Talk丨曲磊磊笔下的人性之光

Qu Leilei is a modern Chinese calligrapher, painter and author currently based in the UK. He was born in the 1950's, and grew up in Beijing. He attended Beijing University and later served as an art director at China Central Television before going abroad. In 1979, as one of founding members of the avant-garde "Stars Group", Qu took part in the first exhibitions of contemporary art in China. In 1985, Qu left China, and he relocated to London to practice his art, lecture and exhibit internationally. Qu Leilei uses purely Chinese materials to produce extraordinary, tactile, some might say "Western" ink paintings. His paintings - human faces, figures and hands - are executed with purely Chinese materials, such as bamboo brushes, Chinese ink and rice paper. But the light and shadow are very different from those in traditional works. Qu likes literati paintings, and enjoys the landscape painting on cathedrals in Britain. The painter reads a lot and is into literature and history. He says the line between art and good art is humanity. He believes a good artist shall always construct, and create something new. In a talk with Voices From Other Lands, Qu Leilei tells his life-long stories, from learning to draw when he was young to giving lectures to westerners on the Chinese painting and culture.