Almighty painter

Chapter 698: Detective Anna (Part )
"Okay. I guess the teacher has to take back what he just said. Your guess is really accurate. I can't hide anything from you, Ms. Elena."

Wei Yunxian on the side smiled when she heard this.

She took the initiative to speak: "We are indeed not here just to see the exhibition. This year is very interesting. First, there is Aning's big auction in Hong Kong, and now there is the Singapore Biennale. We will hold a ceremony at that time. If it is convenient, please be sure to come and participate. At that time, the teacher will introduce a child to you. Whether it is for you or for "Oil Painting", this is more than..."

Wei Yunxian spread her hands and said, "It's much more interesting to go to the same coffee shop over and over again. It's good to change the taste. If the interview with my teacher can be regarded as letting readers go to the Central Coffee Shop, this time, at least it can be regarded as a change to the one in New York."

"There's no history, but it's interesting enough. And the audience will love to watch it."

Vienna's Central Coffee House 'Cafe Central' has been famous for its celebrity gatherings over the past two hundred years.

If you turn these two words around, Central Cafe in New York is the fictional setting of the enduring legendary American TV series "Friends".

So Wei Yunxian would say, "There is no history, but the audience loves to watch it."

"Believe me, he deserves an interview with you. Considering the significance of this matter itself, it deserves a cover edition-"

"Sister Zhou, for something this important, I think it would be better for the teacher to announce it himself during the ceremony, right?"

Liu Ziming calmly interrupted Wei Yunxian's next words.

Wei Yunxian raised her eyelids and glanced at Master Liu, then laughed for no apparent reason.

"laugh."

"Hey guys..." She mumbled in a low voice in Shanghai dialect, but seemed to feel it was not good to speak in a dialect that she couldn't understand in front of Miss Elena, so she lowered her voice.

She didn't seem to be very interested in Liu Ziming, but she didn't bring up the topic again.

"There's nothing that can't be said."

Cao Xuan smiled.

The old man looked at Anna and said, "Gu Weijing? You must know him, right? He's the young man we talked about privately the last time we met."

"Of course, my 'enlightenment teacher' of oriental art was very impressive."

Anna replied, her hands resting on the armrests of her wheelchair.

"We are here just for him."

"Why mobilize such a large force?" Miss Elena turned her head slightly.

She glanced at Mr. Cao and his disciples beside her, her eyes like clear chestnut glass under the clear sky, filled with curiosity.

"Gu Weijing will participate in the Singapore Biennale?"

She naturally thought that Mr. Liu had just said that a gathering of the new generation of artists would be held on the big ship during the exhibition.

Anna will be introduced to an interesting guest.

Wei Yunxian also said... "he" deserves an exclusive interview.

"Are all these people referring to Gu Weijing?"

Anna had such speculation in her mind.

Even though Miss Elena was as perceptive as she was, she could not think of the possibility that "Master Cao would accept another disciple."

After all, it’s been a long time since Master Cao accepted a disciple.

Long enough for everyone to feel that such a possibility has been destroyed and eliminated by the long period of time.

Cao Xuan is too old and of too high a generation.

He was a painter of the pre-war era, only half a generation younger than such epoch-making names as Picasso and de Kooning.

Monet was still alive when Cao Xuan was born.

When Cao Xuan was learning painting, his teacher was a great painter of the Qing Dynasty. When he was studying in France, people like Matisse and Duchamp were all active in the forefront of creation.

By studying Cao Xuan's creative history, one can even trace it back to the origin and germination of modern art as a whole.

Such a person is already a kind of sculpture standing in front of an art gallery.

The stars in the sky won't come to your birthday party in a beer hall.

It is also difficult for the sculptures in the art gallery to come down from the stage and have any direct connection with a young man as fresh and ignorant as Gu Weijing.

The last time Master Cao accepted a disciple, he was already quite old.

And that... was something that happened long before Anna was born.

He is as old as history, like a fossil, like a mark.

An illusory concept.

Only when she sat in front of the old man and looked into those interesting eyes could Anna feel it clearly.

The old man across the street is a lively person with a child's heart.

Even so.

Miss Elena at most thought that there would be some important event related to Gu Weijing, and she even considered the possibility of accepting him as a disciple.

But it wasn't Master Cao who accepted a disciple.

But which of Master Cao's disciples wants to accept a disciple?

Judging from the situation, it seems that Cao Xuan wants to treat Gu Weijing as the most worthy disciple among his second-generation disciples.

"That is indeed worth looking forward to, and it is indeed good luck."

Anna nodded and agreed.

"The interview is fine. As for the cover interview... it seems that Mr. Gu Weijing is determined to win the gold medal of the Singapore Biennale this time. He just came of age this year, right? He has big ambitions."

Miss Elena is indeed smart.

She was very close to the truth.

But she felt that Cao Xuan’s third-generation disciples... even if they were the leading figures among the third-generation disciples that Cao Xuan announced he would devote all his efforts to cultivating, they would definitely be qualified to be featured in "Oil Painting" magazine, but to be featured on the cover of "Oil Painting" magazine... that would definitely be a little lacking.

In addition, he is the youngest gold medal winner in the history of the Singapore Biennale.

If there hadn't happened to be a record-breaking purchase of a single piece for tens of millions of dollars at the New York Art Fair, then for Cao Xuan's sake.

It barely qualifies as a cover interview.

If Tang Ning hadn't been a little unlucky, when she won the gold medal at the Shanghai Biennale more than 20 years ago, she would have become the youngest person to be featured on the cover of Oil Painting magazine since its founding.

The interview was originally completed.

Just that year.

It happened that the now late British art godfather Richard Hamilton suddenly announced that month that he would hold a solo art exhibition again after more than a decade, which attracted the attention of the world.

Oil Painting magazine flew to London to interview Hamilton again.

In the end, Anna's aunt made the final decision to relegate Tang Ning's interview to page two.

"Wait a little longer. There will be another chance next time. Given your situation, you won't have to wait too long."

The editor of the Oil Painting Magazine at the time gave Tang Ning this reply.

Yes.

Tang Ning still has a chance.

She did appear on the cover of Oil Painting magazine, but that year she was just one step away from being featured on the cover again.

It happened after the big shoot in Hong Kong this year.

It was already a full twenty years later.

Fortunately, this time, no one can stand in her way, and she herself has become a truly top-notch painter.

Miss Elena heard that Tangning had always felt uncomfortable about this matter.

Even Cao Xuan himself should have regretted this matter.

During the night interview in Austria that day, the two of them also talked a little about the topic of "the youngest cover character".

This is not surprising.

There is no shame in losing the competition to Richard Hamilton.

He was a super painter of at least the same level as Cao Xuan, and his net worth was hundreds of times higher than Tang Ning at that time.

If you had to pick the most expensive painter in Pop Art, it would probably be Andy Warhol.

Hamilton and Yayoi Kusama ranked second and third respectively.

If you were to pick the most important painter in pop art.

Then Hamilton might be first, with Andy Warhol and Yayoi Kusama second and third respectively.

It's unlucky to have my space stolen by someone like this, but I don't feel wronged at all.

It's the same no matter who comes. Basically, they will crush anyone they meet, let alone Tang Ning who won the gold medal that year.

Even if it was Tang Ning or Kazunari Sakai today, they still might not be able to bear it.

Anna knew that Tangning had done the best she could. There was nothing that could be done about this. It was not her fault, nor was it the fault of Oil Painting magazine.

It's simply a matter of luck.

But that’s actually how the art industry works.

Whether you can win a prize, become the most expensive or the youngest, it all depends on luck.

Once you get it, you get it.

If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

No one knows how long it will take for the stars that fly past your head to cross the sky again.

Maybe tomorrow.

Maybe twenty years.

At the age of 20, luck did not favor Tang Ning. Or rather, luck was very favorable to Tang Ning, but it was still missing that last little bit.

When the opportunity came again, when the "Oil Painting" magazine cover interview team called Tang Ning again, "We won't wait too long."

Another twenty years have passed.

For the upper echelons of the art industry, twenty years is really not a very long time.

In the past two years, the low-level street painters who were wearing ripped sweaters and were at risk of starving to death at any time may have been replaced one after another.

Twenty years have passed, and more than half of the top 100 artists' richest names are still the same familiar names.

But for one person.

How many twenty years can we have in our life?
Tang Ning is successful and worth tens of millions. She has become one of the most successful female artists in the world and is even about to own her own gallery.

But she will never have the chance to become the youngest artist ever to appear on the cover of Oil Painting magazine.

When she said in front of the interview camera, "This is not my problem, it is the loss of Oil Painting. I should not be the one who feels regretful," did she really have no regrets in her heart?

Probably not.

Perhaps Tang Ning knew better than anyone how valuable opportunities were. That was why she was so angry when Mr. Cao donated all the works in her solo exhibition at the European Art Conference.

It's like being betrayed by the person closest to you, and I feel uncontrollable anger.

He even refused to answer letters from Mr. Cao.

It’s actually quite understandable.

She waited twenty years for that last step away.

If she failed to own her own gallery and take that step this time, would she have to wait another twenty years?

If she waited twenty years when she was twenty, she would still be forty.

If a 40-year-old female star takes good care of herself, she can still play the role of a young girl. She can still pretend that she is only 20 years old, which is the best and most youthful age for a painter.

But when I was forty years old.

Wait another twenty years.

Tang Ning was already over sixty years old. A woman in her sixties was really old. Even if she didn't call herself an old woman, she was at least an old aunt. When she was twenty years old, she met a master like Richard Hamilton. There was nothing she could do about it.

Now she is also a master.

It's her turn to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

Twenty-year-old Gu Weijing is about to jump out again to snatch his things. Who does he think he is?

How could she not be so angry that she wanted to tear the other person to pieces.

Even if Miss Elena is really a great detective, it is difficult for her to understand the complex thoughts and interests of these disciples of Master Cao behind the scenes.

Liu Ziming came up and introduced her to the other party.

Wei Yunxian also came up and said that he was "very interesting."

She just thought that these people were all here to support Gu Weijing.

“It’s difficult, but if you are a young person who deserves to see so many important artists come to the exhibition together, I believe it may not be that difficult. I look forward to——”

Think about this.

Miss Elena put her white fingers together, and she couldn't help but make her "Anna's Sharp Comments" again.

"Is his work worthy of this kind of reward?"

She frowned and spoke calmly.

"Deserve and worthy" - this is a very interesting statement.

The meaning of the words is very light.

But the moment Anna's eyebrows wrinkled slightly, Lao Yang quickly stretched his neck.

Just like a dog that heard Pavlov's signal of knocking on the bowl, it seemed ready to pounce on the young lady with its tongue wagging and "lick" her frown away.

Amazing!
Liu Ziming, who was standing behind Miss Elena, slightly curled his lips.

Wei Yunxian had an indifferent attitude, as if she understood, but also as if she didn't hear.

She shrugged again.

“I’m looking forward to it, too,” she said.

"It will be worth it, Miss Elena." Old Master Cao did not intend to brush off the question. "I promise you will not be disappointed. The quality of the works in the exhibition should only be related to art. Because he is worth it, we are here-"

The old man's voice was slow and leisurely.

"It's not for any other reason. Even before today, the organizing committee probably didn't know I would come."

Anna stared into Mr. Cao's eyes.

Cao Xuan also smiled and looked directly at the woman in the wheelchair as she looked at him.

The old man and the girl looked at each other.

One is extremely old.

One is extremely beautiful.

It's like a rose blooming beside a dead pine and mottled pine branches.

a long time.

Perhaps something in Cao Xuan's expression successfully touched her, and Anna's brows relaxed again.

She smiled and nodded slightly.

The posture is as graceful as swaying branches.

"The quality of the works in the exhibition should only be related to art. It is very idealistic and respectable," said Anna.

"Mr. Cao Xuan."

"I'm not an easy person to get along with, but you always win my respect time and time again."

"You too, Miss Anna. Believe me, I admire that child, and you will like Gu Weijing too."

This time.

Anna didn't say anything else.

"Generally speaking, it's not easy for me to like someone. But since you said so, I'm willing to believe it."

There was a certain undercurrent in the words just now.

The situation was calmed down again after a few words between the old man and the young, and some kind of reconciliation was reached.

Liu Ziming was disappointed for a moment.

Old Yang took out a tissue and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Old Yang, who was very experienced in dealing with human relationships, was keenly aware that if the situation had not been handled properly, the relationship between the two sides would have taken a different path.

He didn't know why.

But Lao Yang noticed that at that moment, when he said "Gu Weijing is determined to win the gold medal", Miss Anna in the wheelchair was actually not very happy in her heart.

People are angry.

Abandon the avant-garde artists who challenge everything, question everything, and despise everything.

In the traditional art industry, especially traditional academic artists, they attach great importance to connections with their teachers and inheritance of their knowledge.

This is how East Asian society is.

The same is true in European society.

Even the Impressionists, who were "abandoned" by the academic school and were "unsuccessful", looked like grassroots.

Their master-disciple relationship is also very clear.

It is not to say that Monet gained inspiration from traditional Oriental painting art or absorbed the essence from Hokusai Katsushika's Ukiyo-e, an aesthetic inheritance in the abstract sense.

Instead, it refers to the real inheritance of master-disciple relationship, which is to go to someone's studio, receive personal training, and become someone's apprentice.

Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Bachier.

This group of people all studied under the famous French painter Charles Gleyre, who himself was both a successful oil painter and a successful watercolor painter.

He learned his oil painting techniques from Claude Bonnefont and his watercolor techniques from the watercolor master of the time, Richard Bonington. Bonington was also a good friend of Delacroix, the painter who painted "Liberty Leading the People". His watercolor techniques can be traced back to William Turner.

……

The history of Western art is like a grapevine, with one grapevine connected to another and one grapevine leading to another.

A successful teacher has a successful student, and successful students will often become successful teachers in the future.

If you are a scholar specializing in art history, or a consultant in charge of art investment projects in auction houses, museums, and the financial industry, you will be very familiar with this kind of generational inheritance relationship.

There are many factors that go into determining how much a painter's work can sell for.

The cultural industry can be said to be a storytelling industry.

An ordinary painter, but if he has a very good teacher or very good students, the selling price of his works will not be too low.

There are stories like this to tell.

He will become the second-best alternative investment option for investors who cannot afford those awesome painters.

such as.

When Hanks, the agent of the Ma Shi Gallery, signed Gu Tongxiang, what he had in mind was to make Gu Tongxiang's paintings a "lower-level substitute" for Gu Weijing's paintings.

The grandfather and grandson set up a purchase price gradient in the gallery for customers with different budgets, and decided which painting to buy based on the amount of money they had.

The best case scenario is definitely that a very good painter has a very good teacher.

This often means a sky-high price.

The most classic examples are Bellini, Giorgione and Titian.

These three masters and apprentices, three masters, have a complementary relationship, from their status in art history, their fame in society to their transaction prices in auction houses, where their left foot steps on their right foot and they take off on the spot.

It’s easy to start from tens of millions of dollars, and billions of dollars are not a dream.

Miss Elena knew this.

From the perspective of the entire art industry, she had to be honest and say, "This may not be a good thing."

The master's disciple will become the next generation of master, just as the heiress of the earl's family will become the next generation of earl.

The two noble titles of earl on Miss Anna's head were certainly not earned by her charging on horseback in the Thirty Years' War with a dragoon's tasseled helmet and a fiery red cloak.

Then the value of the master's disciples at the auction house may not necessarily be earned by waving their paintbrushes in front of the drawing board.

One reason.

Anna is a smart person who is even a little cold, both to outsiders and to herself.

She is always like that.

The aristocratic circle is a society of connections.

The art world is also a network society.

The kind of people you learn from and the kind of people you worship as your teachers often determine what kind of artistic resources you can access and what kind of circles you can come into contact with.

It will directly determine the starting point of your career.

Did Titian become Bellini's student because he was outstanding, or was he outstanding because he was Bellini's student?

This is like a philosophical question of whether the chicken or the egg came first.

But Anna knew clearly.

Titian was able to leave behind a masterpiece of frescoes in a large church at the age of 19, and much of the credit for this should be attributed to Bellini's studio.

think about it.

Suppose there is a painter with the same technique, the same talent, the same excellence or even better than Titian, who walks in the countryside of Sicily, Italy, and paints for the rich people in the countryside.

It is hard to imagine that he could win the favor of the Cardinal of Florence.

Even in his entire life, he might never be able to walk up to the cardinal and let him know his name.

Titian's starting point is far beyond the end point of such a person.

“Everything that happens in this room should only be about art.”

When leaving Chairman Brown's office that day, Anna looked at him and said this.

Such words sound powerful, yet they also seem like an ideal world that people always hope for but can never reach.

Perhaps only when the painter stands in front of the drawing board, everything in front of him is only related to art.

As soon as he left the studio.

His fate is influenced by countless other factors.

The master's disciple is still a master, partly because the master's disciple paints better.

on the other hand.

This is also because these "small gangs" of art occupy and monopolize the top and most valuable artistic resources in the painting world.

Take today’s incident as an example.

Detective Cat is a very good painter.

She believes that in terms of the hard power of the work, Detective Cat must be the strongest one in this Singapore Biennale.

Not one of them.

She is simply the best.

But if we consider other off-field factors, such as the fact that these people in front of us chose to stand behind a favorite student.

So... who will be the gold medal winner of this exhibition?
(End of this chapter)