A mural of a naked woman is regarded by keen Hong Kong entrepreneurs as the "wind vane" of the mainland's reform and opening up. In Henry fok's view, "release" or "close"? Seeing the big from the small, the location of "Spring River Plumbing Duck Prophet" in a special place like Capital International Airport can reflect the determination and scale of opening up in the mainland to a certain extent.
From the perspective of modern people, it would be incredible, but it was reasonable at that time. After all, China has just come out of the ten-year Cultural Revolution, and many people are still paying attention to political trends, not to mention Hong Kong entrepreneurs like Henry Fok who are preparing to invest in the mainland; In fact, Henry Fok was not the only one who was worried about the stability and durability of the mainland's open policy.
What kind of murals have been given the special meaning of the policy vane? In what context and by whom was it created? What kind of controversy and turmoil did this painting cause later?
Li Ruihuan, then the chief commander of the capital airport construction, said to Yuan Yunfu, "We have so many artists, why can't we create?"
1978, in order to decorate the newly completed terminal building of the Capital Airport, Li Ruihuan, then deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Construction Committee and deputy commander-in-chief of airport construction, invited famous artists such as Jiang Feng and Zhang Ding to create murals for the airport, and said that it was up to the artists to discuss what to draw and how to draw them.
On 1978, Yuan Yunfu, the brother of Yuan Yunsheng, the author of the mural Water-splashing Festival-Ode to Life, and later a professor at Tsinghua University Academy of Fine Arts (formerly Central Academy of Arts and Crafts), was appointed as the deputy head of the mural creation group of the Capital Airport. He recalled:
At the end of 1978, Mr. Zhang Ding, president of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts, approached me and asked me to join the mural creation group of the Capital Airport. He is the team leader and I am the deputy team leader. Many excellent artists have gathered, including my brother Yuan Yunsheng.
Li Ruihuan was the commander-in-chief of the airport construction at that time, and one day he called me to his house to talk about this mural. Li Ruihuan said that our country is very poor, and its foreign exchange reserves are very small. It is very difficult to buy a lot of raw materials for airport construction abroad, and it needs to be carefully calculated. For example, the walls in the airport are decorated according to the methods of foreign airports, which costs a lot of money.
"We have so many artists, why can't we create?" Li Ruihuan said.
After listening to it, I think he had an idea to apply the mural form to the airport, which not only saves money, but also has cultural significance and kills two birds with one stone.
Besides, he knows the laws of art very well. At that time, leading comrades of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Guan was present, and we are going to report to Li Ruihuan about the specific plan of mural creation. Regarding what theme and style, Li Ruihuan said, "You artists discuss it by yourselves, choose your own theme, and take charge of your own writing."
This freedom has been maintained until the end. When the drawings of our specific construction were finalized, they were sent to Li Ruihuan for approval. He refused to sign them, saying that this was an artist's business and I was not qualified to approve them.
The painters got together to discuss and finally decided to paint murals with a total area of nearly 500 square meters. In addition to the Songkran Festival, there are Noisy Sea, Song of the Forest by Zhu Danian, Folk Dance by Zhang Guotao, Little Spring of Science and White by Li Hequan Zhenghuan.
It was not until 1979 that the mural of the Capital Airport was officially unveiled. This is the first large-scale mural creation by China artists since the founding of New China, and it is regarded as a great achievement of China art circle after the downfall of the Gang of Four.
At that time, overseas media commented that female bodies appeared on the walls of public places in China, which indicated the real reform and opening up.
Li Ruihuan, who has an eye for artistic appreciation and an open mind, commented on the murals of the Capital Airport at that time: "The completion of the terminal building of the Capital Airport may be a sensation in the future. I think the success of mural painting in the Capital Airport not only adds luster to the terminal building, but also makes a good start for the development of large-scale buildings on the capital construction front in the future. I told some comrades that in terms of its breadth, the art of the Capital Airport, its position in history and its influence in the world will definitely exceed this arduous construction project. " Later events proved Li Ruihuan's foresight.
Yuan Yunsheng said that he felt that China's art must go through the human body, especially public buildings. "Otherwise, China will always feel that painting the human body is a terrible thing. He is too old to get out."
At the end of September, 1978, the airport terminal was completed. According to the previous arrangement, the airport held a grand completion meeting, and Yuan Yunsheng, who created murals for the airport at that time, also attended the meeting. Halfway through the meeting, Yuan Yunsheng took the skirt of Han Meilun, a student sitting next to him, and whispered "Go, Go". Subsequently, students Geng Xu and Zeng Xiaojun from Yuan Yunsheng also quietly followed.
On the way, Han Meilun asked strangely, "Why don't you call Teacher Fei and Teacher Lian (collaborators in mural creation)?" Yuan Yunsheng replied, "Don't call them two. I will do it alone. "
"Because there are many people, there are many rumors and many things. I thought everyone had left, so I painted the picture alone because it was sensitive at that time. " Yuan Yunsheng said.
At that time, the gate of the airport building was locked. Yuan Yunsheng and several students found a two-meter-high window around the airport building and jumped in along the scaffolding.
There are only four of them in the airport terminal. Han Meilun will never forget the most wonderful observation. Later, she recalled: "Teacher Yuan didn't change a pen at the painting site. It was finished soon, and we all held our breath for half an hour. "
For this half an hour, Yuan Yunsheng thought for a long time. He said, "I didn't consult anyone before painting." He felt from the bottom of his heart that China's art must go through the human body, especially public buildings. "Otherwise, China always feels that painting the human body seems to be a great thing, and he will never get out of this step."
Although China has carried out reform and opening-up, it is still an era of "talking about sex change", not to mention nude murals, and even the painting of mannequins must be carried out in secret.
"I have another idea: China can't draw human bodies on public buildings, which has become an unwritten rule. This step should be taken since the reform and opening up. " Yuan Yunsheng thought his mural was a pathfinder, and he said, "I'm going to have a try".
Yuan Yunsheng later said that although the reform and opening up had begun, the situation was not very clear, and he took this opportunity to understand the scale of the policy. "Since the reform and opening up, we should also express some liberation in art and clarify the vague things. I think that's what I want to do. As long as I do it, there is no problem, and then everyone will know what the scale is like. "
To achieve this, Yuan Yunsheng made some adjustments in the sketch. At that time, Hua, vice chairman of China Artists Association, also asked, "Are you naked?" Yuan Yunsheng pointed to a line outside the human sketch, suggesting that all the characters were dressed.
"I can't let others be alert. If I said from the beginning that I wanted to paint (naked), it would be hopeless. I'm still a little premeditated. When I painted these two figures on the wall, it was one afternoon when everyone went to a meeting and I was alone. " In this way, the first human statue in public buildings in New China was born.
Talking about this matter many years later, Yuan Yunsheng said, "It is precisely because of the reform and opening up that I made this attempt in painting. If it is passed, it will be a huge leap in thought, so I will draw such a picture anyway. "
Deng Xiaoping said, "Why do some people object to painting the human body? What is there to object to? " "I think the murals at the airport are very good. We should publish a picture book. If we can draw a better one in the city, people can see it. "
After the completion of the mural of the Water-splashing Festival, Li Ruihuan came to the scene. In front of this avant-garde mural, some people appreciate it, some people question it, and some people are worried. Everyone turned their attention to Li Ruihuan, intentionally or unintentionally. Li Ruihuan hesitated a little, and then said, "Paste the window glass and door of the room with paper so that no one can see it, and then let the leader (Deng Xiaoping) read it before making a decision."
197910 June 12, Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian and other comrades visited these murals and other paintings in the terminal building of Capital International Airport. Many leaders and artists were very excited when they saw Songkran Festival, an ode to life. They thought it was a great breakthrough and cheered one after another.
According to people present at that time, Deng Xiaoping was very happy that day. He stood in front of the painting and looked at it carefully. Then he said, "Why do people object to drawing human bodies? What is there to object to? " Wang Zhen, who accompanied Deng Xiaoping to visit the murals, said: "This is science." Li Xiannian said: "Some people in China are just rare and strange."
Deng Xiaoping went on to say, "I think the airport murals are very good. We should publish a picture book. It would be better if you could draw one in the city for ordinary people to see. "
People's Daily reported this in June1979+1October 14:
In the newly completed terminal building of Capital International Airport, many paintings were praised by visiting Chinese and foreign people. Some people say that it marks the revival of murals in China. Mrs Cohen, a famous American oriental art expert, said after her visit that she believed that Beijing International Airport would be famous for her murals.
These large-scale murals mainly include: Songkran Festival-Ode to Life, Spring of Science, What Makes the Sea Noisy, Bashan Shushui and so on.
The largest mural, Songkran Festival-Song of Life, is painted with acrylic paint. This mural depicts the carnival scene of the Dai Water-splashing Festival. This painting consists of carrying water, dividing water, splashing water, dancing, bathing and courtship. * * * drew more than 100 characters, and these characters are very beautiful.
Recently, Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian, Zhang Tingfa, Gu Mu, Hu Qiaomu and other comrades, as well as the heads of the Ministry of Light Industry and the Ministry of Culture, visited these murals and other paintings in the terminal building of the Capital International Airport, and spoke highly of them, praising each of them for their unique style and theme. Many comrades believe that these murals are of high quality and first-class level, adding luster to the whole airport building.
According to Deng Xiaoping's instructions, at the Fourth National Cultural Conference held in June 1979+00, Zhou Yang focused on the special achievements made in the mural art of the Capital Airport.
For well-known reasons, for a long time, artistic creation has been mainly about political themes, praising the achievements of workers, peasants and soldiers and socialist construction. And landscapes, flowers and birds, garden cities, historical themes and other themes that were originally dismissed as bourgeois life sentiments can be painted. The spring of literature and art is coming.
At the end of 1979, someone specially organized a live criticism meeting in the name of China Artists Association. Because the painting is about Dai women, the critics have found many Dai students from the Central University for Nationalities (the predecessor of the Central University for Nationalities) and dragged them to the front of the painting at the airport for criticism.
Yuan Yunsheng recalled that in the two months after the completion of the airport, he did nothing but receive tourists from all walks of life at the airport every day. All kinds of praises are coming; 1957 Yuan Yunsheng, who was labeled as a "rightist" in his sophomore year at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, was not only rehabilitated, but also transferred back to his alma mater to teach after years of absence.
Although it has been fully recognized by leaders and highly praised by authoritative media, the Cultural Revolution has just passed, the influence of ultra-left ideological trend in society is still deeply rooted, and people still have many imprisonments in their minds, so this painting is inevitably criticized.
Some people think that this painting is indecent, and it will have a bad social impact if it is displayed in a place like the terminal. Advocate modification, not naked, and simply remove it if it doesn't work.
Someone suggested to Yuan Yunsheng: "Can you draw pants for naked women?" Yuan Yunsheng replied: "This will not work, and it will leave an embarrassing stroke in the history of art."
Someone flew into a rage and asked the public security department to send Yuan Yunsheng to Qincheng prison for "hooliganism".
What's more, someone asked, "Do you want A Dai or Yuan Yunsheng?" It is a "hat" to artificially raise a purely artistic issue to the height of national politics.
At the end of 1979, someone specially organized a live criticism meeting in the name of China Artists Association. Because the paintings are of Dai women, the critics specially recruited many Dai students from the Central University for Nationalities (the predecessor of the Central University for Nationalities) and put a car full of people in front of the mural in the waiting hall for them to comment on the scene.
Yuan Yunsheng was invited to the scene. He introduced the background and moral of his painting to the students in detail: he painted the history of the Dai people here, not now. The story of the Water-splashing Festival is in Dai folklore, that is to say, there is a demon king who always bullies the people and is later killed by Dai girls. People pour water to wash the dirty blood left by the devil. This painting expresses the desire of the Dai people to pursue happiness. Very poetic and romantic.
Listening to the poetic description, the Dai students present were deeply attracted and moved by the wonderful artistic conception shown in the picture, and there was no way to criticize them. Only some students suggested that it would be better if this painting could show the happy life of the Dai people more comprehensively today.
A well-planned criticism will turn into an art appreciation meeting, which will make the organizers in a dilemma and embarrassed.
Later, in order to calm the anger of critics, the airport specially covered the human body with a thin tulle coat. Later 1982 simply made a fake wall with plywood to cover it up. This stop is ten years in an instant.
According to Yuan Yunfu's memory:
Until September 1990, the Asian Games will be held in Beijing, and the person in charge of the airport called me to see if it is necessary to restore these murals. Take the opportunity to talk about this painting that has been sealed for ten years. I suggest taking off the baffle. I said, Comrade Xiaoping said this painting is good. What are you afraid of?
The person in charge of the airport also knows that the central leaders have seen the murals. After hearing what I said, I made up my mind and said, it's up to you, Mr. Yuan, as long as we are clean, clean and clean. I got a dozen students from the Academy of Fine Arts and took off the baffle. It only took half a day.
That "sensitive" picture was rediscovered in this way, because with the protection of the wall, the color is still particularly bright. The authors of these seven airport murals were very famous artists in China at that time and were very popular at that time. Today, more than 40 years later, some insiders estimate that each mural should also exceed 10 million yuan. Especially the Songkran Festival, a hymn of life, has almost become a landmark of reform and opening up. It is no exaggeration to say that the creative significance, artistic value and influence in the world of this work are priceless.
Many years later, Yuan Yunsheng sighed, "We often wait until a work of art is destroyed before we realize its value. We should draw lessons from history. If we don't pay attention to airport murals at present, how can future generations understand and study our current history? "
As Yuan Yunsheng said when talking about his original intention of creating murals: "Since the reform and opening up, we should also express some liberation in art, …" At that time, the airport murals caused a sensation from the beginning. Despite the constant controversy and fierce opposition, it is like a bird that indicates the spring of art after the reform and opening up. Everyone began to understand, accept and appreciate with surprise, amazement and incomprehension from the beginning. This process also reflects that with the pace of reform and opening up, China people's thoughts have become more and more open and inclusive.