When external physical realities are constrained, the specific meaning attributed to "space" is reasserted and intensified; it becomes the nexus of all aspects related to living: the boundaries between daily life, work, creativity, and leisure increasingly blur. The "workplace" and "home" overlap and interdepend within the same spatial context.
Mountain Legends, 2021, oilon canvas, 214 x 330 cm
「A Different Form of Retreat」
Although residing in Shanghai, the lifestyle of the artist Fang Wei resonates more closely with rural living—situated on Chongming Island, far from the city center, he has established both his living space and studio surrounded by trees and enveloped by vegetation, accompanied by the rhythm of sunrise and sunset, with the gentle flow of the river visible in the distance.
Since 2015, Fang Wei and his wife Uma have settled in a small village on Chongming Island, transforming an abandoned 1960s fishing station and old factory close to the riverbank into their studio. From amidst overgrown weeds, they preserved the factory's original wooden structures and vegetation, coexisting with this natural setting in a manner akin to "collaboration."
This spring and summer, the start and end of which remain indeterminate, leave us questioning what we are waiting for, as everything seems to have changed and yet appears unchanged at the same time, plunging us into a world reminiscent of waiting for Godot, filled with uncertainty. For Fang Wei, who has chosen to distance himself from urban life, the impact of the sudden pandemic appears relatively controllable. "It's more about the changes in internal emotions, a kind of psychological 'retreat,'" Fang Wei explains. An onslaught of information confronts him, disrupting and obstructing his creative thought processes. While this influence is unavoidable, he still attempts to transform the energy stirred by these conflicting emotions into a passion for creation, maintaining his usual state of artistic production.
Backlight, 2021, oil on canvas, 240 x 340 cm
「Finding Peace in a Corner」
As the pandemic eases, the daily routine at home gradually returns to normal. His daily conversations with his wife still repeat the same questions: "How are you feeling today?" and "What are we missing at home?"... Yet beneath this seemingly unchanged routine, hints of online "emotions" begin to emerge within their dialogue. Although these sentiments quickly dissolve in remarks like "today's eggs are good," they reveal another level of contradiction: a distance between freedom and confinement, imagination and reality.
In these days somewhat detached from the past, the studio becomes a sanctuary, seemingly enveloped by a barrier that shields it from the mundane world. "Being in the studio, I feel a sense of emotional calm," says Fang Wei. The spacious studio retains its original structure of an industrial building, with interiors that are clean and tidy and minimally decorated. The body and mind simultaneously perceive the subtlest changes in the external world. These minute perceptions seep into his works, introducing into his canvases a sense of venturing into an unknown, mysterious forest at dawn, with the sun slowly rising over the horizon, embracing the desolate and tranquil land of the previous night. This intense sensation of light stirs the nerves and transports one to a fantastical realm. Figures appear intermittently within this context—visible yet elusive, present yet distant—much like human nature and the impermanence of all things. Figures are a significantly profound theme in Fang Wei's art; men, women, and deities take shape on the canvas as his brush touches the palette, their colors blending and diffusing, rendering the depicted subjects into an ambiguous chaos. In large-scale works, multiple figures often emerge, melting into the surrounding landscapes.
"The studio often plays rock and jazz music. When entering a certain state, I also listen to classical piano," says Fang Wei, "However, the intense scenic presence of symphonic music can disrupt my workflow. I either let myself get immersed in the music, or I have to turn it off." Besides the desks, easels, and neatly arranged brushes essential for painting, the studio is also equipped with a variety of music, books, and playful objects that enrich the pauses in creativity, creating an organized and fulfilling environment. "Music, literature, and the art of painting are alike in being 'nourishments' that offer us perspectives on sensing the 'meaning of life'," he describes.
The details of Fang Wei's new work
「Alleviating Anxiety」
Fang Wei's paintings do not adhere to predefined subjects or themes; instead, he permits his unrestrained and whimsical fantasies to unfold into exuberant expressions of color and emotion that characterize the figures and scenes within his works. Over the years, he has consistently focused on the intrinsic nature of humanity, confronting emotions such as excitement, fear, loneliness, ecstasy, and sadness with an embracing stance. Employing absurd, exaggerated, and surrealistic techniques, he uses rich, vibrant colors and unique blending strokes to create various mental fabrications.
The emotions brought by the pandemic inevitably influence his artistic creations. In his recent, yet unfinished works, every dot of color carries intense emotion, vigorously splashed onto the canvas. Excitement, fear, sadness, and loneliness are externalized from the inner psyche, intermingling and flowing to the tip of the brush. One perceives a sense of losing and gaining control, along with ambiguity and uncertainty, in Fang Wei's works. This anxiety is intimately connected with the era; in an age of accelerated urbanization, people who have lived through the transitions of the 20th and 21st centuries, while enjoying material abundance, increasingly suffer from psychological pressure. The city seems to become a beast that devours vitality. When the artist begins to create, his strokes merge with the current atmosphere, externalizing the contents of his subconscious onto the canvas. Although physically distanced from the urban environment, the influence remains subtly pervasive, expanding and sinking within his mind like water seeping into a sponge.
On his studio's plaque, the characters "无忌" are written, meaning "childlike frankness" and signifying "the heart always remains youthful." This place serves as a private sanctuary for the soul where one can create barefoot or play beloved music. He dedicates most of his day to the studio—thinking, creating, and healing his spirit. The transition from the chill of early spring to the warmth of approaching summer is but a garden path's length away. In this distinctive spring, one observes the seasonal blossoms of roses and hydrangeas thrive and then fade, soon giving way to the lush greenery of early summer. "Tending the garden, caring for the plants is a laborious process, but it's also quite beautiful, an immediate spectacle." Even as we pause, nature continues unabated, growing wildly.
Fang Wei's studio
「INTERVIEW」
What has been your most significant experience during this period of "staying at home"?
Shanghai has solidified its collective consciousness. The pandemic has made many more aware of their own needs including the desire for a free spirit and for necessary health measures. Relationships between individuals have become closer. In the countryside, this time has been particularly quiet. Our studio has not closed or locked its doors for a long time now. In these slower times, I am thankful for the subtle details of spring accompanying me. I hope that once everything returns to normal, Shanghai will emerge better and stronger.
Will there be any reflective components?
Indeed, there is much to reflect upon. This absurd moment could be seen as a unique mirror in which we not only examine the past but also r
How should we view the advancements in new technologies— as normal, abnormal, alienated, or evolutionary?
Personally, I believe the development of high technology is driven by a society operating at high speed. However, I lack the capacity to accept the overload of such rapid operations. I am neither able to judge the meaning of "progress" nor do I have the energy to blindly idolize the phenomenon of echoing others’ opinions.
Does this imply anticipation, or does it come with a certain level of caution?
If the development of technology advances too quickly, or if it is said to benefit humanity, then that is a fallacious proposition. Human nature harbors both good and evil, and the environment in which we rely for survival does not wish to see the fruits of scientific progress being utilized to further malevolent ends, potentially leading to curses in the future.
