的、“松”的方式加以处理，从不斤斤于严谨的相 似等等。这些使得他的画面近于一种印象或抓拍的风景—只有影像没有声音，有一种旁观式的轻松感和“过 客式”的距离感。

　　他的画是孤独的。无论是人、猫、牛、鹰、水鸟、鹤，还是船、山、梯田、房屋、向日葵、木雕、红辣 椒、路、佛、水，绝大部分都是一个或一组;而且这一个或一组，无论是体量还是色调，都常常被处理得强烈 而突兀，凸显出一种孤独感。我以为，这种孤独感几乎是一种不经意的自然流露，它主要源于年龄的增长和人 生经验的累积。这种累积使得他能很快将眼前的平常景物总结成带有参悟意味的诗意和哲理境界，再用他自己 独特的画面语言“翻译”出来，即所谓“内有所感，外有所发”。也正是这样的累积，使得他的近于“小品 式”的画面有了更深沉的厚度，也使得他走出了前期偏于形式美感的状态，到达一种“近于道不至于技”的境 界。到了这个时候，他画的风景就是站在“高处”看到的风景——人生的高处，心的风景。只是这个境界、这 个风景、这种明净又唯美外表下的孤独感，就像美好的、近于黄昏的夕阳，有些悲凉并令人心折。

　　我们是朋友，是属于两代人的忘年交。有很多心灵的感受因为年龄的阻隔，我一时还不能完全体会。我有 时会猜想：《祝君晚安》中的那个站在高高的山沿、面对浩渺的大海、面容模糊、有如宗教的布道者般的顶天 立地的老人，是否就是此时的昌楷老师呢?但我更愿意相信《天路》中的那个走向白云的朝圣者才是他的化 身。记得他说：“白云是一种境界和追求，这个追求可能是虚无的，但却是圣洁的，只要是真诚地在走自己的 路，都是值得称赞的。”

　　人生的况味常常是百感交集的，描绘人生的风景当然就是没有止境的，这样的追求更是值得称赞的!

　　中国艺术研究院美术研究所研究员 华天雪

　　View from a Height and Distance-The Art of Wang Changkai

　　Hua Tianxue

　　The friendship between me and my teacher Mr Wang Changkai began some ten years ago.It is a friendship bridging two generations.The two of us have exchanged many views on art.He is a man of great vigor and with a youthful heart.Also is he frank and optimistic,with immense devoutness and ardor for art.As shown in his painting,which is solely beautiful,lighthearted,clear and bright,he is a man so transparent,honest and energetic that I have never felt any generation gap has ever existed between the two of us.

　　In 1957,my teacher was seventeen.He just finished junior school and began his 3-year preparatory class and then 3-year university studies at Beijing Art Academy,which by that time had established for only one year.The institute merely survived for eight years (1956-1964).No tradition,style and system of teaching were given time to be properly developed.On the contrary,it was exactly such peripheral and unofficial background that freed the college from much political intervention and suppression as compared to historic old brands like the Central Art Academy during the time when political restrictions penetrated everywhere.Therefore,though education was no exception to be obliged to meet the standard set forth in socialism and be executed in a way approved by the mainstream ideology,there was still space in the institute to accommodate artists with a special background,such as Wu Guanzhong,who had studied in France and was edged out from the Central Art Academy to the Faculty of Architecture in Tsinghua University,to set up their independent workshop,so that they could return to their own specialties and become the hardcore member of teaching.Mr Wang's encounters with art all started off in such a college.

　　After three years in preparatory class,Mr Wang officially entered Wu Guanzhong's Workshop.Together with eleven other classmates,they became its one and only one group of students.For the young people who had just been trained some elementary skills of the Russian School,Wu Guanzhong was undoubtedly their guide on the road of art.He was the key to their enlightenment,leading their direction and formation of outlook and style.The major difference between the teaching of Mr Wu and the mainstream was that Wu did not grant priority to portrayal accuracy but stressed on color,inner feeling,forms and aesthetics.Such philosophy is highly effective in his landscapes,which rendered a distinctive unique style.But regarding portraits and animals,which require more formal precision,such ground was hard to get hold.This is the art of Wu Guanzhong; and this is the art of Wang Changkai.I would rather deem it their common characteristics than limitation,for if they were too concerned about portrayal accuracy,their art would not have been so succinct,and their color would not be so loud,so much in unity and harmony.When taking something,something else must be forgone.There is no way to hold on to everything.No matter what that choice is,it would at the end constitute the character of an artist's work.And often,it is no easy task to judge their good and bad,right and wrong,gain and loss,merit and demerit.

　　The art of Wang's mature stage resembles that of Wu the most in concept and skill among his class,yet it is also the one with the most idiosyncrasy.Indeed,it is rare and commendable for his being able to vindicate the two distinct fine qualities.His art can roughly be divided into two phases with his retirement as the line of demarcation.In the earlier stage,his art is more unpolished,rough and obstinate relative to Wu's fluency,efficacy and refinement.We may call it “a cursory remold of Wu Guanzhong”.Later,the influence of Wu gradually faded and his own style and language became louder and well versed.His imagery turned more tranquil,light-hearted and poetic; his sentience more profound; his heart unrestrained.One can easily notice that both his life and his art have reached a state where true freedom prevails,as if they are newly born.

　　In recent years,Mr.Wang Changkai spends most of his time living in Hainan.Sometimes,he travels all over the country.Changes of the environment and widening of his vision further stimulate his enthusiasm to paint.He always puts special efforts in capturing his spontaneous curiosity and intuitive feelings for what he sees,and keeps that sensitivity until the completion of his Oil.Therefore,in his works,there is an integral whole of passion and emotion,like a singer immersed in his own singing,which strikes the sympathetic chord in himself and in others.

　　Brightness and clarity are marks of his painting.Such visual effect is obtained through the use of primary colors,minimal application of paint and oil,and contrast of color and hue.Plentiful use of scraper produces large flat areas of surface in layers,which then gives rise to a sense of unison.The unbroken pieces of surface which make up the whole composition set off in simplicity and harmony with the stark naked lines.All these have brought us an aesthetic,a sense of brightness and clarity,purity and unity.

　　His art is tranquil.No matter what subject matter it is,like the tidewater battering the shore,a mountain village in a moist day,a sleepless city lighted up at night,an afternoon cottage,a crowded old town,etc,sound is as if absent.This effect is also achieved by certain means.The artist summarizes the components and retains only the essentials; details are confined to small areas and handled by abstraction.He never rigidly adheres to the likeness to reality.For these reasons,his landscape is something like an impression or snapshot — all images but no sounds.Upon viewing his works,lightness of an onlooker and isolation of a passing-by could be felt.

　　His art is solitary too.Be it a human,cat,cattle,eagle,waterfowl,crane,boat,mountain,terraced fields,houses,sunflower,wood sculpture,chili,a route,Buddha,water,etc,the majority of them exist either by itself or in groups.And the individual or group always sets in sharp contrast with the surroundings in the regard of size and color tone.That is how the sense of solitude protrudes.I suppose that sense of solitude is an incidental,natural self reveal,which mainly originates from accumulation of life experience.Life has taught him to realize the special meaning in everyday scenes and transfer it onto the canvas.Life has also added depth to his simple works of artistic creation.Since then,he has walked away from mere pursuit of formalities and esthetic sensibilities to a height in life and soul.His landscape and imagery are from his heart.But then,the solitude hidden behind the brightness is like a setting sun — so beautiful yet sorrowful that makes our heart break.

　　We are good friends,friends of two generations.There is a lot of sentiment in his soul that I have not yet understood by now.Sometimes,I would wonder,is the Buddha-like old man standing high up on the hill facing the boundless ocean in “Blessing Upon Tonight” Mr Wang himself? But I would rather believe he is the pilgrim stepping his way towards the shining clouds in “The Road to Heaven”.I remember Mr Wang says,“White cloud represents a state of mind and pursuit,which might be nihil but holy.Only those who are sincere and persistent on their own ways deserve the praise.”

　　The taste of life is mixed and complicated.There is infinite scenery of life that can be painted.It is such a pursuit that deserves the praise.

作者：华天雪