方時(shí)列
在中國(guó)美術(shù)學(xué)院,有不少外國(guó)留學(xué)生。借中國(guó)美院九十周年院慶之機(jī),我采訪了其中的兩位——來(lái)自美國(guó)紐約的柯偉業(yè)和來(lái)自俄羅斯莫斯科的卡佳,想聽(tīng)聽(tīng)他和她在杭州學(xué)習(xí)、生活的感受,及其各自對(duì)中國(guó)文化藝術(shù)的理解。
很巧的是,這次我采訪的兩位中國(guó)美術(shù)學(xué)院的留學(xué)生,相互之間認(rèn)識(shí)。我先采訪了來(lái)自美國(guó)紐約的柯偉業(yè),第二天采訪來(lái)自俄羅斯莫斯科的卡佳。說(shuō)起柯偉業(yè),卡佳笑了,說(shuō):“他比中國(guó)人還像中國(guó)人。”
是的。
采訪柯偉業(yè)的那天正好是中國(guó)美院九十周年院慶的第二天,他很忙,說(shuō)只能給我一個(gè)多小時(shí)。所以我先到了,坐在美院南山校區(qū)里新開(kāi)的一家咖啡館里等他。
咖啡抿了一口,他的電話就來(lái)了。我站起來(lái),透過(guò)新店光亮的落地窗,看到遠(yuǎn)處有個(gè)穿褐色短褂的小伙,精瘦精瘦的,匆匆地穿行在綠蔭里。
走近,落座。除了發(fā)現(xiàn)柯偉業(yè)個(gè)頭和我差不多外,還發(fā)現(xiàn)他的短褂是布的,我當(dāng)時(shí)心里的想法,和第二天卡佳說(shuō)的真的一模一樣:他比我還像中國(guó)人。
接下來(lái),還有兩個(gè)細(xì)節(jié),我覺(jué)得更能說(shuō)明柯同學(xué)的中國(guó)味道。
首先,我問(wèn)他今年多大了。他說(shuō):“我是1987年生的,屬兔?!?/p>
看到我驚訝的神情,柯同學(xué)又補(bǔ)了一句:“我是中秋節(jié)那天生的?!?/p>
他是1987年10月7日生的。我后來(lái)查了一下萬(wàn)年歷,這天果然是中秋。
然后,我給他我的采訪本和筆,讓他在上面寫(xiě)下他的英文名。奇跡發(fā)生了,小伙子竟然是用握毛筆的手勢(shì)握鋼筆的,而且用的是鋼筆尖的那一側(cè),就像用毛筆的側(cè)鋒,墨一下子下不來(lái)。
我們都笑了。然后我教他把筆轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)來(lái),他這才在我的本子上寫(xiě)下:Michael Cavayero。
這個(gè)姓不太常見(jiàn)。問(wèn)了一下,柯偉業(yè)原來(lái)是猶太裔。
2003年,柯偉業(yè)16歲的時(shí)候,在高中的美術(shù)史課上,老師展示了一幅畫(huà)《六祖斫竹圖》。
30歲的中國(guó)美院博士生柯偉業(yè)回憶說(shuō),當(dāng)時(shí)他這個(gè)16歲的紐約小伙子看到這幅畫(huà)時(shí),“有觸電的感覺(jué)”。
這幅畫(huà)保存在日本東京國(guó)立博物館。2007年從紐約大學(xué)畢業(yè)后,這位有執(zhí)念的小伙子便追隨這幅畫(huà)來(lái)到日本,學(xué)了兩年木刻浮世繪。大概是意猶未盡,也因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)日本突然發(fā)生地震,他又來(lái)到了中國(guó)、杭州,來(lái)到中國(guó)美術(shù)學(xué)院。
因?yàn)?,這幅畫(huà),據(jù)推斷,極有可能是在杭州畫(huà)的。
柯偉業(yè)能來(lái)中國(guó)美院,是有很多方面原因促成的。首先當(dāng)然是小伙子對(duì)藝術(shù)、宗教,特別是中華文化的熱愛(ài)。2007年他從紐約大學(xué)畢業(yè)時(shí),就來(lái)過(guò)中國(guó),當(dāng)時(shí)是作為紐約大學(xué)與華東師大的交換生,“柯偉業(yè)”這個(gè)中文名,就是那時(shí)候取的。
機(jī)會(huì)終于來(lái)了。2011年,當(dāng)時(shí)的奧巴馬政府與中國(guó)政府推出了兩國(guó)文化交流上的一大舉措:人文交流政府獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金,柯偉業(yè)爭(zhēng)取到了這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì),他向中國(guó)美院遞交了讀碩士生的申請(qǐng),并得到了國(guó)畫(huà)系教授、博導(dǎo)林海鐘的垂青,被收入到林教授的門(mén)下。
一個(gè)美國(guó)人學(xué)中國(guó)畫(huà),是需要很大的勇氣的,不要說(shuō)語(yǔ)言、文化,就連毛筆怎么握也要從頭學(xué)起。
剛開(kāi)始,聽(tīng)說(shuō)有一個(gè)美國(guó)學(xué)生要來(lái)杭州學(xué)習(xí)禪畫(huà),林海鐘也嚇了一跳。最終,吸引林海鐘教授的,是這個(gè)美國(guó)小伙身上的執(zhí)念。尤其是對(duì)《六祖斫竹圖》這幅作品的執(zhí)念,在美國(guó)期間,柯偉業(yè)就曾向世界著名的中國(guó)美術(shù)史專(zhuān)家高居翰教授請(qǐng)教過(guò)對(duì)這幅畫(huà)的理解,雙方有過(guò)幾年的電話交流和郵件往來(lái)。
如今的柯偉業(yè)已在中國(guó)美院學(xué)習(xí)了6年。2015年他碩士畢業(yè)的時(shí)候,曾作為全體研究生代表發(fā)言,當(dāng)時(shí)就詩(shī)經(jīng)佛經(jīng)地“掉”了一地“書(shū)袋”。現(xiàn)在更是了不得,聊天的一個(gè)多小時(shí)里,他“福報(bào)”、“夢(mèng)幻泡影”什么的張口就來(lái)。
有些話,顯然是柯偉業(yè)自己的體會(huì),別人說(shuō)不出來(lái)。
比如他說(shuō),中國(guó)是“和文化”,西方是“愛(ài)文化”;中國(guó)用的是儒釋道教育,西方用的是“宗教”教育,其實(shí)本質(zhì)上是一樣的,都是“愛(ài)”的教育;
比如他說(shuō),中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)文化是“內(nèi)學(xué)”。真正的“大學(xué)問(wèn)”是從“內(nèi)心”挖出來(lái)的,不是往外求的,是智慧,不是知識(shí);
比如他最后說(shuō),畫(huà)畫(huà)、傳統(tǒng)、宗教,是一不是二。
與柯偉業(yè)聊完的第二天,我去中國(guó)美院象山校區(qū)找卡佳。俄羅斯姑娘漂亮我是有心理準(zhǔn)備的,但在杭州春天的暖陽(yáng)中,看到遠(yuǎn)處穿著一件小花連衣裙,如一只蝴蝶般翩然而來(lái)的卡佳,我還是忍不住心生贊嘆。
前一天,在微信聯(lián)系的時(shí)候,我對(duì)卡佳說(shuō),我明天開(kāi)車(chē)來(lái),你到時(shí)候發(fā)個(gè)定位給我。結(jié)果當(dāng)天下午她就發(fā)來(lái)了美院象山校區(qū)南門(mén)口的定位,這應(yīng)該是她路過(guò)校門(mén)口的時(shí)候發(fā)的,這樣,她第二天就不用特意跑去校門(mén)口定位。
所以,我覺(jué)得卡佳是個(gè)聰明、認(rèn)真的姑娘。
我們走出校門(mén),去不遠(yuǎn)的地方找一家安靜的咖啡館??吹贸隹褜?duì)這一帶很熟悉,她告訴我前年這塊地方還很冷清,就是這一年熱鬧起來(lái)的?!拔液芟矚g這里”,她說(shuō)。然后又說(shuō)了些杭州的氣候,她說(shuō)莫斯科要么是冬天,要么是夏天,不像杭州,有四季,她喜歡。
于是我想起一個(gè)笑話,說(shuō)杭州不是四季如春,是春如四季。卡佳顯然聽(tīng)過(guò)這個(gè)段子,哈哈地笑著,引來(lái)許多路人的目光。
我覺(jué)得這個(gè)姑娘活潑開(kāi)朗,一定有好多朋友。于是找到一家小店坐下后就問(wèn)她。她開(kāi)心地說(shuō),是啊是啊,我有很多朋友,特別是中國(guó)朋友。
照例,我請(qǐng)卡佳在我的采訪本上寫(xiě)下她的俄文名:Ekaterina Rodina。
“卡佳這個(gè)名字好記。”她說(shuō)。
卡佳在中國(guó)美院油畫(huà)系讀研究生,師從油畫(huà)系主任何紅舟教授,今年就要畢業(yè)了??吹贸鲈诤贾莸倪@三年她過(guò)得非常開(kāi)心,“我可以在這里學(xué)習(xí)、生活,和藝術(shù)家聊天,喝茶,看展覽,聽(tīng)講座?!笨颜f(shuō)了一堆她的日常,在她興致勃勃地表達(dá)對(duì)中國(guó)美院的熱愛(ài)的間隙,我問(wèn)了她一個(gè)我從一開(kāi)頭就想問(wèn)的問(wèn)題:
“俄羅斯人學(xué)油畫(huà),為什么要來(lái)中國(guó)呢?”
我覺(jué)得這個(gè)問(wèn)題大概很難回答,可卡佳很輕松地接了過(guò)去:“因?yàn)槲蚁矚g中國(guó)啊?!?/p>
“那你怎么不學(xué)中國(guó)畫(huà)呢?”
“中國(guó)畫(huà)太難了?!?/p>
然后卡佳說(shuō)了中國(guó)畫(huà)與油畫(huà)相比更難的原因:“油畫(huà)可以改,畫(huà)國(guó)畫(huà)卻沒(méi)有犯錯(cuò)誤的權(quán)力,一筆畫(huà)錯(cuò),就廢了?!?/p>
這個(gè)原因,我覺(jué)得說(shuō)得通,而且,應(yīng)該是專(zhuān)業(yè)的回答。
其實(shí)中國(guó)的油畫(huà)受俄羅斯影響很大,比如說(shuō),在1955年,俄羅斯油畫(huà)家、藝術(shù)教育家馬克西莫夫來(lái)中國(guó)辦了一個(gè)講習(xí)班,這個(gè)班叫“馬訓(xùn)班”,在中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)史上非常有名,中國(guó)當(dāng)代的油畫(huà)家,很多都是從那個(gè)班出來(lái)的。
馬克西莫夫的油畫(huà)藝術(shù)與教學(xué),就成了卡佳的研究生畢業(yè)論文題目,她回莫斯科的時(shí)候,在當(dāng)?shù)貓D書(shū)館和資料室,翻閱了很多與之有關(guān)的材料。
卡佳是個(gè)愛(ài)學(xué)習(xí)的姑娘。她和我說(shuō),她從小就是個(gè)另類(lèi)的孩子,只要給她一支筆一張紙,她就能畫(huà)上半天,很安靜。
初中、高中,卡佳讀的都是莫斯科的美術(shù)學(xué)校。上大學(xué)之前,考慮到就業(yè),她聽(tīng)從父母的建議,上了莫斯科國(guó)立設(shè)計(jì)技術(shù)大學(xué)。不過(guò)聰明的卡佳自有打算,在拿到大學(xué)的碩士學(xué)位之后,她緊接著就去了莫斯科國(guó)立大學(xué)亞非學(xué)院拿出了中文的雙修學(xué)位。
“不過(guò)中文實(shí)在是太難學(xué)了!”卡佳說(shuō)。一開(kāi)始她認(rèn)為自己只要一個(gè)月就能學(xué)會(huì),后來(lái)覺(jué)得要一年,再后來(lái)覺(jué)得要三年。雖然現(xiàn)在中文真的已經(jīng)說(shuō)得挺好了,但卡佳依然認(rèn)為中文學(xué)無(wú)止境。然后她舉了個(gè)例子。
前一天晚上,她和幾個(gè)朋友出去聊天,在路上看到一個(gè)字,“中國(guó)朋友也不會(huì)讀?!彼f(shuō)。
我也很想知道是個(gè)什么字,就又把我的筆和采訪本遞了過(guò)去,卡佳寫(xiě)了下來(lái):
仝
“這個(gè)字讀‘同。”我說(shuō)。不過(guò)從卡佳寫(xiě)下這個(gè)字的熟練程度看,她昨天晚上回到宿舍,一定做過(guò)功課。
在采訪柯偉業(yè)和卡佳的最后,我問(wèn)了他們同樣一個(gè)問(wèn)題:
畢業(yè)以后,你有什么打算?
柯偉業(yè)說(shuō),他會(huì)找一份能在美國(guó)和中國(guó)之間來(lái)往的工作,因?yàn)樗簧岬弥袊?guó),也熱愛(ài)祖國(guó)。
卡佳說(shuō),她已經(jīng)找到工作了,在杭州,當(dāng)老師——老師有假期,她可以趁假期的時(shí)候,回自己的祖國(guó)。
我覺(jué)得,這可能是在中國(guó)美院學(xué)習(xí)過(guò)的國(guó)外留學(xué)生的一個(gè)普遍心態(tài)。當(dāng)然他們愛(ài)自己的祖國(guó),但也不愿離開(kāi)這個(gè)他們生活學(xué)習(xí)得很快樂(lè)的城市——杭州。他們最希望做的,就是用自己的所長(zhǎng),用自己的切身經(jīng)歷,做一些文化交流上的事情。
“文化是這個(gè)世界的橋梁?!笨聜I(yè)說(shuō)。
卡佳說(shuō),今年六月她畢業(yè)的時(shí)候,會(huì)請(qǐng)媽媽來(lái)杭州。因?yàn)閺那八谫Y料上看到西湖、看到靈隱寺的時(shí)候就覺(jué)得太美了,現(xiàn)在竟然真的可以在西湖邊、靈隱寺里寫(xiě)生,“就像在天堂一樣!”她說(shuō)。
China Academy of Art, located in the capital city Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province, has many international students. I interviewed two of them to learn about their life in Hangzhou and their understanding of Chinese art and culture.
The appointed time: the day after the 90th anniversary of the academy founded on March 16, 1928. The appointed location: a newly-open café upon Nanshan Campus of the academy. While setting up the interview, Michael said he was busy and wasnt able to give me more than two hours. I was at the café ahead of time and saw him approaching the café in a hurry. Dressed in a cotton shirt, he looked energetic and lean, reminding me of comment about Michael by another international student: he was more Chinese than his Chinese classmates. The comment rung undoubtedly true when I heard him say he was born in 1987, the year of rabbit and upon the Moon Festival.
I gave him my notebook for him to write down his passport name. To my surprise he held the pen in the way people hold a Chinese brush-pen. Naturally, ink didnt come down. We laughed. He turned the pen and held it in the normal way and wrote his name.
He was from a family of religion in New York. His China story has something to do with his religious background. In 2003, the 16-year-old viewed , a painting about the sixth abbot of a famous Zen sect in China, in his high school art history course. The teenager felt electrified at the sight of the Chinese painting. The original painting is housed in Tokyo National Museum, Japan. In 2007, Michael came to Japan to study Japanese art. He stayed there for two years. He left the island country for Hangzhou, China after the 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tōh(huán)oku.
He visited China after his graduation from New York University in 2007 as an exchange international student at East China Normal University. In 2011, he applied for a government scholarship for graduate study jointly issued by China and USA. His application was approved.
His graduate advisor was Professor Lin Haizhong. The professor was surprised to learn that an American student intended to pursue Zen painting at the academy. But if the professor had any misgiving, he didnt have any after learning more about Michael. Back in the United States, Michael approached James Cahill, a professor specialized in the history of Chinese art, for information upon this painting. The two kept in touch through phone and email for years. Michael has been at the academy in Hangzhou for six years now.
He spoke at the commencement ceremony on behalf of all graduates. He amazed everyone by citing lines from? and Buddhist mantras. While we chatted at the café, many words and terms he used were from Buddhism classics. Apparently, he made his observations and formed opinions of his own through his unique perspective. He pointed out that Chinese culture emphasized harmony whereas the culture in the west focused upon love. He said that Chinese education was basically built upon Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism whereas, in the west, religion played a critical part. However, he observed that Chinese culture and western culture were identical in nature: both emphasized love. He said that Chinese traditional culture pursued the knowledge of the mind. All the big ideas came from within; it was wisdom; it was not knowledge. He noted that painting, tradition and religion could be considered one.
Michael said he wished to find a job that would enable him to travel between China and USA. He loves both his motherland and China.
The next day I met Ekaterina Rodina in a café near Xiangshan Campus of the academy. We had small talk about the weather of Hangzhou. She said all her friends called her Katya, short for Ekaterina. She laughed a lot. So I asked if she had a lot of friends. She indeed has a lot of friends, many of them are Chinese.
Katya is a graduate student under the tutelage of Professor He Hongzhou, the dean of the Oil Painting Department. She is to graduate in June 2018. She concluded she had a good time for the past three years in the city: her regular agenda included a lot of things: studying, chatting with artists, sipping tea, visiting exhibitions and attending lectures.
I asked why she, a Russian, came to China to pursue a graduate course on oil painting. I thought she might find the question hard to answer. She replied without any hesitation: “Because I love China.” I was curious. “Why dont you study Chinese painting?” “Chinese painting is too difficult,” she commented. “You can make changes in oil painting, but you dont have any chance to make corrections in Chinese painting. One mistake and the whole painting is ruined.” I thought it was a professional judgment.
Katya studied art in high school and college. Upon graduation, she took a Chinese course. At first she thought she would master the language in a month. Then she decided it would take her a year. Later she wanted to master it in three years. She spoke pretty good Chinese, but she thought she had a long way to go.
Her graduate paper was about Konstantin Maksimov (1913-1993), a prominent socialist painter in Moscow after 1940. He is best known for introducing China to the socialist realism style of oil painting. From 1954 to 1957, at the request of the Chinese government, he lived in China and taught master classes. Many Chinese painters of modern times were from the master classes he taught. When she was back in Moscow for vacations, she visited local libraries and researched upon the artist.
Katya said she would be a teacher in Hangzhou after her graduation. She got an offer already. A teaching job, for her, meant she would have long vacations to visit Moscow. Her mother would come to visit her in Hangzhou in the upcoming summer. “Living in Hangzhou is like living in paradise,” she commented.
Both Michael and Katya said that they wanted to do more about cultural exchanges.