The short-lived artist Lao Wang, a socially involved art practice is planned by Yique Studio｜昙花一现的艺术家老王，一鹊工作室所策划一场社会介入的艺术实践
Yiique is currently serving as the chief curator and planner for the solo exhibition of "Lao Wang," an artist, at the NuoDingshan Art Center in Hangzhou, China. Yi Que's works are highly innovative and infused with a sense of humor, displaying a strong passion for artistic creation and exploration. With a unique and dramatic approach to art-making, Yi Que has become an artist worth paying attention to. Additionally, Yi Que's work goes beyond institutional critique and encompasses a comprehensive critique of China's operating system. Through witty and satirical means, he criticizes and mocks the irrational practices within the entire art production, consumption, and dissemination system in a humorous and ironic manner. His works not only critique the Chinese art system but also reflect on the art industry itself, showcasing the contrast between internal and external recognition of art.
一鹊正在中国杭州诺丁山艺术中心担任艺术家“老王”个展的总策展人和策划人。 一鹊的作品极富创新性和幽默感，对艺术形式的创作和探索有着强烈的热情。 他具有独特而戏剧化的创作方式，这使他成为值得关注的艺术家。 此外，一鹊的工作超越了制度批判，形成了对中国操作系统的全面批判。 以阙以诙谐讽刺的方式，对特定环境下整个艺术生产、消费、传播体系的不合理做法进行了批判和嘲讽。 他的作品不仅形成了对中国艺术体制的批判，也形成了对艺术行业自身的反思，展示了行业内外对艺术的认同形成与反差。
In 2022, Yi Que received an invitation from the NuoDingshan Art Center, requesting him to create a "viral exhibition" aimed at selling tickets for photo opportunities. Thus, he created the ephemeral artist, Lao Wang, who became an overnight sensation. Lao Wang's works revolved around the symbolism of cucumbers, blending Eastern and Western influences while embodying an unceasing pursuit of the cucumber spirit. Lao Wang is a friend of Yi Que and often assists in exhibition installations. All of Lao Wang's works are created collaboratively by Yi Que's studio team. Yi Que organized a grand exhibition for Lao Wang, inviting art world celebrities, the dean of the China Academy of Fine Arts, and others for exchanges and group photos. Lao Wang received media coverage and interviews from art media. His exhibition also gained popularity among numerous young girls who eagerly visited and took photos.
在2022年一鹊收到诺丁山艺术中心的邀请，希望一鹊为一艺术中心做一场“网红展览”以售卖门票供人打卡为目的，如此我制造了风靡一时却又昙花一现的艺术家老王。他的作品以黄瓜为符号，始冠中西与时俱进，以黄瓜这一精神从始至终的追求不止。老王是一鹊的朋友也是经常为我布展施工的先生。他的所有作品都是一鹊工作室的团队一起创造的。一鹊为他举办了盛大的展览，邀请他与艺术圈名人，中国美术学院院长等进行交流合照。用艺术媒体对老王予以报道和采访。他的展览也受到了广大年轻女孩的喜欢和争相打卡。
The entire endeavor sparked societal discussions and became part of Yi Que's artistic work, breaking through the boundaries of artistic mediums and presenting rich contemplation and sociability.
而这整个行为引发的社会热议和相关报道都成为了一鹊作品的一部分，一鹊的这种探索和尝试突破了艺术媒介的，呈现了丰富的思考和社会性。
Artist Lao Wang's works are diverse and up-to-date in expression. Born in the 1960s, Lao Wang's life is full of legends, with ups and downs, and he has greatly contributed to the development of Chinese contemporary art, together with his contemporaries such as Huang Yong Ping, Ai Weiwei, Xu Bing, Cai Guo Qiang, and Zeng Fanzhi. Hidden behind the scenes, he has directly or indirectly contributed to such landmark movements of China's new culture as the Star Art Exhibition, the Great Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Art, and the Hung Hom Concert.
艺术家老王的作品表达形式多样、与时俱进。作为60年代出生的老王，他的人生充满着传奇的色彩，可谓起起落落，他与黄永砯、艾未未、徐冰、蔡国强、曾梵志等同时代的艺术家一起极大程度的推动了中国当代艺术的发展。他隐藏在幕后，直接或间接的促进了星星美展，中国当代艺术大展，红磡演唱会等中国新文化的标志性运动。
Wang once said, "Now I want to lift the veil of art, dissolve the power relations in the art circle, and return art to art. We look at art too high, he is not a tool to manifest class, to bring art down, down very low, it is not worth anything at all, but it is well worth doing, everyone can and should think about doing it." Lao Wang's art is inclusive and returns to thoughtfulness, moreover, it is an honesty to human nature and to self.
老王曾说过：“现在我想揭开艺术的面纱，消解艺术圈的权力关系，把艺术还给艺术。我们把艺术看的太高了，他不是彰显阶级的工具，要把艺术降下来，降得很低，它一点也不值钱，但很值得做，每个人都可以，也都应该去想一想做一做。”老王的艺术是包容的、回归思想性的，更是对人性、对自我的一种诚实。
Lao Wang's Artistic Spirit
老王的艺术精神
For artist Wang Zhenghan, the ordinary cucumber is the "spiritual garden" he has been cultivating for nearly 50 years. At the age of 62, he is affectionately known as "Old Wang". In the retrospective exhibition of Lao Wang's art career - "Imagery and Mimicry" held at Hangzhou Notting Hill Art Center two months ago, curator Magpie asked Lao Wang a few questions and Lao Wang shared some friendly advice for young artists.
对于艺术家王铮汉而言，再普通不过的黄瓜是他耕耘近50年的“精神田园”。今年62岁的他，被大家亲切地称为“老王”。在两个月前杭州诺丁山艺术中心举办的老王艺术生涯回顾大展——“意象与拟像”中，策展人一鵲向老王提出了几个问题，老王分享了自己对年轻艺术家的一些友好建议。
Regarding Lao Wang's art philosophy and practice, Lao Wang said: Art is neither a circle nor a fence. This society does not need most of the art that is called "art", the kitschy "art" that is symbiotic with capital and consumerism, and the petty "art" that serves power and shows class. "The art that society needs does not have to be called art. I support what the Surgeon advocates, that it should go into the crowd and nourish all living beings.
关于老王的艺术理念与实践，老王谈道：艺术不是圈子也不是围墙。这个社会不需要大部分被称之为“艺术”的艺术、那些资本和消费主义共生的媚俗“艺术”，更不需要那些服务权力和彰显阶级的小资“艺术”，社会需要的艺术并不必须被冠以艺术这个名称，我支持激浪派所倡导的，它应该走入人群，滋养众生。
The art circle was swept by Lao Wang
艺术圈被老王刷屏了
In July, Lao Wang temporarily stayed in Hangzhou due to the epidemic, during which he was invited to participate in various exhibitions and seminars. The practice of art cannot be done behind closed doors, and it is very important for artists to learn and communicate with each other, and this social circle of exchange and learning is often called the art circle. Wang cherishes every opportunity to communicate with artists, scholars and audiences, and his "fans" are also very enthusiastic, and in those days, there is always a figure of Wang in the circle of friends of Hangzhou art circles.
7月，老王因疫情暂时留在了杭州，期间受邀参加了各种展览和研讨会。艺术的实践不能闭门造车，艺术家之间的互相学习和交流是非常重要的，这种交流学习的社交圈，常被人们称为艺术圈。老王珍惜每一次和艺术家、学者、观众交流的机会，他的“粉丝”也很热情，那些天，在杭州艺术界人士的朋友圈里总有老王的身影。
Lao Wang and his "Netflix" exhibition
老王和他的“网红展”
On June 19, 2022, "Imagery and Mimicry - Lao Wang's Solo Exhibition" was officially opened at Hangzhou Notting Hill Art Center, curated and organized by Yimie Studio. This is the artist Lao Wang's first solo exhibition in Hangzhou. The opening site presents Lao Wang's works from multiple stages of his creative career over the past 50 years in the form of authorized copyright reproductions of original works, reviewing his artistic exploration.
2022年6月19日，“意象与拟像——老王个展”在杭州市诺丁山艺术中心正式开幕，由一鵲工作室策划举办。这是艺术家老王在杭州的首次个人展览，开幕现场以原作授权版权复制的方式呈现了老王近50多年创作生涯多阶段的作品，回顾了他的艺术探索历程。
In addition, the exhibition presents a series of the artist's latest works, including the improvised transformation work "Cucumber Arrow", the sculpture "Cucumber Welcome Rabbit", the large-scale installation work "Cucumber Wonderland", the NFT series prints "Lao Wang Big Crossdress", and the interactive performance sculpture "Art Life and Death".
除此之外，展览还推出了一系列艺术家的最新作品，包括即兴变换作品《黄瓜箭头》、雕塑《黄瓜迎宾兔》、大型装置作品《黄瓜仙境》、NFT系列版画《老王大变装》、互动行为雕塑作品《艺术生死》等。
At the opening ceremony, Lao Wang brought a recitation of Gorky's "Sea Swallow" to pay tribute and give thanks to their thoughts and spirit for guiding his creation for decades. After the recitation, he performed the performance art "Art Life and Death" and completed the work "The Last Supper of Contemporary Art - Cucumber Feast" with curator Magpie and team members.
在开幕式上，老王带来了高尔基《海燕》的朗诵，以致敬、感恩他们的思想与精神对于他几十年来创作的指引。在朗诵后，他进行了行为艺术《艺术生死》的表演并与策展人一鵲及团队人员完成了《当代艺术最后的晚餐——黄瓜宴》作品。
Lao Wang's artistic expression takes various forms, with works involving painting, sculpture, installation, video, and performance. Since 1970, in his continuous study and experimentation, he has been searching for the ultimate question of art until finally stopping at cucumbers, he explores a very crucial subject - what is the state of contemporary art, and his religiously divine, playful, free and humorous language is a characteristic of the contemporary.
老王的艺术表达形式多样，作品涉及绘画、雕塑、装置、影像、行为等。自1970年起，在不断的学习和尝试中，他不断的寻找艺术的终极问题，直至最后停留在了黄瓜之上，他探讨了一个非常关键的课题——当代艺术是一个什么状态，而他充满宗教神性，戏谑、自由、幽默的语言正是当代的一种特色。
Rarely, today's Lao Wang still maintains a youthful state of mind and body, always keeping up with the times and continuing to focus on the most prevalent social issues of the day. At the same time, because of his attitude of constantly seeking breakthroughs and being wary of "tradition", his many exhibitions at home and abroad have brought their own traffic and become phenomenal "Netflix" exhibitions. His exhibitions have not only been well received at the box office, but have also been widely recognized by the academic community.
难得的是，如今的老王仍然保持着年轻的身心状态，始终与时俱进，持续关注当下最普遍的社会议题。同时，因为有着不断寻求突破、警惕“传统”的态度，他在国内外举办的众多展览都自带流量，成为现象级的“网红展”。不仅收获了很好的票房，并受到学术界的广泛认可。
Who exactly is Wang Lao?
老王到底是谁？
Wang Zhenghan (b.1960) was known by his stage name Lao Wang (老王) and his nickname Yiming (一鳴), alias Xiling (西令). Born in Dandong City, Liaoning Province, Lao Wang did not receive a professional art education as a child. He followed his mother's family and sold fruits in the family fruit store. He learned how to do it himself and made a piece of art and put it in the art museum.
王铮汉（b.1960）艺名老王，字一鸣，别署西令。出生于辽宁省丹东市的老王，从小没有受过专业的美术教育。他跟着⺟亲在自家经营的水果店卖水果，⾃学成才并把⻩⽠做成了艺术品放进了美术馆，被⼈称为“中国的卡特兰”，和卡特兰⻬名为“东黄瓜，西香蕉”。
What works did Wang do?
老王做了哪些作品？
The wave of mechanization and commercialization has come and gone, and everything can be copied, not only in art, but also in people. Artistic pastimes form a counter-control, and people become shaped objects, in the spirit of the viewing concept of sharing but not having to care. Repetitive with the times, this creative thinking is repeatedly used as a flow code for today's art.
Since the 1960s, the teenage Wang Lao began to paint "cucumbers". With cucumbers as the main subject, he created a large number of realistic oil paintings, landscape paintings, silk-screen paintings, photographs and performance art.
1960年代起，少年的老王就开始画起了“黄瓜”。他以黄瓜为主体，创作了大量写实油画、山水画、丝网画、摄影作品和行为艺术。
In the 20th century Marcuse basically became the ideological leader of the leftist youth. They cried out for criticism, while the so-called modern society deprived people of the will to resist in a gentle way. From imitating reality, to fictionalizing reality, to constructing reality and even life, people live in the construction of the self listening to the other, while the search and questioning of the object self has been forgotten long ago. The modern turn of literary consumption leads the audience to look back at Lao Wang's playful way in the midst of "loss", which can be considered a great pleasure.
20世纪马尔库塞基本成为了左派青年的思想领袖。他们呐喊着批判，所谓现代社会却以一种温柔的方式让人们丧失了反抗意志。从模仿现实，到虚构现实，到构建现实甚至人生，人们存活在自我听从他者的构建之中，而对于物自体的追寻和叩问早被忘记。文艺消费的现代转向，带领观众在“丧失”之中回看老王的戏谑方式，可谓大快人心。
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