1. Do you think it’s possible for everyone to become an artist?
Personally I think it’s perfectly possible for everyone to become an artist. People are born gifted; they just show it in different ways. Some people are good at painting, some people are good at designing, and some others might good at something else. Everyone is an artist in some way, and I believe that everyone tries their best to make their lives more beautiful. It’s true that not everyone can be famous and popular, but that doesn’t mean they are not a good artist. As long as they are given a chance to shine they can surprise everyone by how wonderful they can be.
2. Many artists make very little money from their work, Do you think the government should financially support these artists?
Not everyone gets lucky enough so that everyone appreciates their art work. For an artist just starting off it is difficult to attract investment and support, so it’s also hard to exhibit and create art. It’s a vicious circle. But art is a great idea, and if it’s good art, and people really love it, then in my opinion the government should give them support to allow them to share their art with society. The tricky thing is that nobody can really tell what is good art and what is a bad art, so that makes the idea of choosing which artists to support very difficult. Some people believe that spending taxpayers’ money on art is a throwing money down the drain and a complete waste, because it doesn’t do anything concrete to improve people’s lives. I completely disagree and would argue that art can enrich society hugely in the long-run. Without culture and art our lives would be empty.
3. What are the differences between modern art in China and traditional Chinese art?
Traditional arts in china are more peaceful and calm, like a water ink painting of a mountain, or a river. It’s more likely to appreciate the beauty of nature, because in the old days, people don’t know as much about the world and could only focus on those things around them like nature. Modern artists in China people care more about society, the relationship between people and nature, and between people. Also they put more of their own thinking into their work to express their own way of thinking. People nowadays don’t like to just follow rigid ideas but have their own creations. The ways and methods of creating art have also become more varied. Contemporary art can include sculptures made from rubbish, household objects or even actual people.
4. What is the value of art for society?
Art is a way to express ideas and provoke emotional response in those who experience it. People use different art works to pass their ideas to the people. Art is like a translator, it transfers the mundane physical materials into a beautiful work of art to show in front of everyone, allowing them to get an idea of what the artist is trying to say but in a much more nuances way. Words may not stick in one’s head forever, but an art work like a beautiful painting often can.
