大陆说过他画画，有过二十四小时不舍放笔的经历。

　　我曾亲见。

　　北京有句老话叫“不迷不成家”。大陆对画的迷恋是纯粹的，他为了心无旁骛地画画，会在常人求之不得的名利到来时逃离。他对内心的那种无待的坚守和对创作激情的追寻，使得他四十年来为了能自由地画画而放弃了上好的工作和习惯的生活，他甚至想不为人知因而躲避着机会。四十年下来，他因画本身而获得的愉悦，在我看来是这个时代最缺少的“大乐”。

　　图画于一个画者，最早是为了内心的表达吧，之后才是为了张挂，为了博得彩声，为卖钱，为喝红酒抽雪茄烟，为进入美术史。这些为了的东西会离画的本质越来越远吧。有人也许会说正是这种附加的东西成就了后来的绘画技巧等外化的东西，一部美术史其实就是一部内心表达加商业性外化的历史。此言不虚的话，一些超级大师，也许不在当红中产生，看那些死后才伟大起来的艺术家吧。

　　油画在中国的历史可能还不足二百年。那些油画的先驱们，学成之后又大多自觉不自觉地回到中国画的路上来了，并因此而成为超级大师，并使中国画高古的情怀不知去向了，这真有意思。油画如当年德龄公主跳的芭蕾舞一样，也像外国人学唱京剧一样，虽有相当者，但想在短时间中出大师绝无可能。油画之不能进行下去，原因可能很多，先驱们正是明白了这点，所以纷纷转到国画的门径中去找位置了。到了当代，艺术家便捷的突现也还是在找说法、找位置：以洋人的目光来找，以技术的标准来找，以哲学的说法来找，以政治的目的来找，以民俗的稀奇来找，以理论家的标准来找，以美术史的要求来找，等等，都有门径，也都有位置，且只要有位置，就一定会有人坐在上边了。在这些座上客中难见能超越以上诸多之作，当然别的艺术形式中也没看到，原因很多。

　　我不以北大荒荒友的身份来赞美大陆，是因为他从来没有以这些讨巧的方式在博名利，他守住的内心表达和现实主义的油画技法，一直是他的略显笨拙的位置。

　　艺术的话语权对艺术的伤害比对它的帮助要大，真是悲剧。这些年很少看画展，对很多画的了解都是在拍卖预展上，这当然不够严肃，但也有一些感触。看着那些抱着图录、带着专家走来走去的有钱人，他们绝不会对八大的白眼望青天有任何感触，也不会对于右任的开阖感兴趣，他们只问真假，绝不问艺术。在油画中他们也是编织了很多有关政治的，或者是技术的，再或者所谓时代感的说头来评论这些图画，偏偏就不提超越这些的艺术本身。艺术已然变成了商业的附带因素，就如现在的古董、家具行一样，材质变成第一位的了，工艺变得不重要了。

　　惠特曼说：“唯其存在伟大的读者，方能产生伟大的诗人。”一个优雅的舒缓的时代没有了，书写和传播话语的工具改变了，像“箱子合上盖子叭哒一声”的会心已然不见了，这个时代真的艺术的目光，都从那种嘈杂和哗众取宠的场合中移开了，没什么话说了。

　　在大陆的巨人头像系列中，我看到了深深的、带有那种逝去挽歌般的吟诵。那些有点像极光或火焰般的飘飞的毛发，是一种什么样的内心波动啊⋯⋯我在看着弘一画像时，真有两两相望“生死各孤单”的感受。

　　巨人头像系列，因为他的长河般的流淌，让人觉得有聚沙成塔的力量，逝去的时光敲击着现实。

　　我与大陆是1969年秋天一起下乡到北大荒的，可以说我们都有丰富的农事经验和对生活极为具体的感受——坚信庄稼你不种它就不长这些最基本的真理。所以对不种庄稼就能收割这事不相信也做不来。这样的少年体验影响了我们一生。

　　大陆的绘画经历也是这样的在脚踏实地中一天一天走下来的。这次的北大荒知青系列，无疑像一条时间隧道带动了我比常人更多的回想。在这组画之前，大陆画得好像更有想法些，后来是因为一些老照片的客观使他觉得简约的表现就足够了，把四十年前的景象再现出来，这就是想法，也就是意义。我特别有感受的是在无限辽阔的田野背景前的一位女知青的那一幅⋯⋯我认为这是一张中国风格的油画，这是一幅与八大山人的心径一脉相通的油画，这样的一幅大作会让你既使不经意也要印入内心的。

　　大陆的新画册就要出来了。我是借读他的作品在说出我的心得。

　　2011年5月于北京

　　Dalu once said that he’d had the experience of painting for twenty-four consecutive hours and still did not want to stop.

　　I had witnessed that.

　　There is an old saying in Beijing: “no obsession, no expert.” Dalu’s obsession in painting is pure. In order to concentrate on painting, he would escape from fame, yearned by but unattainable for most, when it arrived. His desire-less persistence in heart and his pursuit in enthusiastic creativity have made him give up excellent jobs and customary life for freedom to painting in the last forty years. He had even eluded opportunities to try to remain unknown. For forty years, he has gained “happiness” from painting, the type of “Great Happiness” that is, in my opinion, missing the most in this era.

　　To a painter, painting initially is probably just an expression of his heart. Then it would become for the purposes of exhibiting, winning cheers, making money, drinking red wine and smoking cigar…or securing a place in the history of art, all of which probably would drive the painter farther and farther away from the essence of the painting. Some might say that it is exactly those additional purposes that would make possible the externalization of painting such as those reflected in painting skills. The history of art is actually a history of the expression of heart combined with commercial externalization of painting. If this statement is true, some of the super masters may not arise from popularity. Look at those whose greatness was recognized after their death.

　　The history of oil painting in China is probably less than two hundred years. All those pioneers in oil painting, after completing their training, consciously or sub-consciously went back to traditional Chinese painting. By doing so, they became the super masters, although simultaneously they also made what makes Chinese paintings classic disappear. How “interesting” is that! Oil painting in China is just like the ballet performed by Princess De Ling (of the Qing Dynasty) or the Beijing Opera learned and sung by foreigners: there may be someone who is good at it, but it is impossible for painting masters to arise in a short period of time. There might be many reasons for oil painting not to be able to progress (in China). Those pioneers understood it, and that is why they chose to find their (professional) position through traditional Chinese painting. When it comes to the contemporary era, the most convenient way for artists to emerge from obscurity is still through a particular discourse or through finding a particular position: through perspectives of foreigners, through technical standards, through philosophical interpretation, through political objectives, through the uniqueness of the folk lore, through the standards of theorists, through the requirements of the history of art, et cetera. Everyone has a way and everyone has a position. And once there is a position, there must be someone sitting there already. Hardly is there any work from those who are sitting there that can surpass the achievements of those pioneers; neither can we see anything excellent in other forms of art, with reasons galore.

　　The reason why I am not admiring Dalu as someone who experienced with him the Great Northern Waste Land was because he has never used the clever way described above to gain fame. The rather clumsy position where he is at has always been the persistence in expressions from heart and the use of techniques rooted in realism.

　　The discourse of art has caused more damages to art than the help it provided– that is really tragic! I have rarely attended art exhibitions these years. My understanding toward many paintings was mainly gained from auction previews. This way of learning paintings may not sound serious, but through it I did gain some perspectives. In those auction previews there were wealthy people who would wander around with the experts they brought while carrying the art catalogue. These people would never be touched by the “supercilious look” featured in Ba Da Shan Ren (of Ming Dynasty)’s paintings nor would they be interested in the openness and profoundness in Yu Youren’s calligraphy. They would only question the authenticity of the work, not its artistic value. They would also fabricate many political, technical or the so-called “sense of time” points in commentaries about the oil paintings, but they would never comment on the art itself which transcends all of the above. Art has become ancillary to business. Just like today’s antique store or furniture store – quality of the raw materials takes the priority, and the workmanship is no longer important…

　　Whitman said “Only in existence of a great reader can a great poet be born.” An elegant and soothing ear has ended; tools for writing and communication have changed. The tacit understanding, in a way similar to hearing the “click sound when a box is closed,” is no longer in existence. Those who have the true vision on art in this era have moved away from the grandstanding occasions, and chosen to stay silent.

　　In the series featuring giant portraits I heard a deep intone, which was like a fading eulogy. Those flying hairs were like polar lights or flames – reflecting the inner fluctuation that is immeasurable…and when I saw the portrait of Hong Yi, I really felt the loneliness that separated the living and the dead as the living stares at the dead.

　　The fading time knocks on the reality - like a flowing long river, the series featuring giant portraits makes people feel the power as in “many a little makes a mickle”.

　　Dalu and I went to the Great Northern Waste Land in the fall of 1969. It could be said that both of us have rich agricultural experience and very concrete feelings toward life – firmly believing in the fundamental truth that crops cannot grow if you do not plant them. Therefore, we do not believe that one could harvest without planting, nor can we do something like that. This type of youth experience has a life-time impact on us.

　　Day in and day out, Dalu’s painting has been built on such solid, sure-footed experience. The series featuring the educated youths in the Great Northern Waste Land, like a time tunnel, undoubtedly makes me reflect more than common people. Before this series, Dalu’s paintings may appear to contain more thoughts. Later, the objectivity in certain old photographs made him believe that a succinct expression is sufficient. To be able to re-create the scenes over forty years ago in such a succinct way, that is the thought, and that is what makes it meaningful. I especially like the painting in which a female educated youth stands against the background of infinite field…I think this is an oil painting that has the feel of a traditional Chinese painting, which is consistent with the artistic concept contained in Ba Da Shan Ren’s paintings. This type of master piece will leave an ever-lasting impression deeply rooted in your heart, even involuntarily.

　　Dalu’s new painting album is about to be published. I am stating my reflections through perusing his works.

　　Beijing, May 2011

作者：邹静之