王：你怎么理解油畫的概念?怎樣看待以軟件為技術(shù)手段的繪畫？

劉：我覺得電腦技術(shù)和傳統(tǒng)意義上的繪畫并沒有什么矛盾。如果能夠把這些先進(jìn)的手段和技術(shù)善加利用，從而為傳統(tǒng)繪畫注入一些新鮮的血液，使繪畫語言更加豐富，為繪畫本身呈現(xiàn)更加多元化發(fā)展的趨勢(shì)，拓展出更大的空間和可能性，這不是一件很好的事情么？

王：你畫的這本書分若干個(gè)章節(jié)，從半人半機(jī)械生物突然畫到機(jī)器人、云、生物、青花瓷，是畫到新的章節(jié)了么?篇章升級(jí)呀！

劉：人的精神要“升級(jí)”的嘛, 所以我的作品也要不斷的把這種精神“升級(jí)”更完整的呈現(xiàn)，算是同步“升級(jí)”吧。畫面中表現(xiàn)的不同的內(nèi)容并沒有背離我的初衷,只是需要更多時(shí)間來呈現(xiàn)。

王：以后有什么打算會(huì)不會(huì)制作一些玩偶或者電影之類的?

劉：誰知道呢？有可能的話……一切都要看機(jī)緣，我很信這個(gè)（笑），順其自然吧。

Life is a Spiritual Journey and Perception——An Interview with Liu Zhiyi

Wang Yanchu

Liu Zhiyi believes slow work yields fine products. Last year we haven’t seen his works, indeed, there is some reason. With the growth of age, his attention has a new change. He puts plain, natural and simple elements into his new works to show a life experience in a new phase.

Wang: This is your first solo exhibition. Is “A Grain of sand” your understanding of life?

Liu: Yes, it’s an abstract concept, so I could not make an explanation in few words. Discarding all the flashy appearance, every one should walk into the real-self in one’s heart.

Wang: Are all your recent works in the exhibition? Why do you choose these works to exhibit?

Liu: Not all works, this exhibition is a summary of recent creations. The robots in 2004 and 2005 are the prototype combined with traditional things, and then I turn these robot images into 3D entities by computer. For example, putting three representative robots into typical symbols again and making them look flat. Generally speaking, this is completely consistent with my original thoughts. In addition with two years life experience, the form becomes soft and restrained. I also hope the artistic conception have upgraded in a higher level compared to the basis. I want to show all my creative experiences these years from this exhibition.

Wang: It seems that there is no relation between your earlier works and individual experiences. So, would you like to tell us why your friends and animals appear in your new works?

Liu: These works were accumulated for a time. This exhibition is a good opportunity for me to exhibit a part of these works. I want to show the plain and natural aspect of them. The things I described in the works are the most important for me. I think they are the most beautiful things.

Wang: I feel your recent works are so relaxed, does that have any relation to your emotions?

Liu: Yeah, it’s a feeling from the heart. And it returns back to the topic “A Grain of Sand”. Because it’s a direct expression of my life at present, so the paintings show a relaxed and calm feeling. Life is a spiritual journey and perception, so I look forward to a peaceful, free and quiet state in my creations.

Wang: This state is similar to the realm of Traditional Chinese Paintings; do you look forward to traditional things?

Liu: Most things in the future are a continuance of tradition. Some ancient things also have a kind of instruction for people in the future to create things. In some degree, they are integrated together.