The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 160 - 9: Humbly Seeking Instruction

"Back when you were teaching me, you didn’t say that. The old man is quite ungrateful with these words."

Tang Ning is the youngest junior sister.

From childhood to adulthood, she had been indulged by her senior brothers and sisters, and by agents from various galleries.

Though now in her forties, she still has an air of coquettishness in her personality.

Among the disciples of Elder Cao, only Tang Ning dared to speak to the teacher this way.

"At the same age, my paintings were much better than this Gu Weijing’s. Didn’t you still always push me to concentrate?"

Tang Ning felt somewhat unconvinced.

An artist speaks through their paintings,

In terms of her level of Chinese Painting, by the time she was eighteen or nineteen, she already had her own little exhibition stand at her seniors’ exhibitions.

The "Su Hang Culture Newspaper" once featured a master of Chinese Painting evaluating her at that time: "Her brushwork and colors are vast and magnificent, following the laws of great masters."

This was not a level Gu Weijing could compare to nowadays.

"Students need to be taught according to their abilities."

Mr. Cao Xuan wasn’t angry either.

"Xiaoning was born into a prominent calligrapher and painter family in Jiangnan. From the moment she picked up a brush, she grew up amid the external world’s flattery, with too much pride, so I always urged you to focus, calm down, and concentrate."

He explained: "Gu Weijing comes from Southeast Asia, where the art environment of his childhood was not as good as yours. Artists from small places are most likely to lose their sharpness. Regardless of how he paints, his courage to pick up the brush is what makes me value him."

"I’ve seen his paintings, and he’s made significant progress lately. Lin Tao has taught him well."

Elder Cao praised.

"It’s his own good learning. I have guided many people, but few can progress so rapidly."

Lin Tao didn’t take credit.

"However, teacher, if Gu Weijing can only reach this level, I think trying to fuse the styles with fine-brush oil painting is still too early."

Lin Tao hesitated for a moment and then shared his thoughts: "I think Junior Sister Tang Ning is right, it should be eight to ten years later."

"It’s okay, young people shouldn’t fear making mistakes. Painting in this style for the Singapore Art Exhibition... it’s actually a very creative plus."

Elder Cao commented.

"But... that’s exactly my concern. I think, in future years, he won’t be able to compete with Xiaocui, who is following the same style in many ways, so maybe he should stop trying this way."

Lin Tao seemed a bit hesitant.

Although in literature, there is no first place, and in martial arts no second.

But in the art industry, there is indeed a first and second place in market value, and the gap is substantial.

The fewer people there are in a painting style,

the more so.

If the first Picasso is valued at a hundred points in the eyes of collectors, then the second Picasso isn’t ninety-five points, but fifty points, thirty points, or even ten or five points.

Old Master Bai Shi once told his last disciple Mr. Xu Linlu the iconic statement in the art world - "Those who learn from me survive, those who resemble me die."

This is the meaning.

Artists have the benchmarks of their art.

Younger new generation artists also have benchmarks among them.

Professor Lin Tao worries that he might not be able to match the likes of Wu Guanzhong and Zhao Wuji on the path of fusion painting.

He also worries that Gu Weijing can’t compete with Cui Xiaoming on the same path.

Artists can rely on their decades-long dedication to art to engage in style misalignment competition in the market.

Like how Zhao Wuji excels in colors, Wu Guanzhong in ink, and Zhu Nai Zheng in calligraphy,

the "Tao" of painters differs.

As for young painters,

to speak frankly, with their experience, being able to make sense of two styles and forcibly combine them,

would already count them as young talents.

As for artistic concepts and such, that’s too distant for young artists.

Given that fusion painting with the most basic Eastern fine-brush oil painting ink styles,

coming from the same motif makes it hard to present different styles in the final painting.

It’s not scary to clash shirts, whoever looks worse feels embarrassed.

The same is true in painting,

it might be hard to compare one ordinary Chinese Painting and another ordinary level oil painting one, two, three, four as everyone has their point.

But the same art track provides a very intuitive comparison capability.

"So what if you can’t compare? What are you worried about? Xiaogu has the courage to challenge this, and we elders don’t have the tolerance for his failures?"

Elder Cao asked back.

"Teacher, I know you might not like to hear this, but you are the Mount Tai of East Xia Asia’s art, and if your last disciple doesn’t measure up to others, there will always be gossip."

Professor Lin Tao quietly reminded.

Unconsciously,

he had started seriously considering whether Gu Weijing could potentially become his little junior brother.

Firstly, Gu Weijing’s improvement lately is indeed quite amazing.

Secondly, Professor Lin Tao also realized that using this painting technique to participate in the Singapore art exhibition is indeed a very creative plus.

After all, art doesn’t have a completely objective evaluation standard.

Even though the chances remain slim, if the organizing committee took a liking and awarded a "Creative Excellence Award" or "New Style Award", such watered-down awards,

it’s not entirely impossible.

This would certainly fulfill Gu Weijing’s wishes and be the best expected outcome.

Even Elder Cao wouldn’t expect Gu Weijing to touch the main prize of the art exhibition.

That domain is reserved for renowned old painters.

Generally, works that can win such an international biennale main prize can usually sell in most galleries for around six figures,