Fringe artists in the entertainment industry

Chapter 3 3. Only by observing can you experience

"Do you compare the chair to a society or an institution? The glass represents the indifference and alienation of human feelings?"

Chen Li'an patted the chair vigorously and said: "You can understand it no matter how you interpret it. This kind of chair that is extremely uncomfortable to sit on is like a dilemma of the times and individuals. I hate it and want to be more comfortable, but I have to accept it or fight it." Either accept it or be corrected.”

"In fact, no one pays attention to the suffering of others. It doesn't make much difference whether there is glass or not."

After listening to Chen Li'an's explanation, Jia Hongsheng narrowed his eyes and asked: "Have you ever done similar performance art? I think this is a good theme, maybe we can dig deeper."

"Maybe, but I don't like it." Chen Li'an replied lightly, turned to Wang Xiaoshuai and asked, "Are you still struggling? I don't have much time today."

Wang Xiaoshuai glanced at Jia Hongsheng and was a little hesitant because Chen Li'an's appearance was too handsome and it didn't match the Qi Lei he imagined.

"We have made a decision, this role belongs to you." Shu Qi suddenly said.

Shu Qi didn't know Jia Hongsheng well. In comparison, he was more inclined to Chen Li'an. Both the image and the interpretation of performance art were very interesting.

Wang Xiaoshuai opened his mouth without refuting, and acquiesced to the decision. Anyway, both of them were fine.

Chen Li'an looked up, then nodded and said, "Okay, please give me the script. I will be here on time when the camera starts."

"Aren't you going to talk about remuneration?" Shu Qi asked curiously.

Chen Li'an took a look at the simple decoration in the room, shook his head and said, "You have no money, and I don't care. It's not much anyway."

Shu Qi was a little helpless. The crew really didn't have much money, and the salary could only be a few hundred yuan or less at most.

Chen Li'an knew how much remuneration he could get, so he didn't really care. Talking about remuneration at the beginning was just cliche.

Even haggling like buying groceries can't increase the pay, because the crew itself has no money.

An hour later, Chen Li'an left the extremely cold audition location and strolled through the alleys of the West Village. He wanted to observe the characters and find a teacher to learn oil painting.

The location of the West Village is very remote and shabby, but it has a strong artistic atmosphere.

Paints of various colors can be seen everywhere on the walls, but there are no complete paintings, and graffiti art has not yet become popular in the capital.

From a distance, it looks more like the walls are covered with moss and flower vines, and the pastoral atmosphere is stronger than the street atmosphere.

If you knock on any door here, what comes out may be a painter covered in paint or a sculptor with a carving knife in his hand.

It's just that it's a bit too shabby here, with old houses and industrial waste everywhere.

The West Village is a bit quiet during the day, and artists seem to like to go out at night.

Chen Li'an walked in the alleys of West Village, imagining how the artists living here lived.

This is crucial for him to experience the character.

Chen Li'an is not keen on performance art, and his chat with Wang Xiaoshuai and others is just his performance.

Before coming to the audition, he assumed the identity of an artist.

This performance was very successful and he won the role.

However, it is not that simple to truly act as a performance artist. This is a group of different people.

Chen Li'an needs to have a deep understanding of the thoughts and hearts of such people, otherwise the performance will only be superficial.

This is also the reason why Chen Li'an didn't speak much during the audition today.

Extreme Cold was not a very successful movie. It had no box office and no awards. It was not even possible to have money for post-production work until 1996.

But this is an opportunity for Chen Li'an to enter the attention of the sixth generation of directors.

Wang Xiaoshuai is the first independent filmmaker among the sixth generation of directors in China, and he is a certain representative among this group.

The title "Seven Gentlemen" was still very popular in the later domestic literary and artistic film circles.

Chen Li'an is currently following a painter, observing him secretly.

He is tall but very thin, and his normal-sized jeans look like bucket jeans with a lot of paint remaining on them.

What caught Chen Li'an's attention the most was his hair. It was very long and dirty, with strands stuck together. It was very similar to the famous street attraction in Europe and America - the homeless man.

But Chen Li'an noticed his eyes, and his slender eyes were shining with excitement.

There are many such people in West Village now, but there will be very few such people in more than ten years. Artist gathering places like West Village, East Village, Songzhuang, or Huozhuang will be in the economic development in a few years. Die under the torrent.

Then it becomes a consumer product and re-enters the capital, continuing to contribute to economic development.

Chen Li'an remembers that he in another world visited the 798 Art District once in 2015. At that time, most of the people doing art were fake artists wearing avant-garde and fashionable clothes.

Their expressions are very aloof and maverick, as if they separate themselves from the world.

They may look like "artists" but in reality most people are just pretending.

In Chen Li'an's opinion, it was more like a very childish performance and disguise, or a very low-level show off.

The group of people more than ten years later are far less pure than the group of people now.

Chen Li'an followed the man until he came to the courtyard he rented. There were four or five rooms in the courtyard. There was also a table in the middle of the courtyard with leftover food and beer bottles from last night.

The tall and thin man hurriedly crossed the yard, pushed open a wing on the west side and walked in.

It seems that there are several people living here, most likely painters who graduated from CAFA.

Chen Li'an followed him into the courtyard and saw that the tall and thin man had not closed the door, so he walked to the door of the room and looked over.

The tall and thin man sat on a pony, took out a paintbrush from the bucket and rubbed it on his pants. The turpentine instantly soaked his pants.

The unique smell of turpentine immediately appeared in Chen Li'an's nasal cavity, and it seemed that even the air began to become artistic.

The tall and lanky man picked up the palette, dipped a few dips in a pile of colorful paints, and then began to apply them to the blank canvas.

Chen Li'an leaned against the door and watched him draw, but he didn't see what he wanted to draw yet.

Chen Li'an is not curious either. He has no interest in paintings. His attention is more on people.

The tall and lanky man was really into it, and the excitement shining in his eyes was even a bit dazzling.

Chen Li'an squinted his eyes and observed carefully, and then found that his body was shaking slightly, but his right hand holding the brush was very steady.

The brushstrokes on the canvas are not affected in the slightest.

This is entering a kind of self-world and devoting yourself wholeheartedly.

Chen Li'an felt that he was very lucky. The randomly selected passers-by were in this state, which provided him with a good observation object.

Just when Chen Li'an was observing carefully, a round and white arm suddenly appeared on his shoulder.

"Friend Lao Zhao? He has started a new painting, and the colors are very lively."

A hoarse voice appeared in Chen Li'an's ear, with a hint of laziness in his tone.

Chen Li'an turned around and saw a girl with short hair, a small face but a plump figure.

Wearing a hand-painted white short-sleeved shirt, with red marks on her face from sleeping, she looks sexy and cute.

Chen Li'an turned his head, and Bo Qing saw his face, and his tired eyes immediately brightened up.

"Hello." Chen Li'an said hello, then turned his head and continued to watch "Old Zhao"'s creation.

Such a character state is rare, and Chen Li'an needs to carefully understand it.

Bai Qing's arm was still on Chen Li'an's shoulders, and his body's center of gravity was tilted towards Chen Li'an and he looked at Lao Zhao in the room.

"Old Zhao is seeking transformation recently, but the process is very difficult. Realism has a great impact on him."

Bai Qing leaned on Chen Li'an and sniffed his nose without hesitation, trying to identify this man through his smell.

It smells good, but the smell of new clothes is a bit too strong, and there is no oil paint smell.

Chen Li'an didn't reply, just looked at Lao Zhao in the room quietly.

Perhaps there is new inspiration or a new understanding of a certain artistic concept.

Lao Zhao was very involved, and the brush in his hand gradually became wanton, and the colors became bolder and bolder. He seemed to have successfully got rid of the influence of realism.

It is difficult for such a person to perform. If he exerts too much force, he will act like a madman, and if he exerts too much force, he will act like an idiot.

Especially the bright light in the eyes and the excited mental state are very difficult to grasp.

Bai Qing observed Chen Li'an, put his face next to Chen Li'an's ear and asked: "You are observing Lao Zhao, are you not his friend?"

"Um."

Chen Li'an pulled the knitted hat on his head and covered his ears.

Bai Qing shrank back, and the fingers on Chen Li'an's shoulders pinched a thread on the black sweater and pulled it off.

"The one who does plays or writes novels?"

"Performance Art."

Chen Li'an is adjusting his state and slowly entering the character state, and his identity is also deliberately vague.

"What theme?"

“The value of life for marginalized artists.”

"Our group of people is indeed quite marginal. How do you observe me?"