中国艺坛，出现艺术家搭行串界，成就大事业者，肇自鸦片战争之后西学艺事东渐以来。旬慧生原本是梆子行当，后改唱京戏，一举成为“四大名旦之一”。吴昌硕作为书法家，五十多岁后画起花鸟画，后来成为一代宗师。而徐悲鸿、林丰眠、刘海粟、关良、吴冠中等，都是油画家涉足中国画，成为影响巨深的艺术大师。

　　从以上这些先贤艺坛趣事，考索他们艺术人生的轨迹，以及传为佳话的前因后果，虽然其缘由各自有别，但其中有一点是共同的，那就是心性所至，还有时代的召唤……

　　当今中国画坛，“八五思潮”之后近二十年间，暗暗涌动中国水墨探索浪潮，其中有不少油画家参与其中，最具代表性是尚扬先生，他的实验性水墨，以油画家的视觉及他的解读方式，从水墨元素到语言的提炼及运用，经过重组异化，所构筑的新图像，为我们展现的是另一片天地。我以为与尚扬相近似的搞实验性水墨的油画家，实际还是属于中国画那道门槛的槛外人。而另一类搞中国水墨的油画家与前者不同，他们一无反顾地跨进中国画那道门槛，变为槛内人。他们各自选择适合自己某一中国画画种，从头做起，经过艰辛卓绝的磨砺，取得了令人刮目相看的可喜成绩。其中油画家祁海峰就是佼佼者之一。

　　画家祁海峰，毕业于中国美术学院油画系，现为河北省美术家协会主席。近年来一直从事中国山水画研究与创作，一个油画家以自身的条件，涉足中国山水画，不可回避的是要经历由碰撞，衍生参合，由参合到纯化，推衍出一条路径，这是走向成功的一种特定的规律。而祁海峰在经历了这样的过程之后，他的山水画作品以形成自家的面貌。

　　作为油画家，祁海峰涉足中国画山水画，若是追问为什么，那是多余而幼稚。就绘画而言，只有画种门类的差异，没有大艺术的限界。因此，当一个艺术家到了饱胀的生命力需要向外奔突，就要为自己寻找新的生命河道，乃至改变流向，奔出一条岔路。而画家祁海峰是一位心存轻盈敏感的体性，发寻常之想，唯有山水画能探得天簌的幽微与神秘，以解困顿的心结，获得渲泄的快意。因此，这是自然而然的事。然而，我以为只有心怀畅达，才情敏慧，画道通于大道者，才可能有如此胆魄。

　　画家祁海峰的山水画，不欲以传统山水画成规成法，循规蹈矩进行创作，而是因物用法，有感成图。由对自然造化的感受衍生情感表现的诗化，且明显地体现着主观的审美价值判断。并以一种独特的横笔笔式，勾勒万象，随意横涂直抹，并兼施大墨，形成大的块面，在置陈布势上施展工夫，对阴阳向背和深远关系及整体气局的把握，将皴、擦、点、染融为一体做足细活。因此，他的作品外向气机畅旺，内含幽深玄远，展现着厚重沉稳的天地之大美。

　　昔曹丕言：“文以气为主，气之清浊有体，不可力强而致。”为文为艺都是一个道理。时下，书画家多困于求形求意，而知求气者不多。何为画中之气?古而新，朴而雅，犷而秀，动而静，慎终追远，平淡中和的文化气息。按王国维之见，此乃为阴柔与阳刚之外的第三种人文精神，这在祁海峰的作品也有显现。

　　另外，还有更值一提的是，他的作品体现着对于画家最敏感最要紧的话题，就是宁要缺失的特色，不要流于竸美的雷同。就这一点表明，如果画家没有慧心灵眼，博大胸襟，及超凡的才情，是难以有此建树。

　　纵观祁海峰的艺术历程，在我反复品读他的作品，经过一番思量之后，可以认知的是他经困惑之后，心灵得到安顿。这预示着走入成熟的标志，也是才智待发的动力源。深信他在入真道，举正脉，深悟“予智自雄独矜创造”先贤之言，深修精研，愿与海峰共勉。

　　李明久 于蹊园

　　2011年10月7日

Devoted to Landscape Painting
--On Qi Haifeng's Landscape Painting

　　Since "the oriental spreading of western culture" after the Opium War, there have been artists changing professions and achieving great success on Chinese art stage. Xun Huisheng was originally engaged in "Bangzi", but later turned to Beijing opera and rose to fame as one of the four great Dans. Wu Changshuo used to be a calligrapher, but took up flower-and-bird painting in his fifties, and later became a master. Xu Beihong, Lin Fengmian, Liu Haisu, Guan Liang, Wu Guanzhong and so on, who steped into Chinese painting from oil painting, finally became art masters of far-reaching influence.

　　Through these stories of antecedent sages, studying their art life and the cause of becoming a tale, although they are different, we can see something in common, that is, following their nature of mind and the call of the times.

　　There has been a surging wave of exploration in Chinese ink painting in the past 20 years since "the 85 ideological trend" in China Art Circle. Many oil paintes have been involved, of whom Mr. Shang Yang is the most representative one. He demonstrates a new world with the new images that his experimental ink painting created by using the vision of an oil painter and his way of interpretation, from the ink elements to the refinement of words and application. I guess, as with Shang Yang, the oil painters dealing with experimental ink painting are actually still threshold outsiders of Chinese painting. But there are different painters, who are fearless to cross the threshold of Chinese painting, becoming threshold insiders. They each choose a sort of Chinese painting which suits themselves, all from the beginning, after arduous hard work, obtain the delectable result. Qi Haifeng is one of the best.

　　Qi Haifeng graduated from Oil Painting Department of China Academy of Fine Arts, and is now chairman of Hebei Artists Association. In recent years, he has been engaged in the research and creation of Chinese landscape painting and made remarkable achievements.

　　As an oil painter, Qi Haifeng has stepped into Chinese landscape painting; it is unnecessary and childish if you ask why. In terms of painting, there are only differences in painting categories but no big art boundry. Therefore, when an artist feels the fullness of vitality needs to rush about, he has to seek out new river of life and even change the flowing direction for himself to make a new way. Qi Haifeng is a very sensitive painter, and landscape painting is only access to the delectation and mystery of the heaven. Only through landscape painting can he enjoy the pleasure of venting. Therefore, it comes quite naturally. However, I guess only those who hold an open mind and who are smart and skillful may have such courage.

　　Qi Haifeng does not strictly observe conventional standards but follows his own heart, and obviously embodies subjective judgments of aesthetic value. He uses unique random brush and ink to paint everything straight on, forming large surface of the block. He focuses on the composition of a picture and relations between yin and yang and has a good command of the whole structure and does good work in wrinkling, rubbing, dotting and dyeing. Besides, his works are both vigorous and profound, showing kind of grand beauty.

　　Cao Pi once said, "Writing gives priority to charm, charm differs and can not be obtained by power". It is true to arts. Nowadays, painters are often stuck in the form and meaning, few seek for real charm. What is charm? It is being old and new, simple and elegant, fierce and nice, dynamic and static. It is the kind of peacefulness in the cultural flavor. According to Wang Guowei, this is the third kind of humanistic spirit besides feminine and masculine, which is also shown in Qi’s works.

　　In addition, what is worth mentioning is that his works reflect the most sensitive topic to painters, preferring features to similarities.

　　Making a general view of Qi Haifeng’s art progress and reading his works repeatedly and pondering, I guess that he has got the peacefulness in his mind after confusion. This indicates that he is becoming mature and it is the source power of creation. I’m convinced that he is on the way to gaining access to the "real". "Who but myself can do it?" Follow speeches of sages and gain mastery. Willing to share it with Haifeng.

Li Mingjiu
Oct. 7, 2011