Almighty painter

Chapter 895 Horse Racing
"If you really think highly of him..."

The reporter reached into his arms.

Liu Ziming casually took out a kerosene lighter from his pocket.

The reporter waved his hand.

When he opened his palm, he saw a single piece of chewing gum inside.

Well known.

One of Singapore's famous municipal policies is that it has completely banned the sale of chewing gum since 1992. Mr. Lee's famous saying is: "If you must chew something in your mouth, chewing a banana is a good suggestion."

Teacher Yang felt that it looked unpresentable for a domineering president to go out chewing a big banana.

Choose to chew a matchstick to cosplay Chow Yun-fat.

but.

Medicinal chewing gum can still be purchased at pharmacies with a doctor's prescription.

The reporter noticed Liu Ziming's gaze towards him, and he crumpled up the candy wrapper with the words NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) printed on it in his palm.

"COPD. The doctor said that if I want to live to 70 in peace, I'd better not smoke. But when I write articles, I always feel that something is missing. After all, it's an old habit. How about you? Do you still smoke one pipe a day?"

He is really familiar with Liu Ziming.

"About the same, one bushel a day, sometimes two bushels."

Liu Ziming responded casually.

"Quit it as soon as possible."

The reporter shook his head. "The sooner the better."

"If there are no cigarettes to smoke, there are chewing gums. It's raining, and maybe the sea is a little rough, but there will be an exciting game in the evening... There is always a substitute for everything, and maybe it is a healthier choice for everyone."

Gu Weijing has received attention far beyond the level of this Biennale.

Why do we have to be obsessed with awards?

When it comes to awarding things, it's difficult to be perfect and go smoothly.

Where there is gain there is loss.

There is something to do with home.

Gu Weijing didn't win the grand prize, but he got 300 million euros!
The judges of the organizing committee no longer have to worry about the difficulty in making choices, and they can let go of their burdens. Art directors no longer have to worry about the authority of the magazine's content being questioned, and they can let go of their burdens.

Only Gu Weijing happily went home with a bag containing a check for millions of euros.

If 300 million euros and a Biennale trophy were put together, percent of people would probably choose the former.

Miss Elena's choice seemed somewhat indifferent and heartless.

Being indifferent and heartless is also human nature.

She has already given Gu Weijing a hundred times the return he deserved.

No one loses in this deal.

Everyone got what they hoped for.

"Even if you really think highly of him..."

The reporter reorganized his words and finished the sentence he had just started.

“There’s no need to feel too sorry. In my opinion, Gu Weijing will most likely not win nothing at this Biennale. He will definitely win the Best Young Artist Award or the Best Creativity Award.”

"Mr. Liu. Others don't understand, but don't you? The important thing is to show yourself."

The reporter joked.

"The thousand-mile horse and the horse trainer, this is the metaphor you are talking about, right?"

"If artists are horses, the Biennale should not be meant to be a horse race. Some Biennales are like that, but some are more like a beauty pageant, an equestrian exhibition or something like that. There are too many variables in the competition, and not every horse wants to be the first to cross the finish line of the paddock. Some horses may run slower, but they have beautiful postures. They have shiny manes, unusually long faces, or distinctive ears, which are also very pleasing."

The reporter held up two fingers and placed them on either side of his cheeks to imitate ears.

Wang Zhi is not only a Ferrari fan, but also has his own experience in studying horse racing news and newspapers.

"Previous Singapore Biennales did not have a gold award. The focus was on art exchange, with public choice awards and media voting awards. Although this year's biennale has a gold award like traditional biennales, it is better to keep a normal mindset. When people come to participate in the exhibition, they probably don't think they can win it."

Liu Ziming was silent.

The reporter's logic is very clear.

The Biennale is first a solo exhibition and only secondarily a competition. It is often more of an art booth than an arena for artists to compete.

In theory, being able to show yourself is more important than winning an award.

No one will be a loser in this game.

Others would think that this statement sounded too grandiose and idealistic. Liu Ziming could tell that the reporter was probably serious.

Even if the reporter doesn't believe it, Liu Ziming should believe it for both emotional and logical reasons.

Even a famous artist like him doesn't believe such a thing.

That is really too sad.

Liu Ziming was silent for a moment.

After a long time.

He shook his head.

"So, anyway, can I invite you to write an art review article for Gu in the column?"

Liu Ziming asked.

“Just an article?”

"It's just an article." Liu Ziming nodded. "You can express yourself freely. If you want to write about the mane, write about the mane. If you want to write about the face, write about the face. If you want to write about the shape of the ears, write about the shape of the ears. You can write about whatever opinions you want. I only have one suggestion. Just focus on the works in Gu Weijing's exhibition instead of the paper."

"The latter will certainly not be short of an article reporting on it."

"Whether it's a horse race or a horse selection competition, it's still a show of horses... I always think it's a bit strange if the audience's attention is drawn to how luxurious the saddle is inlaid with gold, silver, pearls and jade, or how beautiful the rider is."

"Even if that 'rider' is from the Elena family?"

The reporter couldn't help himself and asked frankly.

"Even if it's the Elena family."

Liu Ziming was also very frank.

He knew what Gu Weijing needed most at the moment, and he also clearly understood what was most needed to make the judges of the Biennale let go of the burdens in their hearts.

Not a bigger flow.

Not more exposure.

Gu Weijing has no shortage of this. What he lacks is someone who can direct the traffic and exposure from the works of Elena's family to his own works.

What he lacks is the ability to change the main label that the public attaches to him, from a "lucky boy", to an "excellent artist".

Luck may not always be with him.

In his entire life, Gu Weijing will probably only own one work belonging to Kara von Irena, and will only have one chance to get a check for 3 million euros from Irena's family.

His whole life.

However, he can own many, many works of Gu Weijing himself, and has the opportunity to win many awards from the organizing committees of many biennials.

The Lion City Biennale is just the beginning.

Liu Ziming was very worried that if he did not get the recognition from the Biennale Organizing Committee this time, Gu Weijing would become a kind of "award insulator" from then on.

A vase.

There are many such precedents in the European art industry.

He was very famous for a period of time, received many interviews and a lot of attention, but because of this he was not very popular with the critics.

This name became too popular in a short period of time. So popular that the artistry evaporated.

Once an award is given to it, the artistic content of the award or the critic itself will disappear completely, and their evaluation will directly become a hymn to praise an act of "art speculation."

in other words--

This artist is famous but not cool enough. He is not a magical hen that lays golden eggs, but the traffic lights that coat the ordinary eggs under his butt with a layer of gold paint.

And soon.

When the public tires of discussing the topic, the people who once painted eggs gilded will pick them up by their necks, skin them, debone them, and make chicken soup.

Liu Ziming understands that the critics' warning is justified.

Marketing, hype and even money laundering.

Various eye-catching gimmicks emerge one after another.

There is only a fine line between a lot of performance art and being considered crazy in the eyes of ordinary people.

Speculation in art is everywhere.

But Gu Weijing is not such a person. The colorful and dazzling spotlight will eventually go out, but labels like "vase" will accompany him for many, many years.

What he needs now is an article that doesn’t discuss the story of Irina’s family, doesn’t gossip about him and Cui Xiaoming, doesn’t talk about the “Foundation for the Losers”… There will be plenty of time for people to discuss these things in the future. Right now, what Gu Weijing needs most is an art review article that is authoritative enough to discuss his own work.

I really want the curators to put aside their concerns——

The reaction of the outside media is also very important, right?

This is the reason. Many people always like to follow others to make decisions and share the pressure.

If the outside world all believes that Gu Weijing has created a work that is excellent enough and touching enough, then the traffic, discussion and attention are just icing on the cake.

A good horse with a good saddle is the icing on the cake.

A lazy, mottled donkey that looks like it's lying down, with a golden and jade saddle on it, can only be described as putting the cart before the horse.

The "Oil Painting" column originally played such a role.

And just right.

The original column was cancelled, and in an instant, it seemed to be reversed 180 degrees, achieving the exact opposite effect.

Since it is understandable that Miss Elena is trying to protect herself.

Then.

Liu Ziming felt that his own unhappiness was probably also understandable.

"You are putting on airs and looking down on others, this."

The Irena family has a glorious history in the art world, and Oil Painting magazine has the most authoritative position in the art world.

This is all true.

Not everyone has to live by the reviews in Oil Painting magazine or the ups and downs in the buyer's guide section.

This is not true either.

300 million euros is of course a huge sum of money. The fact that Irina's family is willing to pay this money is already a big enough gesture.

In Miss Elena's opinion.

When she is willing to care about other people's attitudes, she can be in a good mood and show some consideration.

If she doesn't want to care, she can just ignore it. She has enough power to not care about the attitude of a young painter like Gu Weijing.

This is true.

So in Liu Ziming's opinion.

Even though 300 million euros is 100 times the price of a Biennale gold medal work, Gu Weijing is willing to make a deal. He can shake the other party's hand and say that this is a good deal.

If he doesn't want to trade, he doesn't have to trade.

He could also ask in return why.

If Gu Weijing just wanted the gold medal at the Singapore Biennale.

Then he should have the right to win the gold medal at the Singapore Biennale.

This is also true.

Gu Weijing's works have such qualifications.

He, Liu Ziming's...junior brother, should also have such qualifications.

Let’s put it another way.

Maybe Gu Weijing himself didn’t have such an idea. It is very likely that young people who come to participate in the Biennale do not expect to win a gold medal.

When you are a student, you would be very happy if your work is qualified to be shown at a film festival.

What big prize can you really expect to win?
Whether it is the most popular young painter award or the best creativity award, it is a very satisfactory ending.

Everything was perfect for Gu Weijing.

When the teacher made that childish bet with the other party, this was probably his greatest expectation.

But young people don’t have to care.

He is the elder.

Gu Weijing didn't have to ask, but Liu Ziming felt that he had an obligation to ask on his behalf.

Gu Weijing said to Cui Xiaoming, "Well painted."

As for Gu Weijing himself, he is more qualified to be called "a good painter".

"You should know……"

Liu Ziming opened his mouth, but stopped halfway through his words.

Liu Ziming and the local media friend beside him raised their heads at the same time and subconsciously looked into the distance.

The side rigging of a cargo ship was originally used to fix various lifebuoys and cables and rigging.

The party company he hired rearranged the entire deck of the ship.

They used the colorful LED light strips that decorated the crowns of the pine trees at home at Christmas to rearrange the guardrails on both sides of the boat. The red and blue neon lights weaved through the dark emerald marine ropes that were as thick as a child's arm, as if they were moist thousand-year-old vines by the well, suddenly blooming with fresh flowers and leaves on a moonless summer night.

Liu Ziming was originally dissatisfied with this design.

He felt that the party company that took on the project did not seem very professional.

He opened the salon on an old cargo ship, aiming to create a mix of industrial wasteland style and modern art, which is the same purpose as many art and creative parks in the world are opened on the sites of abandoned industrial buildings.

The party company failed to fully understand Mr. Liu's intentions.

Colored LED light strips.

It's really a little too tender.

"I run an art salon, not a 6-year-old birthday party for a parent. The lights should not have music... At the very least, don't open the salon and suddenly start playing Happy Birthday or Jingle Bells. That would really ruin the atmosphere."

When Liu Ziming first got on board, he fiddled with the light strip on the ship's harpoon and expressed his opinions to the captain beside him.

At this moment.

Just when Mr. Liu was talking to the reporter next to him.

A woman suddenly walked up to the railing.

With my hands on the railing, I looked at the port and the lights of the city in the distance.

Smooth and lustrous.

The whole person is reflected in the light.

And erratic.

(End of this chapter)