01

“I hoped that by bringing Shan Shui (landscape painting) back to our generation, we create something different.”

Vermilion Art: Over the recent years, a significant portion of your works are focused on landscapes, including the series we are currently exhibiting. When creating works, do you prefer immersing yourself in nature and letting it blend in with your work, or do you find yourself more inclined to paint in your studio?

Yin Zhaoyang: Over the past 12 years, I have consciously engaged in plein air painting almost every year. This practice is inspired by an ancient Chinese art concept called “行旅” (xing lv) which emphasizes the necessity of engaging in a dialogue with nature.

Vermilion Art: Like a form of spiritual cultivation, would you say?

Yin Zhaoyang: That’s a valid interpretation. The Chinese understanding of landscape painting differs from that of Western landscape art. Landscape painting has served as a spiritual symbol for the Chinese throughout history. It is closer to the religious beliefs of ancient literati, representing a vital aspect of the Chinese soul. Each generation interprets landscape painting in its own way. I hoped that by bringing Shan Shui back to our generation, we create something different.

Yin Zhaoyang: Over the past 12 years, I intentionally chose to paint Mount Song, mainly within a valley of Mount Song. I wanted to see how it would change over the 12 years of observing the exact scenery at a specific location. It was the influence of Cézanne. Painting Mount Song doesn’t have much to do with me being from Henan. It would be too limiting If I were only trying to represent my hometown because I’m from Henan. Whether it’s Mount Song or any other place, in the end, it’s not essential. Mount Song is just my starting point; what matters most is that Mount Song inspired me.

I still go to other places for plein air painting every year. These experiences combined, form a comprehensive outline for viewing the world. Whether painting in the studio or outdoors, the interaction between the two should go beyond merely portraying the landscapes of one’s hometown. We should transcend this. I am a person of this era, and when facing nature and human environments, my thoughts should have no limits.

Vermilion Art: You seem to be someone who enjoys challenges.

Yin Zhaoyang: I believe that deep within, the problem setting should be ultimate. My focus has always been on people and landscapes. Essentially, when you face the world, it’s all landscapes.

Vermilion Art: In 12 years of observing the changes in that mountain range, nature inspired you and allowed you to express yourself. When observing Mount Song, have you also been observing yourself? If so, what changes have you witnessed in yourself over the last 12 years?

Yin Zhaoyang: There are very noticeable changes. On one hand, I’ve become less talkative and more composed, and my use of language has receded. Every time I go, friends from the local area sometimes come to see me painting that mountain valley. Many people paint, and some gradually stop. Faced with the same scenery, if your approach, thoughts, or feelings have stayed the same, it’s repetitive. As time goes on, the urgency to explore oneself becomes more pressing. It’s an artistic project, a deliberate one. Cézanne’s painting of Mont Sainte-Victoire influenced me a lot, and there’s also the repetition theme from Huang Binhong. In art history, many great artists, after expanding the inspiration gained from a certain point or place, essentially present their entire worldview. It was a simple idea when I started, and I just went for it. Now, it’s been almost 12 years. When I held an exhibition at the Long Museum two years ago, I counted and had probably been there nearly seventy times. Thinking about it, it’s quite a lot.

Vermilion Art: In Australia, there’s an artist like Clarice Beckett, a female artist from Victoria. In the 1920s, she lived near Brighton in Melbourne. She pushed her easel from home to the seaside and painted there every day. She did this for two to three decades. She passed away at a young age, and her father, with a match, burned almost all of her paintings. Fortunately, some were saved. About ten years ago, this artist was discovered, and the Art Gallery of South Australia held her exhibition. She presented works from a small region, yet each piece expressed a unique spirit. Now, she receives considerable attention.

Yin Zhaoyang: I believe human emotions can be limitless and can be unearthed. Recently, I’ve been looking at an American artist Georgia O’Keeffe; she paints in the desert, and her works naturally convey a sense of continuity and great perception. For some, entering a specific place can trigger a new eruption. I’m not a fan of gimmicks or montages. What matters to me is whether you are willing to put yourself in to emotionally invest.

03

“Figures, mountains, or trees are all closely  connected in my eyes.”

Vermilion Art: In your current solo exhibition, there are some portraits of Van Gogh. Why did you choose Van Gogh, and what influence does he have on you?

Yin Zhaoyang: Before 2010, I mainly painted figures. I painted many figurative works and then moved on to painting Mount Song. With the study of landscapes, new feelings emerged. My exploration of Van Gogh started three years ago, around 2020. He serves as a transitional figure. Through the theme of Van Gogh, I hope to encapsulate the past 12 years of my understanding of figures and landscapes. It has become a vessel to showcase these changes. I realise that at this stage, figures, mountains, or trees are all closely connected in my eyes.

Vermilion Art: You’ve explained it particularly well. People often categorize figures and landscapes as entirely separate entities. When selecting works for this solo exhibition, we discussed how there’s a subtle connection between your landscapes and the portraits of Van Gogh. It’s not a stark distinction; they have a delicate and intricate relationship.

04

“I have been deeply influenced by a long line of Eastern and Western masters, from Northern Wei murals, Huang Binhong, to Matisse and Cézanne.”

Vermilion Art: We’ve learned that you’ve studied art history before, and your published book “Boiling Wine, Discussing Heroes” discusses many classical artists. Have you picked up any techniques or methods from classical masters?

Yin Zhaoyang: Let me clarify that I didn’t formally study art history. I am self-taught in this aspect. After graduating from the art academy, I realized I needed to understand it, so I bought books and studied on my own. Art history at the academy was quite dull. I basically studied Chinese painting history and Western painting history. For people of our age, the modernist part is more familiar. Contemporary art, especially in the last twenty years, has been challenging to accept personally. It’s my limitation.

On the other hand, the classical art you mentioned is a question every contemporary artist cannot avoid. I have many favorites, and the list is quite long. For example, I like Giotto, Angelico, and Francesca from the Renaissance and modern and contemporary Western artists. Before our graduation, we were influenced by many modern masters. I particularly like the recent exhibition of Matisse at 798, and then Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Munch, etc. This is more towards the expressive side. I also like Soutine from the Paris School at that time. After graduating from the academy, the artists who influenced me the most were Bacon and Richter. This is something that can be traced from my practice.

In the last ten years, the influence of traditional Chinese painting has been more significant. I revisited classical Chinese art, from the Tang Dynasty to the Northern Wei murals, ancient stone carvings, and more. Emotionally, these are closer and easier to interact with as a Chinese.

05

“I had to learn to make my own path.”

Vermilion Art: We understand that you had early influences from your family, especially your father, regarding your interest in art. Is that correct?

Yin Zhaoyang: A little bit. For people of our generation, we must put it in the context and environment of that time. If you don’t get into a school, stay in a small city in the western part of Henan, you won’t have any opportunities. The goal was not necessarily to become an artist; the primary goal was to survive and leave that place. That was the initial motivation. Any talk about singing praises for art was just empty words. However, once I engaged in it, I became deeply committed. I have a deep feeling for the pain of this country. As you can see in the photos I sent you, I lived in a 12-square-meter small room near Guangqumen with a friend when I first arrived in Beijing. That was the actual reality at that time.

Vermilion Art: I know some artists had to go hungry.